T Ball

Bryson had his first season of t-ball this year.  He was one of the older kids on the team (like by a year), and had we known that, we'd probably have put him in coach pitch.... but he had a great time and didn't seem to notice- so I'm actually kinda glad it worked out how it did.

His uniform number was 7- just like his daddy was in high school baseball!

It was really fun to see how he improved over the season- and rather comical to see half the team chase after the ball, and then fight over who got to throw it in, while the other half was picking dandelions... or to see Bryson forget to run to the next base because he was in deep conversation with the kid on the other team who was manning the base... or to see Eli at every game with his hat ("my haa, mom, my haa!") and his baseball 'glub' just SURE that this time he'd get to play...  We had a lot of fun in our backyard as a family learning how to hit off a tee and having rather short games with LOTS of made up rules.

 I am very certain that the best part of the whole experience for Bryson was getting a trophy at the end... we used to have a big box of all of Nathan's trophies from when he was a kid and Bryson was SO impressed by them.  For him to earn his own was very special.

2 Months

I know it's cliche to say, "I can't believe she's 2 months old already!"- but it's so true.  She's getting so big and really becoming aware that there's a great big world out there.  I'm still qualifying her as a great newborn.  She is so patient, sleeps great- despite her brothers noisiness, and eats great... I can't complain.

 I've had this dress since before Bryson was born...

It was so fun to put it on her for the first time... though it was really too big at first- she's starting to fit it much better now.

Hailee has solidified the fact that Nathan's hair genes + my hair genes = crazy hair:

The combination of cowlicks and curls she's got have a synergistic effect on each other... she rocks the faux-hawk.

I can coax a smile out of her pretty easily- but really, all I have to do is lay her on her changing table... she loves to look over her shoulder out the window.  Smiles every time.

 She's such a good little sleeper- and still loves to be swaddled. 

Even though she's still so tiny, she's getting so big!!

Dallins baby blues...

I've posted about this before, but for most of the first year of his life, Dallin had 'googlie eyes' (as I tenderly referred to them).  I used to delete and retake countless pictures until I got one with both eyes looking in the same direction... I was sure I would never regret it... but I kind of do now, because I don't have much proof of just how bad it was. 

Dallin had eye muscle surgery for strabismis at ten months.  The results were very pleasing to us and we saw an immediate improvement in his attention span... he would actually LOOK at books and baby einstein videos for extended periods of time... not to mention that his eyes were finally straight. In November of '07 we saw the ophthalmologist who told us we didn't need a recheck for TWO YEARS!!  I was very excited to say the least.

Sometime last spring, I started to noticing his eyes weren't so straight.  Mostly it was just if he was really tired, or staring off into space.  People who spent a lot of time around him would notice every once in a while too.  So I scheduled an appointment with the ophthalmologist six months before that 2 year checkup.  

And of course, his eyes were straight that day.

The doctor tried telling me that it was just an illusion, 'psuedo-strabismis'- that the bridge of his nose was wide for his size and so it just appeared that his eyes were not straight and he'd grow in to it.  I didn't buy it.

For the next year, I watched it get worse and worse.  I tried to give credit to what the doctor had told me, but when I would stand a few feet in front of him and he was looking at something beyond me with one eye all crooked, and I would say his name, as he would refocus to look at me, I would see the crooked eye straighten up to match his other eye... it was no illusion.

The final straw was in June when I was trying to take a picture of all four kids for something for Nathan for Fathers Day.  I was so frustrated because Dallin wouldn't look at me!  He kept turning his head toward me, but not his eyes...  it wasn't until I was looking at the pictures after the fact that I saw that he was looking at me with one eye, but I couldn't tell as I was taking them because of the glare from outside.... all I could see was the 'googlie' eye looking in the opposite direction... case in point:

(Eli's cheesy smile was just too cute to cut out of the picture)

So one appointment with the ophthalmologist later, and we were scheduled for surgery.  I really didn't tell him much until the day before the surgery, then I just told him that his eyes needed to be fixed, so we were going to the hospital where they would give him some special air to breathe that would make him sleepy, and then he'd wake up with straight eyes. 

As soon as we got checked in, he solidified the fact that he did indeed need this surgery....  

He wasn't too worried about the surgery in pre-op...

just a little impatient because the OR was running a bit behind.  Luckily he had fun driving all over pre-op.

Post-op was not as fun.  When I was brought to him in post-op, he was in pain, disoriented and mad 'cause he wanted to rub his eyes and we wouldn't let him.  After a hefty dose of some pain meds, (and puking all over) he settled down and slept for a while... when he woke up, he was much more open to me explaining why he couldn't touch his eyes.  His doctors' instructions included no rubbing his eyes, no soap in his eyes for a week, no dirt in his eyes for a week ('cause gee, that's usually part of our daily regimen...) and no chlorine for TWO weeks!  It's summer!  And the weather is finally nice!!  Sheesh...  I explained all of this to him and told him that it would ruin his surgery if we didn't follow the instructions.  He understood and was so sweet and cuddly- he slept most of the rest of the day and was just so loving and very cooperative to not touch his eyes... 

Bryson was very loving to Dallin... really, he just wanted to get in on the endless shows Dallin was able to watch.

The next day, Dallin was good as new... I was shocked at how good his eyes looked... I was prepared for him to look like he'd been through a knock-down drag out, but other than the whites of his eyes being bloodshot, he looked pretty good!  I still had to remind him a few times not to rub his eyes, but he didn't complain much of it hurting.


A few days after surgery, Dallin and Eli were playing downstairs when I heard Dallin yell, "NO ELI" and then Eli proceeded to cry... When I came downstairs I found both of them in tears, Eli told me in his mumbo jumbo that Dallin hit him.  When questioned as to why he hit Eli, Dallin said (in desperate, devastated tears) that Eli had ruined his surgery... when questioned how, he said that Eli had 'bonked' his eyes... it was so pathetically cute....


He had been totally fine for several days, and on Sunday at church, I quietly explained to his teacher about his surgery so she wouldn't wonder... a little while later, she brought me a tearful Dallin and said that he was crying that his eyes hurt... ummmm-k... apparently he'd learned how to milk the situation.  He tried the 'my eyes hurt' bit a few more times over the next few days (usually with a sly smirk on his face, trying to get an extra treat) but gave up when it didn't work...

June Round Up

And here's the rest of June's happenings...

Loving her sink bath:

My kids thought this every-other-stair thing was about the coolest- they insisted I take a picture...

Bryson had his end of year kindergarten 'graduation'- it was adorable, he sure loves to perform!

Bryson and Mrs. Helma on his last day of school- she was such an amazing teacher!

First Camping Trip of the Summer

Hailee's first camping trip was over the 4th of July weekend.  We went to our usual spot up on the Pend Orielle River- absolutely beautiful... but I didn't spend much time admiring the scenery because it was cold and rainy.  Seriously, in JULY!?!  The ONLY reason I was willing to go with a 1 1/2 month old baby was because while the weather forecast initially said the first day there was a chance of showers, the rest of the weekend was supposed to be upper 60's and low 70's- not hot, but that was okay since we were tent camping... but then day 2 the forecast changed and said that day there was a chance of showers, but the rest of the weekend would be nice... and that repeated every day we were there.  Hailee didn't mind-

 she was wrapped up and held the whole time, AND she got to sleep between mommy and daddy... even better.  My sister and her husband had their trailer, so we spent a good amount of time in there during the 'scattered showers' while my dad set up his 'tarp city' for us to all stay dry under.

 The boys could have cared less if the weather wasn't ideal- they loved playing with their cousins and my sisters dogs and in the dirt and sand.

 Apparently Eli (and the rest of 'em) didn't know it was cold outside... otter pop anyone?

During a brief appearance by the sun, Bryson thought he'd go for a little snorkeling adventure... he didn't make it past his ankles.

Sunday night (the 4th) we watched an amazing fireworks show across the river- while it was no Thunder over Louisville, it was still pretty impressive for a private show.  The boys loved it, and now are convinced that camping involves a fireworks show.  As the fireworks were dying down, it started to sprinkle, which was our cue to go to bed.  And then the heavens opened.  It POURED that night. I have never been camping with that much rain- it was so loud!  If it had been ANY other night, we would have packed up and gone home that next morning, but since it was the last night, it didn't really matter.  I was so thankful for a tent that kept us dry with all the rain.  It solidified the fact that I couldn't have made it as a pioneer!

 Proof that Dallin had a good time at least...

How thoughtful...

One would normally think that getting roses from your husband was very thoughtful, but I'm having my doubts this time...
'cause my brother actually bought them for Nathan to give to me.... for $1... and Nathan forgot to give them to me... I found them in the garage on his workbench when I went out there to use his compressor to blow up the kids pool.... half dead... how, ummm, sweet?

The Taste of Summer

The first of harvests from our garden this year. Is there anything sweeter than a home-grown strawberry??