Family Fun.....

 

It has been so much fun for Jeff to have some time off and we have gotten so much time to spend with family. One day we met my parents down at The Montage in Laguna. IT was a great day and we had fun looking at the tide pools and hanging out. My parents TV has been broken so it has been fun to have them come down and out with us. I love family days!!

Rice Cereal.....

I finally buckled down and fed Ryder rice cereal. I have never waited so long but I just wanted to keep him a baby for as long as possible. But he is starving. I think he is hitting his six month growth spurt and suddenly just wants to eat ALL the time. I am having a hard time keeping up. He loved the rice cereal. I love the spoon. Anyone who feeds a baby needs this it is AMAZING!! All you do is squeeze it and the food is on the spoon and then right in the babies mouth! You really only need one hand. And yes I realize I have a boy and I shouldn't have a hot pink spoon but the orange ones were not BPA safe so babies r us wouldn't sell it to me. Anyway go get this spoon by boon.

BIG Wheel......

When Jeff and I were both little we each had a big wheel. We both have very fond memories of the big wheel. And when we saw one at Target we both wanted our boys to have one someday. Well Grandpa and Grandma Trapp delivered and Noah got a big wheel for Christmas. And to say that the set up was crazy would be an understatement. While I was out shopping the day after Christmas I got a few phone calls from Jeff. One was go buy another big wheel I think I ruined it. Luckily he figured it out and was able to fix the big wheel. Noah was so excited. He loved taking it outside for a spin. He needs a little practice he wants to go super fast! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for the great gift and a lesson in patience for Jeff!!! And thanks Jeff for taking the time to put it together!!

Four Christmases!

Really our life is loosely based on The movie Four Christmas's. You already saw Christmas one so here is two three and four. We had a great few days. It is always nice to get together and be with everyone and share in this wonderful time a year. We are so blessed to live close to all our family and be able to enjoy them all. We hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and that all is well with your families!!


Christmas Eve was spent with the Trapp's. Like every year we do the German Christmas and open presents on Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful dinner that Aunt Linda made. The boys had a great time plaing with boomer and their cousins. The boys were again spoiled as where Jeff and I. We love spending time with everyone.

 

Christmas morning was great. We spent that here at the house together our little family. The boys were so excited and their cute little faces were priceless. Noah got his much sought after game boy!!! It was a hit and we all got to shower and get ready in peace.

 

We next headed out to Temecula to spend Christmas day with my family. We had fun lounging and enjoying games and playing with all our new toys. My mom made the boys some cute aprons. Noah already wore his this morning while we made breakfast. We had a very Merry Christmas.

 

Today I got up early and met Missy at Target and Michaels we had a great time shopping for Christmas stuff. I got the things on my list and now can't wait to put the stuff up next year. Oh and thanks Missy 1. for the introduction to peppermint hot chocolate...yummm....and 2. Telling me about the online sale at Crate and Barrel. We will definitly be holding a little adult party with our cute stuff next year!!

Sunday Christmas......

 

On Sunday we celebrated Christmas with Grandma Jody and Grandpa Rich, Nana, Papa, Aunt Lisa, Patrice, Rob and Shannon. It was a fun night. Despite the boys being a little wild. REally Sundays are by far the hardest day around here. And we didn't even go to all of church because of colds. I think not being able to get out last week to play at the park REALLY did a number on them.

Jody made a fabulous Turkey dinner. It was so yummy and thanks Jody for the leftovers while I was sick. Aunt Patrice made some fabulous coconut and Chocolate cupcakes. Really I LOVE cupcakes!

We were all spoiled rotten and have had a lot of fun playing with all our new stuff. We played a great game where you pass around gift cards while reading a Christmas story. It is always fun and everyone gets into it. I won a corner bakery gift card!! I love that place! Aunt Patrice got the boys adorable pj's and bath robes. Seriously Noah won't take off the spider man pj's
We had a fun night and it was fun to visit with Jeff's Grandparents and Aunt who we usually only see at big group things!!! Thanks everyone for spoiling us rotten!!!

Disney Date!

This picture is how Noah poses for all pictures I have to remind him to open his eyes and then some how he opens his mouth. What a fun little guy!

I have been wanting to get back to Disneyland while it was all decorated. Jody offered to take Sawyer on Thursday and Noah and I headed to Disneyland on Thursday for a little day date. It was crazy crowded with all the people who were about to be blacked out but we still managed to go on It's a Small World and Pirates. We met up with Gavin and Lisa. Gavin was celebrating his 4th Birthday, they were nice enough to hang out with us for our two rides. Gavin was so cute he is usually so shy but he was just giddy with excitement! Ryder was a little freaked out by all the stuff and definitely had a little sensory overload. We had a great time, it was freezing so we grabbed some hot chocolate on our way out. Oh how I love hot chocolate. I refused to wait at the huge line at the carnation place but the little cart produced some great hot chocolate. I love hot chocolate. It was a great afternoon. Thanks Jody for keeping Sawyer!

The Mall....

I had to get out today....It has rained far too much but I didn't care and I trudged off to the mall with my three in tow. It was a great mall trip, the two older boys were excellent Ryder was fine as long as I held him. But while at the mall I got all sorts of looks and comments. Really I know I have three kids three and under but really people were looking at me like I had just come off a space ship. A lady in the parking lot asked me how many more I had hiding in the car and then proceeded to ask me if I knew what caused that...(that being three children)no lady I don't can you explain it to me? Idiot. Am I missing something is three suddenly A LOT of kids? I mean I know I am a little frazzled, but honestly, we were all showered hair done and dressed warm. Really the stares I was getting I thought something was wrong. Three seperate ladies passed me with the comment of "Oh Lord". And yes to reward myself and the boys, the got candy and I got a piece of cheesecake....yah I know diet what? But really it was cry or eat cheesecake and lets face it cheesecake tastes better. I never knew it was a crime to have three kids.....really I have felt this way since I had Ryder but thought the crazy looks would some how wear off but nope....really I am NOT crazy at least I wasn't today!

Work Party and Thanks

On Friday night Jeff's firm had their annual Christmas party. We were lucky to go and not have to bring any of our kids along. This was the first night in five months that we had time just the two of us. It was so night to know that boys were being so well taken care of. My friend Lisa took Ryder. They went to the Dana Point Boat Parade. She tells me he didn't cry once and just laughed and squeeled the whole time. He even took the bottle great, I worried all week because every time we tried at home he refused it. Noah and Sawyer went to Katie and Joey's house. They were so nice to take them especially when they have twin boys Sawyer's age and a little girl Noah's age. They even took them to our ward Christmas Party. And Katie took pictures! Seriously I am so lucky to have such great friends and be helpful. It was great especially since all of the Young Women in our ward were at the ward party so it worked perfectly. (Atleast I thought so and they are both still speaking to me so I guess my children weren't horrid.)


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The firm party was fun they had great food, much better than last year....I was barely prego and only remember trying not to barf. But we had fun. Each group was in charge of entertaining....which was interesting considering how much alcohol was being passed around. Our group did a Christmas Movie trivia game. I think it was a success...but hey I wasn't going to get up and perform. One group had us dress up the bosses it was pretty funny, they are suppossed to look like a suit coat. All in all it was fun to be out with my hubby (which is rare) Thanks babe for all your hard work we are so proud of you and your continuing to excel and do well at work!!!

Disneyland.....

On Wednesday we headed to Disneyland with Jeff's family to check out all the decorations. We figured we were going early enough and maybe it wouldn't be that crowded. But it was a little to crowded for me. All I wanted to do that night was go on it's a small world. But it was way to long. But we stil had a great time and it was still fun to see the whole place decked out. I think next week I may go with the boys yep just me and the boys. We will see if I can do it. I figure if I go and JUST go on it's a small world I would be happy. But I have already done the tram alone with three which I think is the hardest part!

Jeff and Sawyer on Buzz concentrated hard on the targets....


Patrice, and Sawyer....

The Fab Five.....

Jeff, Patrice and Noah....


The group minus me and Grandma Jody....in front of it's a small world.

Mini Golf......

On Saturday we took the boys miniture golfing. They had a great time. It was so fun to get out toghether and have some fun!

My boys in front of boomers.....


Me and Noah going head to head......


The night wouldn't have been complete without a fit....

Loved every second of it.....

Powpowpower weels........

Last January Noah inherited this from his Uncle Eric. He has been too little for it, so it has sat in our garage for almost a year. But on Saturday we let him try it out. He LOVED it!!! It has become his most favorite thing and he touches it every time we go to the garage to get in the car. It has become a very great bargaining tool. He had so much fun. Ignore his too small old helmet....Santa are you listening?? New helmet...PLEASE!!!

And here is the newest member of our family....FROSTY!!!! The boys love it and it makes our house so festive and cute. IT was only 30 bucks at Target it includes everything!! By far our best holiday purchase this year!!

He's accident prone.....

Seriously you name it and this kid will find a way to get hurt doing. Last night as we were leaving our house Sawyer ran into our gate out front and the pointy part of the gate poked him right in the eye. His eye was fine and then this morning it is all red. So now the debate...do I take him in? He can see just fine it is just red. I swear I need a nurse on call for this child. So I am heading to the park this morning and hopefully my friends will give me advice. The nurse at the office always tells me to bring him in....I wonder why they must need more money and lets face it Sawyer can keep them in business all by himself!!

Coming full circle.....

So I have debated posting about these experiences for months. But I am going to forget soon and I want to remember all of the events around Ryders birth. It wasn't until my experience last night that I realized it is for me and it is important. This is going to be LONG post and it totally won't hurt my feelings to have you skip it over.

So one year ago this weekend we found out we were pregnant with Ryder. I remember it perfectly because our stake holds this amazing live nativity called Follow the Star. We went the night we found out last year, I remember nothing from the event because the whole entire time I was walking around in shock trying to wrap my brain around how crazy the falling year would be for us. I remember thinking that 07 was a VERY trying year for us and we had broken down finacially physically our lives had completely changed. And I was having a really hard time grasping at my new reality.

Fast forward to this year.....Ryder was given the opportunity to play baby Jesus for at the live nativity. I am not that emotional of a person and really I had the most awesome day yesterday. Watching Ryder portray the birth of our Savior, really moved me in a way I can really not explain. There is a part where they talk about Mary and how our lives are really not that much different that we still need faith and that the birth of a child is a miracle. It was then that I realized that Ryder has been a miracle to our family. I realize that people endure all sorts of trials and really the events around Ryder are only a blip of what some people go through but last night it was very clear to me that we had survived and that he is truly special.

These past six months have been the hardest so far for me. I have been beaten physically and emotionally and I feel like I have really come full circle.
Going on bed rest at thirty weeks was VERY hard for me. I am full of energy, controlling and HATE to admit that I can't do it all myself. I had to rely on people and that is such a hard lesson for me. I had to literally put my faith in God that I would able to survive the weeks ahead. I know it was only five and a half weeks but it felt like eternity and the lessons I learned are still important for me.
I feel like the day I had Ryder is such a blur it all happened so fast and I had never been in that much pain in my life and really don't remember much of the day. I remember once they decided to do an emergency c-section everything started happeneing really fast. People from the NICU came and talked to us and explained given his 35 week status he would most definitly be there for the night atleast. My only request was for my Dad and Jeff to give me a blessing. I had never had any of my c-sections without a special blessing and I certainly wasn't going to start then. I have no clue what was said but I remember a feeling of peace and I knew that we could conquer whatever happened.

I got to see him for a split second, I wasn't even able to touch him. The next 24 hours were horrible. I felt so diconnected from reality and most importantly from my baby. I was on all sorts of medicines which didn't help. Finally that night I felt enough strength to sit up long enough to go and see my baby. I don't remember much from that first visit. I remember coming back to my room and just crying he was so scary looking being hooked up to all those machines. But seeing him put my body into healing mode and for the rest of my stay I walked up to almost every feeding to be there. I couldn't help but feel guilty for not being there 24/7 like I had with my other two. I felt like he was missing out as was I.




When I got discharged and we learned that Ryder would not be coming home with me. I lost it and was very upset and just wanted my boys all home together. I didn't take all the nurses were saying very serious, they gave me the bare minimum of information I didn't ask very many questions, knowing that if I knew too much I may break down. It wasn't until about a month ago when I was reading a book about a family and one of their babies had the same thing as Ryder her take on it was so much more descriptive and I had no idea that what he had gone through was VERY serious. (I believe that if I had no all of that I would have had a nervous breakdown.) Another thing I consider to be the hand of God was that at day 5 of Ryder's life he became jaundice.....usually it happens earlier and is the highest at day 4 or 5. I KNOW that he was put on the lights for jaundice for me. Knowing that I had to leave him there and could in no way be there all day everyday this was his of letting me know it was okay to not be with him. We could only hold him during feedings. So it helped me to feel less guilty that I couldn't be there all day. I again relied on the priesthood and Rich and Jeff gave Ryder a blessing which came again as a huge comforter to me.

I understand now that I think the big boys needed mom during the transistion. They had been without mom for weeks and not having my newborn at home though it about killed me helped me to give them some normalcy after weeks of chaos.
When it was finally time to bring Ryder home we had to send Sawyer away with croup. Really I again think Heavenly Father was helping me transistion into my new normal.

Ryder has been my most challenging baby more demanding than the rest, at times rattling me and making me so tired.

But last night seeing that nativity seeing my baby touched me it made me feel like I can close a chapter in my life. Like this year though it has been challenging, I have been so blessed. I am in no way like Mary but I feel like I have gained a new perspective on her young existince her remarkable journey will never be like mine but I love the chance to learn and feel grateful. I am so grateful for my family who drove back and forth taking what ever burden they could, making meals and just sitting with me. I feel like I have been so blessed with great inlaws. They took such great care of us. Driving me back and forth helping with the boys, cooking, cleaning. Really I don't know what I would have done. All of our family knew when I needed help and knew I would never ask. I am so blessed so grateful. My friends who like my family knew I would never ask but did just the right thing at the right time.
Jeff who has been a pillar of strength. I sometimes get after him for not being emotional enough but I know he keeps things together for me. For months he picked up where I lacked as he often still does. Really I feel like we have grown so much as a couple. I don't know what I would do with out him!!

I am so touched my this season and now the nativity will forever mean more to me. I hope to turn to these lessons of faith in the future. I know I saw so many hands come together for me and my family. I really have come full circle and it only took a year!

And if your still with me after that long post....thanks for reading....and you deserve a treat!

Because I am the BOSS that's Why!!!!

Yes that's right folks I have entered a stage that has always driven me crazy. The WHY stage. Every two seconds I hear the word WHY? I am running out of cute clever answers and find myself saying because I am the boss. Which Noah proceeds with no I am the boss. I hope I can crack him of this and teach him a new word. Because I am the mom or the boss, is clearly the wrong response.

Thankful still.....

Funny story....we took these pictures last night goofing around. Noah brought in a whole thing of ice cream, and two spoons one for him and Sawyer. I think they were shocked that we let them eat out of the carton....we are fun. Or atleast they thought so.






I thought this was so fun in November I am really going to try and do it every Thursday. Really it is more for me than anything but after the poor me day I had yesterday, today I need this. And since on this blog I have always given my faithful readers the good bad and the ugly why would I stop now.

I am a complainer.....I always have been I am not proud of it and at times I am better about it but not yesterday. Not even close. My mom dealt many years with this (poor thing)and now poor Jeff has to endure it forever. Really I think I may get him a metal for Christmas. Part of my complaining comes from my lack of organizing.....I know you are thinking didn't she just do this in June? And yes but having a newborn and doing nothing really makes for a once again horrible unorganized mess. Really I may ask for a dumpster for Christmas. But it is so bad I really have no clue where to start. So I blog?? Really I am ridiculous. So there you have it I am crazy...but don't you dare call me that and I better get to cleaning so maybe I can stop complaining. So there is the good bad and the ugly....so now for the good stuff.

I am THANKFUL that Jeff takes his test today. I hope he does well I am sure he will but I know he is beyond stressed about it.

I am THANKFUL for the park we have gone twice this week and I love that my kids have so much fun there. Giving me a break to chat it up with my friends.

I am THANKFUL to my mom and Aaron they helped me make my stockings and I just love them and love looking at them each day.

I am THANKFUL for the season of Christmas. I love this time of year. I am trying to teach my boys the importance of this season. Noah and were talking about how it is Jesus's birthday and Noah asked if we were going to have cupcakes so it looks like we will start a new tradition of cupcakes for Jesus.

I am THANKFUL for ADVIL I have been getting some really gnarly headaches and it is the only thing that helps me get rid of them.

I am THANKFUL for a good nights rest. Last night I broke down and put Ryder on his belly and I got a great night sleep (except for the bad headache this morning) But I hope he will sleep on his belly every night. He is getting to big to sleep in his carseat.

So it is good to have a reminder for myself especially after a not so fun day. Here is to a better day....oh and I have my first pack meeting tonight as part of my new calling....Cubscout Chairman....I KNOW.....we will see how it goes...remember I am not complaining today atleast.