Evelyn's Room

We started painting over the weekend and I just finished the project this afternoon!!!  YAY!  This room was already a light shade of pink, but it's been YEARS since it was painted last and it really needed a fresh coat of paint.  We went a little darker pink and even though it looked like PeptoBismol when we started and I was regretting my approval of Evelyn's color choice...in the end and once it dried, I think it's a great color and her room is adorable for a little girl!  I finished decorating and she walked in and said "it's just like in my dreams!"  She's happy--I'm happy! 

I painted all of the trim and baseboards white and her bedroom door and the closet door white.  The whole room feels brighter and bigger and cleaner and fresher and ... pinker!!!! 

 **another project for another day - paint the dresser and mirror white to match**

We're painting the room PINK!

For those of you who have not seen this room before, it was pink to begin with.When we moved in, this was the PINK SEWING ROOM.  I'm not sure when it was last painted...let's just say it has been a while.  The doors needed a fresh coat of paint - but not the dark cream it was, I wanted WHITE. FRESH CLEAN WHITE! The baseboards got a fresh coat of WHITE paint as well.  And the walls, well, the walls got a fresh coat of PINK!  It's what she wanted.  What's a parent to do?!?!  She loves her PINK room!  It's just paint right?!  

BEFORE ---- AFTER

Here are the side by side closet doors - the left is before, the right is after.  LOVE the white!

painting the base boards white - they will look SO sharp against the wood floors! (yes MINDY, that's your bandana I'm wearing...and no I didn't get paint on it!! LOVE YOU) 

She is so happy!  She worked and helped to get that room painted!  Proud of her!

I still have to get up on a ladder or chair to get the trim done around the ceilings and baseboards, but other than that it's done.  When her room is back in order, I'll post an AFTER picture.  It's PINK!

Hearty Potato Soup for the soul

We have been craving some hearty soups lately.  I guess it's because we didn't really get our winter and this is normally when I am making soups and chowders and crock pot dishes that warm the bones after a long winter day!!  Well, winter hasn't been here yet!  There have been some cold days, but mostly keeping in the 60's and sunny! Strange winter weather, but Sunday was a tad chilly and I thought enough was enough...bring out the stock pot, SOUP is on the menu!!  I made this Potato Soup that was so creamy and delish!  It hit the spot and I'm looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today! YUM!

Mixed emotions

Before I begin, here's is a little back history --

My first born did not nurse on me, I actually pumped for her for 11 months.  Yes I did. I was dedicated and determined that she would get breast milk and not formula. 

My second born nursed, but it wasn't perfect.  It was painful. It was work and it didn't feel natural.  I nursed her for 4 months and she weaned to formula.

Third time is a charm!  My Bonnie Kate has been nursing from day one!  I couldn't believe how easy it was!  It was so natural and she was good at it...and so was I! I was elated!

--fast forward 9 months--

Bonnie, still nursing, and not wanting anything BUT mommy! By Christmas time last year I was done.  I wanted my body back!  I wanted her to take a bottle! I wanted to have freedom again!  I was feeling trapped because she was exclusivly breast fed and I created a monster!  She only wanted me! We went through a biting phase together and I read mommy blogs and talked with friends

"HOW DO I WEAN HER?!"   

Despite the painful feedings from biting, I had more experieneces where we felt bonded and I was nurturing this baby and I loved that!  But at the end of the day, I just didn't want to do it anymore! However, I was inspired to continue on and that she would wean herself when she was ready.  I prepared myself mentally, emotionally, physically to be in it for the long haul.  I put my selfishness asied and continued on nursing and enduring - you know those toe curling, feet digging feedings when it hurts so bad?!  I had many of those. 

Here we are now on the brink of March and I find myself feeling the same feelings...I have LOVED this nursing experience with Bonnie, but I am DONE!  The last two weeks have been filled with sickness in the household and it took it's toll on me as well.  My milk supply went down.  I was lacking and she was wanting.  One night, at the bedtime feeding, I noticed I had nothing to give her.  It just wasn't coming.  She was frustraited and crying and I thought she's just going to have to cry it out - she won't take a bottle and I have nothing to give - so to bed she went, hungry. 

After 20 minutes of crying, I thought "she can't go to bed like this, but I can't magically create milk in my body on demand!"

I thought about making a bottle.  Despite my previous months and efforts of trying to get her to take a bottle, knowing it wouldn't work...I went to the kitchen, heated the water and poured in the formula. I told Gordon to get her and that I would leave the room and pray.  If it didn't work, I was prepared to feed her by syringe (which has not been a first!).

It was dark and quiet sitting in the front room listening to the silence coming from the other room where he was attempting a feeding with her. Why is it so quiet?  She should be screaming by now! I hear nothing!!!  Then it was done.  He walked past me with her in arms and he carried her upstairs to bed.  I stood there wondering.  He came back down, showed me the bottle and it was empty.  EMPTY!

She.drank.from.a.bottle!

SHE DRANK FROM A BOTTLE!!!!!!!!

It's been two days now - no feedings from mom - 100% bottle fed.  No issues. No crying. No screaming. Just like that, she's on a bottle. 

--

Here's the mixed emotions part - I truly, honestly, whole heartedly LOVED nursing this baby!  And the last two days of giving her a bottle and it's been so easy, I find myself reminscing the sweetness of nursing a baby.  Being the ONE and ONLY ONE that can provide for her.  But now I am not.  Why does this hurt my feelings?  Isn't this exactly what I wanted? Why am I sad that's it's actually over and done and she's moved on from me?  OH the heart strings!!!!!! 

I am done though, and it is empowering.  I nursed her for 9 months.  I endured.  I conquered.  And now I can reclaim life, freedom and my body!  It's exciting!  It's liberating! And most important - it's OK!  She still loves me!  I still am so in love with her!  The bond we have is not broken by the bottle.  I can still look into her baby blue eyes and see I am still the ONLY ONE for her!!  That makes me happy!  And so does this picture!!!  

I couldn't resist...

Yes!  I made YUMMY donuts!  Thank you Pintrest!!  They were delish!

Saturday night, February 11th, sickness sets in.  Gordon was with Evelyn on his daddy daughter date and I was home with the two little ones, Claire and Bonnie.  Claire went to bed that night not eating dinner and I attributed it to eating too many cupcakes earlier in the day at Evelyn's birthday party. So I put her to bed didn't think anything of it. 

Sunday morning came and we were supposed to head out to our brother's church where they were giving their newborn baby a blessing and at the last minute, I decided it was best to keep Claire home since she was showing more signs of not feeling well.  She woke up with a fever and had a runny nose and cough.  Is it amazing to anyone else how FAST a kid gets sick?!  It was litterally 'fine one minute...sick the next'. 

So Gordon and Evelyn went to church that day up to see the rest of the family and I stayed home with a healthy Bonnie and a sick Claire. 

When daddy got home from church...all Claire wanted was to be near him.  "Hold me." is what she said and I think that's the fastest way to melt a daddy's heart.  He held her all afternoon and she fell asleep on him.  Anyone who knows Claire knows that this kids DOES NOT sit still for anyone!  So to see her still and asleep and snoring through her stuffiness was priceless as it never happens and we  knew then she really must not feel well.

By Sunday night, Bonnie began showing signs of discomfort.  A little cough and sounds of congestion , but no fever.  Night time came and little sleep was had by all.  Coughing and fevers kept us up all night and it was decided that first thing in the morning, I would be taking the kids into the Dr's office.  Both Bonnie and Claire had a thurough examination and the verdict was two cases of bad head colds.  Rest. Drink water. Tylenol for fevers.  Those were the Dr's orders - all things I already knew and hated that I had to have a Dr tell me what I already knew, but was glad they were checked to rule out things like Strep Throat. 

All day Monday, Claire was miserable.  All day Tuesday, Claire was miserable.

....Speaking of Tuesday...it was Valentine's Day and I was going on day TWO with no shower because I was CONSTANTLY tending to a sick and whiney and needy little Claire bear.  I'm a mom, that's what I do, but when Tuesday came I did shower and I did do a little decorating with Evelyn to make it feel like it was a little bit of a special day.  The amazing husband that I have brought me roses and we had a very romantic dinner at the table under a sea of hearts!  ...with the children 3 feet away one of which was coughing up a lung and the other crying to be held and the third just smiling because she's five now.  Yeh, it was a wonderful evening!  

By Tuesday night, Bonnie's health changed drastically.  Her eyes were the first thing we noticed...they got very red and swollen and they were dripping - not because she was crying - they just were so irritated and watery that they just dripped tears!  Her cough excellerated pretty quickly from the day before and she was wheezing heavily and really struggling with breathing.  It was pretty hard to watch her suffer because she's my 8 month old and a baby and can't communicate with us and the only thing I can give her to give her comfort is Tylenol. 

The nights were hard and sleepless, but she was seen on Monday and it was just a cold right?  So we endured and pressed on ... not knowing what danger she was really in.

--Wednesday morning, Claire was improving - still coughing and snotty nosed, but she was off the couch. She was playing and moving around and her appetite was back and was eating food. Thank the Lord! She was finally able to be left to herself so I could focus on just ONE sick baby and not TWO!

--Thursday morning, Evelyn had her WELL CHILD CHECK UP since she just turned five so we were back at the Dr's office, but this time it was for a healthy Evelyn!  We get back in our room and the nurse starts checking out Evelyn - "mom, she has a fever, did you know?"  WHAT!!!????  The nurse tells me Evelyn has a fever of 101 and I had no idea.  We asked her if she felt sick and she said no...just a fluke thing with having a fever!  PHEW!

The Dr came in and she started Evelyn's check up...the whole time Bonnie is struggling breathing and wheezing and coughing.  The Dr STOPS checking Evelyn and turns her attention to Bonnie and asks me how Bonnie is doing?  I say, well she's been pretty miserable, but we're doing Tylenol and IBP every 4 hours to keep her fever down and I am suctioning her nose like crazy with Saline drops...why? 

The Dr asks if she can sign Bonnie in so she can check her officially.  Of Course!

So I check in Bonnie and the Dr starts an exame on my baby.  She then wants to test Bonnie for a virus so she swabs her throat and nose snot and leaves the room.  I'm a little nervous because the Dr was reserved and really studying Bonnie with a concerned look on her face and then leaves to get this swab tested.  She comes back like 3 minutes later and talks to me about RSV - a respiratory infection - and tells me that Bonnie has a severe case of RSV and she feels that I should take her to the hospital.  WHAT?!!! 

I was confused?  How could a head cold turn so deadly so fast? I asked if there was anything we could do BEFORE going to the hospital ... like a home remedy or something?!  I did not want to take her to the hospital if I didn't have to!!!  So the Dr said there is one thing, but I'm not sure if your insurance will cover it because you are under 'private insurance', but I'll go check.  So she left us again and came back and said my insurance should cover it - she brought in a box that had a Nebulizer inside and told me she would do the first dose here in the office and then I could take it home and use it over night and if there is no improvement then I need to take her into the hospital.  OK - what do I do!?

She showed me how to operate it and Bonnie DID NOT LIKE IT!  It was such a difficult situation!  I am in the small room at the Dr's office...Evelyn and Claire are with me, Bonnie in my arms and in comes a nurse and the Dr and they tell me to hold Bonnie upright but I have to hold her head still and her arms down...then they put this mask on her and turn this loud machine on and smoke starts coming out -it's really the medicine turned into vapor mist - but tell that to a worried 5 year old big sister!!  So Evelyn starts crying because she's not sure what's going on and Claire doesn't like loud noises so she climbs up on the bench behind me and holds her hands over her ears and then she starts crying!  So I'm staring at Evelyn to "LOOK AT MOMMY" and telling her everything is going to be ok and I'm talking to Claire over my shoulder telling her "EVERYTHING IS OK" and I'm pinning down my 8 month old bouncing her on my knees and squeezing her hands and she is screaming and two strangers are holding this smoking mask over her face and I'm telling her "EVEYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK!!!"

Not to mention the little voice inside my head that is praying "IS EVERYTHING GOING TO BE OK!!????"

...

It took about 10 mintues to vaporize the entire amount of Albuterol (medicine that opens her breathing and breaks down congestion) and then finally it was over!  We can go home now! 

At home we had to do this nebulizer every 4 hours and through the night and we hoped and prayed that there would be improvement so that we wouldn't have to take her to the hospital!!!

She received a blessing from her dad who came home early on Thursday and helped me take care of her and the other girls for the rest of the day. 

Thankfully, Claire was feeling MUCH better and was able to play and be distracted so that we could focus on Bonnie and her needs.  Did I mention that Bonnie also has a double ear infection?!!  Yeh, poor baby! 

The nebulizer time came again and the girls watched us get it out and plug it in and they both instantly got nervous and scared for what we were about to do to Bonnie...Again!  The experience in Dr's office was tramatizing and they were upset to see that it had to be done again to their little baby sister!  We reassured them that everything was going to be ok and this was the only way to get Bonnie the medicine that she needs. 

I said a prayer in my heart and we turned the machine on...Bonnie sat still the ENTIRE time.  Daddy was holding her and I was doing the machine and I am serious that she didn't budge a muscle.  She allowed us to do this to her for the whole 10 minutes AND EVERY TIME AFTER!  She has been so trusting and calm and submissive.  I was dreading having to do this home remedy more than I was about taking her to the hospital, but she did great! I truly believe that Heavenly Father was helping her to be calm and to trust us to do this to her to help her get better!

All of this happened last week and it's Sunday now.  Claire is still coughing and is home from church with me today.  Bonnie is slowly improving as well.  We are faithfully doing the nebulizer every 4 hours and she is on her antibiotic for her double ear infection and tylenol for her fevers.  She's been a trooper and so many people have helped and prayed on her behalf!  RSV is a dangerous virus and highly contagious.  There have been deaths reported in infants who have suffered from RSV.  I am prayerful and thankful for the blessings from my Heavenly Father who has watched over Bonnie through the nights and kept her safe and breathing.  I am thankful to friends and family who have come to our aid.  Thank you for praying. Thank you for your love.  Bonnie is going to be just fine!

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

We have a standing tradition for the last four years to have a super bowl party with the nephews of the family.  Once they turn 14, they get to come pig out at Uncle Gordon's house and watch the game with us on the big screen tv.  It's been a fun tradition and I love my boys!  We must have been so engaged with the game and funny commercials though...because after taking a few pics of the food...I didn't take ANY MORE PICTURES! AAAAHHH! 

Oh well!  This is who came - Adam, Spencer, Jared, Sam.  This is who we missed - Drew and Jonathan.  Drewsky is in Utah and Jonathan is serving a mission ... in Utah!  The tradition began with these two boys and they were greatly missed.  But BOY did they miss out on some good grubbin! 

I have an AWESOME recipe for homemade pizza and we make a huge one and a bunch of mini deep dishes.  We made our homemade fried potatoe chips and homemade ranch dip. We had homemade cookies, homemade salsa with chips, and loads of other goodies!! 

Typically, I cheer for whatever the opposite team is that Gordon is cheering for - just to talk trash and make the game interesting for me.  I love a good football game!!! 

So it was the New England Patriots VS the New York Giants - I spoke up first and said that I was cheering for the Giants (hey, I like the Manning brothers ok!) but Gordon was also wanting the Giants to win, but we had to have a RIVAL between us so he got stuck with the Patriots (even though he secretly wanted the Giants).  So GAME ON!  It was a great game and did I mention I NEVER lose??  Yeah, well...THE GIANTS WON!!!!!!!!  Victory!  It was a great game and a great day and great food and great company! 

Daddy Daughter Date with the Cows!

Who loves Chick-Fil-A???  WE DOOO!!!! 

This is the best fast food chain around!  Gordon and I boycotted fast food long ago, but Chick-Fil-A is the only exception!  We like the food, we like the service and we LOVE the things they do for kids! 

I'm a fan on facebook and I noticed that there was a Chick-Fil-A "Daddy Daughter Date" night coming up and to participate you had to make a reservation ... I was all over it!  I was so excited becuase the post said that this particular location was giving FREE LIMO RIDES at the end of the evening!  WHAT?! 

Evelyn has never been in a limo or out of her seat belt for that matter, so I knew this was going to be kick for her!  Directly after her Rapunzel birthday party, she and daddy left for their date!  She was SO excited to go on a date with her dad.  The restaurant had a dedicated section where the tables were decorated with tablecloths and electric candles and live music playing.  They had a hostess seating them and making sure they were comfortable and menus were on the table.  They ate their dinner and then Evelyn was able to mingle with the cows - the Chick-Fil-A mascots.  Then they took their pictures, gave Evelyn a keepsake from the evening...a long stem silk red rose and a Chick-Fil-A cow beanie baby.  The picture that they took, they had printed immediately on site and then put it in a nice cardstock frame.  How adorable is that?  Then they were taken outside and put in a long limo and the limo took them for a drive around the block and back to the restaurant! 

Evelyn was on cloud 9! 

Evelyn turns FIVE!

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!  We have a five year old!!! 

The morning of her birthday, we had Evelyn scheduled for her first dentist appointment!!  I know, how mean of us to make her go to the dentist on her birthday --- but she seriously was SO excited to go!  Who wouldn't love the feeling of fresh, clean teeth...it's like a birthday present!!  She did fabulous and has perfect teeth!  Great report and she was a very good patient and went with the flow and didn't get scared or nervous one bit!  Great Job birthday girl!!!!!

Evelyn's birthday fell on a Monday and so we had the family over for Family Night to celebrate with cake and ice cream.  We decorated with balloons and I made a Texas Sheet cake and my mom's Very Chocolate Cake...which is to die for! 

She doesn't look excited for it to be her birthday at all!!  -wink- 

Dance Party before the family comes!!  They are CRAAAAZY! 

Happy Birthday Dear Evelyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We played a fun game with the family about Evelyn.  Before the party we asked Evelyn a series of questions that had to do all about her and who she is and what she likes...this is what we came up with and we shared it with the family at the party....

See how well you know Evelyn

What is her favorite color? ---Pink

What is her favorite animal? ---Unicorn

Who is her favorite princess? ---Rapunzel

Who is her favotire boy? ---Daddy

What is her favorite church song? ---Book of Mormon Stories

What is her favorite movie? ---Tangled

--favorite Tangled movie quote? ---"Ummm, it's kind of an off day for me.  FINE!  I'll take you to see the lanterns!!!"  Flynn Rider

Favorite bedtime story? ---the Sister book

Favorite thing to do outside? ---create a cooking show

Favorite food? --- Pizza

Favorite drink? --- "W" rootbeer (A&W) and chocolate milk

Dream vacation? ---to go to a water park with big water slides and a kid pool that is warm and dumps buckets of water on your head

What does she want to be when she grows up? ---A Rockstar - because they dress up fancy and play a guitar or violin

What does she love about Family Home Evening? ---the dessert! Chocolate pudding

What games does she love to play? ---Duck Duck Goose, Horsey games, Simon Says, Ring around the Rosey

Favorite things about mommy? ---tickling, wrestling, laughing

Favorite thing to do inside? ---play dolls

Favorite holiday? --- BIRTHDAY

Now you know a little more about Evelyn!! 

The groupd of cousins that came to the family party!   WE LOVE YOU!

--

Who doesn't want TWO birthday parties!?!?!  Evelyn was lucky to get two!  We celebrated with family and here we are celebrating with friends!!

Evelyn has been wanting a Rapunzel party ever since the movie Tangled came out.  She LOVES Rapunzel and pretends to be her in make believe every single day!  So I got started in January making her party preparations!!  This was so fun for me to do and Evelyn was right by my side the whole time we worked on her "decorations" --as she called them! 

We had a large WANTED poster of Flynn Rider.  I drew it and I think it came out pretty darn good!  The idea was to play a version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey...except our game was Pin the Frying Pan on Flynn Rider!!!  The kids loved it!

I found online these flags that someone created a template for to print and cut out.  I thought it would be cute and go right along with our theme if I had braided yellow "hair" (yarn) to string the flags together to make the banners.  It turned out so cute...even if it did take me hours to braid each one and hot glue gun them to each individual glag!  Aren't I a great mom?!  HA!  

The invites turned out super cute as well!  Pretty simple, but I cut out a window and glued a braid coming out of the window like Rapunzel's hair being let down from her tower.   

Evelyn wanted to add her own touch to her invites so I let her color her envelopes to each of her guests.  She drew Rapunzel's on the outside of each envelope and she did such a great job!!! I'd post a picture of them, but I don't want to expose anyone's address!!   

As all of the guests were arriving, the kids went right into coloring Tangled coloring pages I found online. 

Here's the almost done Rapunzel Tower cake I made!  It turned out super cute and super yummy! 

Happy FIFTH Birthday to you!!!

The tastey treasts...the Tower cake, the cupcakes, grapes, dip and crackers, and these adorable blue jello cups with orange wedge slices on top of the jello with a purple flag/sail in the orange to look like a boat!  CUTE and YUMMY!

the birthday girl with cousin E

Claire enjoying her pink cupcake -- I think she had 3?!!!   

Evelyn's friend James, the only boy at the party and a handsome one at that!!!   

Party Decor! 

Playing games  

The kids made lanterns, but instead of lighting a flame inside and letting them go in the sky, we did a bunch of purple and yellow balloons and we ran outside to release them into the air!  We all shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVELYN!" as we let them go!   

the birthday party group...missing a few that had to go early.  Happy Birthday Evelyn!  I hope you had a wonderful birthday and we love you and are so proud of you...our little FIVE year old!