Today I Decided....

That I could hold Lily in my arms and we could stand there staring and smiling at each other

all

day

long.

And it would never grow old.

A BLESSED Day

On Sunday, December 6, we blessed Lily. It turned out to be a beautiful day and we cannot express enough thanks and love to all of our family members and friends who were able to be a part of it.

Lily Grace Erickson.

That is our daughter's official name, and yes, it is different than her name on her birth certificate. There will need to be a change made down at the Vital Records Office. We even surprised our entire family and didn't tell them what her name was going to be until they heard it in the blessing. When discussing what her name should be, Bryan put it so perfectly, "I like Lillian, I think it's pretty; but that's not my daughter's name."

He's right. It just didn't quite fit.

Grandma Pam (Bryan's mom) was gracious enough to make Lily's blessing dress. Almost eight years ago when my neice was blessed, Pam made her blessing dress and then and there I begged Pam to one day make my daughter's blessing dress. She does amazing work, and this past Sunday she didn't disappoint. She finished the dress at 2:30 AM Sunday morning and she brought it to the church where we dressed Lily. It was worth the anticipation. It is simple, yet elegant.

Bryan gave Lily an incredible blessing, one to be remembered. My favorite part: the very beginning when he said, "We take this beautiful girl in our arms..." with emotion in his voice. I love that man and I love that he adores our daughter.

Lily was so content, happy, and alert the whole day. She was perfect and the day was perfect as well. Thank you again to all those who helped make it so special.

A SUPER Halloween

We had a great Halloween week around these parts. Our superheroes had a great time at their grandparents' houses celebrating the festivities early in the week, and of course enjoying the actual day with a Halloween silly lunch at their cousins' house, trunk-or-treating and trick-or-treating.

We started the week at the Erickson's to have dinner with the cousins and show off the costumes. We had the traditional chili and scones, painted pumpkins, and modeled costumes.

(Wonder Woman, Wolverine, Captain America, Tinker Bell, Wendy holding the Crocodile, and Anakin Skywalker)

Tuesday we were at the Turner's to celebrate. We had white chili, played Halloween games, decorated cupcakes, and modeled costumes.

(This is a new game my mom had us play. Joslyn drew this witch and then my mom had us chew bubblegum and then we stood back a few feet and "threw the wart on the witch's nose" Dallin won)

(A Kung Fu Master, Wolverine, Wonder Woman, and a cute Monkey)

Jace wanted to be Wolverine for Halloween because of the awesome claws. Yes, the claws were the deciding factor. Cole wanted to be Superman, but we liked the Captain America costume better, and I must say he looks pretty dang cute all muscled out. And to fit the Superhero theme, I made Lily a Super Woman costume. I think they look pretty dang cute. I love the fact that my kids are still young enough that I can base their costumes around a theme. I'm sure that won't last much longer.

Life With Three

A lot of different people have asked how life with three kids is. Truly life with three is really not that much different than life with two. I haven't felt that it has been a big adjustment for me. The only difference for me is time - or the lack thereof.

On most days I feel like there are less hours in the day and I am no longer able to accomplish all that I would like to do. So I have decided that I need to give myself one assignment a day and be glad when that item is accomplished. When I do have a free minute, I find myself vegging and doing absolutely nothing so that I can enjoy some down time. Thus the reason I haven't updated the blog or even been on the computer for a week and a half.

Two weeks old


Our family has adjusted very well. We love having Lily in our family, and I believe that it is fair to say that we are all enamored by her. The question of the year from the boys is "Is Lily awake?" They always want to know if she is awake so that they can kiss and hug her. Jace has countless names that he call her: Pretty Girl, Baby Doll, Cutie, Lily Sweetie, and on and on. Cole calls her "Baby Lily" but it comes out sounding like BabeLily - all as one word. It is fair to say they absolutely adore their sister and she is going to be one watched over little girl.


I love having her around. I have to admit it is fun to dress her up and make sure she has a matching bow or headband for the day's outfit. And it is reassuring to know that I have another female in the house. There was one day last week when the boys were giving me a run for my money. I put them down for a nap and went and got Lily and told her I needed her to snuggle with me and hang out with me. I needed some girl time. Bryan has recently bonded with her and I believe he loves having her around too.


Lily is five weeks tomorrow! I cannot understand where time has gone. She is an amazing baby. Truly. Here are some facts about her within the first month of her life.

Four weeks old

• She rarely cries. The only time I have heard her cry for longer than a minute straight was when she came out of the womb. Her cry is only one short little "wah" intermittently.
• She doesn't cry, but she is definitely a grunter and groaner. Oh my goodness can she make some noise grunting and groaning while she is asleep or awake.
• She sleeps, sleeps, sleeps. She is on the eating schedule of 10:00, 2:00, and 6:00 and after each feeding during the night she goes right back to sleep and that is that.
• She is now smiling!! She started smiling Nov. 3, the day after she turned a month old.
• She is so mellow and I hope this is a sign of her personality and of things to come. So far she isn't a high maintenance girl.
• We think she might have acid reflux. She spits up quite a bit and she moans and groans a lot after she eats and acts as if she is in some pain. I am trying to alter my eating habits to see if that will help. I am trying to give up chocolate to see if that helps her - and to be honest, I'm dying and it hasn't even been 24 hours.
• We are trying to decide what her name is going to be. We officially filled her birth certificate out as Lillian Grace, but I am having second thoughts. I was always set with Lillian, but Lily Grace is sounding better and better. I told Bryan he has the final say at the baby blessing.

This is her first dress, and I caught Dad and the kids reading together on the couch.

Lily, you are a dream baby and we absolutely love you!

Lily Grace Erickson

Our baby girl is finally here and we can't be more excited. Lily Grace Erickson was born Friday, October 2, 2009 at 3:59 pm. She was 6 lbs. 1 oz. and 18.5 in long.

I was scheduled to be induced Friday. Friday morning Bryan and I got up and started our day waiting to hear from the hospital to call us in. We were productive that morning while we played the waiting. Bryan mowed the lawn and I was able to tear out the frost-bitten garden and sweep and mop the kitchen floor.

We got the phone call and arrived at the hospital at 11:00 am. I had to be put on antibiotics because I tested positive for Strep B and I needed to be on the medicine for 4 hours before the baby was born. I received that at about 11:40. I received pitocin at noon and we started the waiting game. I had my epidural at 12:45; not because I was in pain but because I didn't want to be in pain while the anesthesiologist took care of 2 C-sections and another epidural before he thought he could get back to me. So I thought I would get numbed up before I was in unbearable pain! Things were progressing so quickly they had to take me off the pitocin to slow me down a bit. Then by 3:59 she was here after about 4 pushes. There were no complications and labor was really easy and smooth sailing.

She really is a tiny little thing. They nurses in the nursery believe that she was actually 2 weeks early due to a few little signs they look for: the thinness of the cartilage in her ears, the lack of wrinkles in her feet, and the large amount of white goop she was covered in when she was born. As of tonight (10/3) she is down to 5 lbs. 9.9 oz. Just a tiny little peanut.

The boys are adjusting really well. They cover her in hugs and kisses, whisper little secrets to her, and bring her cute little "presents" that only little boys would bring. They absolutely love having Baby Lily here. Bryan is so cute to watch with her. I love hearing him call her "Baby Girl" and he just keeps saying over and over how cute she is. He's hooked.

I'm doing well and am excited to get back home and start our routine as a family. It gets a little boring and monotonous here at the hospital and I can't take any more sitting. Let's get this little girl home!

False Alarm

I'm tired today.

I guess that's what false labor pains and little sleep will do to you. It really stinks having contractions for most of the night and then not producing a baby from your body's painful efforts. But I guess the good news is that she will be here no-matter-what on Friday.

Yep, I'm being induced this Friday, October 2nd and I cannot wait. There aren't any problems; she just gets to come early because her mom is anxious to see her cute little face.

I've been busy the last couple of weeks nesting. It feels great to be able to get so much done and have everything ready for her. Although it is exhausting. Here's a little of my checklist:

Crib bedding made and nursery decorated, check.

Halloween decorations up, check.

Old windows that have been waiting to be hung on my family room wall for the past two months up, check.

New van, check.

Boys's room decorated how I like it, check.

Clean house, check.

Current prego picture (39 weeks), check.

Oh... and dressing my youngest son in one of his sister's new outfits, check.

Why is it that I have been wanting to get some of these things completed for months but they didn't happen until the baby is almost here? Oh well, at least they're done, right? Now there is the peaceful feeling of knowing that things are done and in order for the wee one to come home.

Here's to hoping that tonight's sleep is uninterupted, or if it isn't then there will be something to show for it.

First Day of School Tantrum #2

Jace is back to school. Hip-hip-hooray! Now as a Pre-K student he is attending twice a week and is very excited about it. He keeps saying that this is his last year and then he gets to go to kindergarten. He wants to grow up so fast. On those long, exhausting, trying days I wouldn't mind that, but most days it's a bit sad to think how big and old he is.

We tried for a "first day of school picture" today, hoping that it would go better than last year's. Remember last year's picture?

Again he vehemently refused. Talking sensibly didn't work and either did bribery. Nothing. Nada. And so I did what any good mother would do, I tried to sneak one of him. And here it is:

And this is the reaction I got when he saw that I took it:

What a happy little preschooler. It was a great morning!

Cole wanted his picture taken for preschool. So here is Cole on Jace's first day of Pre-K.

A Permanent Residence

It's been a year exactly since we moved to Eagle Mountain. My, how time flies. Over the course of this past year we've grown to like it here more and more. Every time someone finds out where we live they ask, "Do you like it there?" And every time either Bryan or I answer it goes something like this:

2 second pause/hesitation, with a drawn out "Yeaaaaaah. We do. We like our house and ward and neighborhood. It's just......out there."

It's true though, we do like it out here. We've met some amazing friends and people that we've learned a lot from, the neighborhood is nice and quiet, we have awesome views, we love our house,we love our yard, and overall things have worked out that we're just better off living here.

When we moved here a year ago, our plan was to stay at least 2 years. At that point we could reassess our needs and wants and see about moving to a location/city that we REALLY wanted to live in. A short, "temporary" stay, if you will. We were not planning on staying long.

Well, last Sunday things changed a bit. Apparently Someone with greater plans wants us to stay a bit longer here in Eagle Mountain. You see, Sunday our ward split, and with that split a new bishopric was put into place, and my sweet husband was put in as first counselor.

We'll be staying a while. Definitely more than just another year.

Bryan is handling the change really well. He had a few moments when he was overwhelmed and nervous; but this past week, Tuesday thru Friday, he's had meetings all night and he's adjusted very well. I had no doubt that he would be just fine. His amazing personality, his sense of humor, and his ability to make people feel comfortable around will help him immensely in this calling. Even though things may be a little busy and crazy at times for our family, I'm just extremely grateful to have a worthy and honorable husband who can fulfill this calling.

It's amazing how the Lord blesses our lives. I did not want to move here, but the Lord knew we needed to. And we have been blessed for it. We have our own, self-made plans, but the Lord has His plan for us too, and of course His is always going to win out.

And it's a good thing it does.

8 Years and 2 Bumpers Later....

We have made it another year together, making it a total of 8. Thanks to our wonderfully charitable parents we were able to spend a night together down town dining, shopping, movie going, and hotel staying to recharge our relationship. Thank you Mom and Dad, Pam and Gene. We love you so much.

They say that love grows. I say love grows and matures. Our relationship has proven that these last couple of weeks.

A few weeks ago I drove Bryan's car, pulled into the garage and closed it. Bryan came home a short while later and asked why the garage was open. I told him I had closed the door. That's when he walked to the back of his car.....and saw it: the two, no three, large scrapes down his bumper. Not just scuffs, but scrapes, as in it scraped the paint off.

I held my breath, waiting for the major reprimand, waiting for the anger. But it didn't come. My sweet husband took a deep breath, said my name and "hon" (a couple of times), sighed, and walked away.

At that moment I realized that his love, our love, had matured over the last 8 years. Because we all know that wouldn't have been either of our reactions a few years ago. I had to find him and tell him three things:

1. I'm sorry I scratched your bumper

2. Thank you for not getting mad at me

3. I love you.

He kindly responded to me, "You know, I have learned a few things over the years."

My love for him grew.

A week later, Bryan returned the favor. He drove my car, pulled it not far enough into the garage, and shut the door. A couple of hours later, as we were preparing to leave, Bryan walked around the back of my car and saw that he had shut the garage on my car. We both assessed the damage.... and had a good laugh.

Eight years is proving to be good to us. We've both grown and matured. We're definitely two better people now than the day we got married. Thank goodness for that.

I love you Bryan, and am so grateful for what you add to my life.

Watch What You Say

I definitely need to work on watching what I say around Jace.

Saturday night the boys were going to be sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpa Erickson's and we were then going to meet them Sunday morning for church. Bryan was helping the boys pack their bag when he asked me if I wanted to send some hair products with them so that his mom could do their hair. I assured him that there was no need since she has plenty of hair products she could use. Then I added one more thing that I shouldn't have. "Maybe I should take their hair stuff with me to church in case I have to fix it. You know, Grandmas kind of struggle with the boys' hair."

(In all reality, their grandmas do just fine. I am just very particular about some things, and the boys' hair just happens to be one of them.)

The next morning we met up with the boys and Bryan's family, and the boys looked great - I was actually pleased with their hair. No complaints here for they looked very handsome.

After church I was talking to Pam (my mother-in-law) and she told me a funny little story. She said that while she was doing Jace's hair he told her......

"You struggle with hair. My mom even said so."

Open Mouth. Insert Foot.

I was mortified! Luckily I have a very good-natured mother-in-law, who I love, that just laughed; which then allowed me to laugh too until I could recover and think of something nice to say to make up for my incredibly rude comment.

Three Words I Detest...

(especially when I'm in the shower)

"I'm all done!!"

Interpretation:

"Come wipe my bum!!"

This is not one of the more glorious jobs of a mother.

Call Me Crazy

I know. I haven't been the best at blogging these days. There's just a lot going on and to be honest there's other things that occupy my time over updating my blog. I know it's important for the "posterity of my children."

But now I have something to say. And maybe one day, they and I, will look back at this post and realize that I was just a crazy, overprotective mother in their early years.

I know I live in a safe neighborhood. It's very quite here, there's not a lot of hooligans running about, and there's not a lot of traffic. I feel safe here, things are good. However, whenever I am outside working in the yard or just out there with the boys, my maternal instinct kicks in and I can't help but wonder, "What if.....?"

Our yard is not fenced and so the boys wander about the yard while I'm working, and every so often I lose sight or sound of them. And I holler for them. I have to know where they are and what they're up to. One reason is for their safety, one for my sanity of knowing, and another because Cole can be way too mischievous (and naughty) for his own good. But to me it's always important to know where they are - you never know if they've wandered into the street and a car won't see them or some nasty stranger saunters by. You just never know.

So as I was outside with my boys - plus three other little ones I was in charge of at the time - it baffled my mind to see a one year old walking up and down, in and out of the street with no parents in sight and not even caring. Or to see a two year old riding his small little tricycle in the middle of the road (where the road curves) and no older siblings or parents in sight. I mean, really?

Maybe I'm just paranoid and overly sensitive. Maybe my maternal instincts are on overkill. I don't know, but I'm not even comfortable yet to allow my 4 year old play outside by himself in an un-gated yard. Maybe after a few more years and maybe a couple of more children my paranoia will ease up a bit and I'll learn to relax. It seems that that happens over time.

But until then, maybe I'm just a crazy, paranoid mother.

IT'S A........

GIRL!!!!

(See? There's nothing sticking up between those legs. That's a little foreign to me.)

I'm actually having a girl. It's somewhat surreal to me. I don't know what to do with a little girl, and I'm actually slightly nervous. I only know how to sword fight and wrestle; I don't quite remember how to play house and barbies.

It will be good to have a little girl around our home, though. She'll soften things up a bit. I have two very excited boys. Jace was adamant that she was going to be a girl all along. When I showed them a picture of their baby sister, Jace grinned from ear to ear, bounced up and down, and shouted "yay, yay, yay" over and over. Cole yelled, "Yay! High five!"

The ultrasound technician said she is a little one. She's about 6 inches long and 8 oz. so far. She is measuring a week later than my actual due date of Oct. 6. So she should come somewhere around Oct. 6-14. We'll see what happens.

It's going to be a little bit more expensive than if it were a boy, I'm going to have to start from scratch. But don't worry, I'll have fun shopping.

Speaking of which, my cute husband surprised me today. As we left the doctor's office and were saying goodbye, he pulled out a Visa giftcard . "Here's a giftcard for you to go out and buy your little girl an outfit," he told me. Could he get any sweeter? I love him. He's going to be a fantastic dad to a little girl.

April in Review

Ahhhhh, it feels so good to click on the "new post" button. It's been far too long. April was a very busy month with two vacations, two birthdays, and lots of spring cleaning and organizing in between...thus, no time for blogging. (And besides, I've been a little depressed about the fact that I lost all of my edited pictures from Cole and Bryan's birthdays and won't be able to post them - so you only get to see the crummy seconds.) Oh well, time to suck it up and move on.

The month started out with a 13 hour car ride to visit my dearest sister in her humble town. There are few words to describe where she lives. One word would be FLAT, and maybe another would be NOTHING. I think maybe Jace summed it up best in a phone call to Bryan, "Oh yeah, and Dad, its ugly here."

Anywho... my whole family minus Bryan went. We had a great time being confined together dying Easter eggs, having an Easter egg hunt inside the house due to poor weather, wrestling 5 kids, going to the zoo, and passing around the flu. It was good times had by all. I love my sister dearly and wish she lived a whole lot closer to us. Plus, I just don't get to see those two adorable munchkins of hers nearly enough.

A few days after we got home from Kansas we celebrated Bryan's birthday. We got to spend his birthday morning with him and then send him off to San Fran for a work convention for the week. Later that week, as part of his birthday, I flew out to meet him so we could spend a few days together - just the two of us. We had a fantastic time visiting with family and friends in sunny California. Thanks again Rob and Lindsey.

While we were gone, Jace started soccer. He absolutely loves it and LOVES the new cleats Papa Randy bought him. I love the fact that my dad taught him a life lesson and made Jace earn his cleats - he had to help Papa Randy build some shelves! With his whole outfit put together, he looks pretty darn cute.

Two days after we got home, we celebrated Cole's 2nd birthday! Time goes way too fast. I swear I was just pregnant with Cole celebrating Jace's 2nd birthday, and now I'm pregnant with the third and celebrating Cole's. Goodness.

The boys and I went to a big bounce house/slide play area where the boys ran wild and went down the BIG slide a bajillion times! Even I was able to slide with them. No wonder why they love it so much - those things are fun.

Later that night we met up with the grandparents at the pizza joint for some dinner, presents, and cake. It was so fun to see Cole get so excited to open his presents and to hear the "WOWs" and "COOLs" he uttered. He just makes me smile.

Cole is talking like crazy right now. He's really kicked it into gear this last month or so. My favorite things that he says are "Darn it!" and "Look, Tra-Vis!" He is getting so big and is 36" tall and 28 lbs. (He's actually bigger than two of Jace's 4 year old friends - it makes me laugh.) He loves trains, cars, playing basketball, digging in the dirt, and being Jace's sidekick. I love his curly hair, his mischeivous smile when he's caught picking his nose, his OCD of keeping cupboards and closets closed (yeah, he's got a little bit of me in him), his hugs and kisses for no reason, the way he gallops around the house, and his sense of humor.

I simply adore this child.

Now that April is over and we're well into May, I hope that I'll be a better blogger/journalist of our lives. And BTW, Tuesday we find out what I'm having, so check back in to see what the new little Erickson is going to be!