Happy, happy birthday Abbey dear!

ABBEY REBEKAH TURNS 1!! Seems like just yesterday we were waiting for her to come - she was born on Memorial day. This was Jeff's first holiday and break from work of the year. It was the busiest and longest busy season EVER..... Lea was so excited to have a baby sister and Lucas well he wasn't quite sure, but definitely loved to see the baby. My parents came for 2 weeks to help out, then my niece Shayla came - I wasn't fully recovered and was nervous to take care of 3 kids on my own... :) All were great help and very much appreciate them helping us out. She was delivered a scheduled c-section and was perfect. Everything went smoothly despite my extreme nervousness about being wide open on an operating room table. I have an excellent doctor and her staff was amazing. All very understanding and everything I needed to stay calm - except when they forget to bring in Jeff and have already started the procedure.....

She's a beautiful baby and has been really good....so far. She loves her brother and sister and daddy from afar. She is definitely a mama's girl, which doesn't go over to well with daddy.....if I can sneak away, she's good. She's happy and curious. Not yet walking, but will stand and make a game out of "falling" down or forward to be caught.

A few milestones she's reached. No more formula and she is now old enough to be left at our baby-sitting co-op every Friday which means Jeff and I are officially without kids on Friday nights!!! :) Enjoy the pictures

WAY Before pictures - 3D ultrasound taken on 4/21/08 (the day after my birthday)

Two days before delivery. I took on the project of painting Lucas' room (started a month before) - the finished product - he was still in the crib at the time. The last part, Rozann and my mom helped me put up this vinyl lettering I made on my sister's machine (Kristin).

The day of - 5/26/08. My parents brought Lea and Lucas in to see their new sister. Both very excited and Lea brought her camera to take pictures.
Born: 6 lbs 1 oz, 19inches long. By the time we left the hospital she was down to 5 pounds and none of her clothes fit. Thank you to Erin for lending us Ally's preemie clothes so she wouldn't be in just a diaper all the time.Sweet siblingsBlessing day - we have the best friends and family. Thank you so much everyone for coming and enjoying the day with us. Families were there, just not in the pictures. My mom helped with a luncheon (this was after church was already over). Grandma Judy (Jeff's mom - they were leaving town the next day so didn't come) made Abbey's dress.

Left to right: Scott Palfreeman, Geoff Becker, Steven (my older brother), Jeff, Abbey, my dad, Brandon Merryhew, Pete Sorensen
Lovin' from the brother and sister. Always so soft with her and wanting to make her happy.

At our ward campout last weekend. 5/23/09 She has grown so fast and is busy, busy. She tries so hard to keep up with Lea and Lucas..... :) At the waterpark for Memorial Day and a little pre-birthday water fun.

5/26/09: 19 lbs, 30 inches long. More pictures to come of the cupcake eating/wearing contest. So check back to see her enjoy her birthday cupcakes.

Super cute!

I love my long hair (it's been at least 18 months since my last hair cut), Lea has inspired me to get it cut. She's been asking for a long time to get hers cut in a cute bob style, but I haven't wanted to let go. I love to fix her hair in all sorts of cute styles and I fear this will limit what we can do, maybe it will make it that more fun - we'll see. I decided to wait until after school was out, Eric's wedding was done (Jeff's brother - another post for another day about that event), to get at least Lea's hair cut. Thank you to our friend Angie for taking on our hair. Lea's hair is really thick too.

Here's Lea's before/after. Not sure how much was cut off. She wanted to be dropped off at Angie's while I took Abbey in for a wellcheck with Lucas..... She's growing up so fast. :)

And here's mine: Gone are just over 10 inches to be donated to Locks of Love. I figure with all the hair I have, it might as well go to someone who can use it. The last time my hair was this short was in high school.....(10+ years)....

Lea took these next two pictures - she's a great little photographer.

Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten.....by Lea

First day of school: Lea said "I was nervous for the first day." Last day of school:


Lea finished Kindergarten and has really grown up. We are so proud of her. She made the Honor Roll 2 times (92% and up) and the Principal's list 2 times - (96% and up). She stayed on green all but 3 times during the year when she ended up on yellow. She's a great student, good friend, beautiful daughter and loving sister. She has learned so much - more than I ever thought possible for kindergarten and she's done great work! Bring on the summer!


Kindergarten according to Lea -

Favorite special: music

Favorite subject: phonograms

Favorite Field trip: Phoenix Children's Museum

Friends: Alexia, Sara, Max*, Vallerie, Cami, Anissa, Alyssa, Rachael (we were in the same dance class when we were 3, she moved after spring break), Titus*, Arianna *-in picture

Teachers: Mrs. Gardner and Ms. Miranda

School Name/Mascot: Vista Del Sur Traditional School - Go TIGERS!

I learned phonograms, to not go up the slide when people are sliding down. I learned to write words and sentences.

Favorite time of day: recess - we played Hannah Montana

Favorite snack: cupcakes my mom made for my "un"-birthday because my birthday is during the summer.

Favorite lunch: hot dogs and chocolate milk and cereal w/ chocolate milk

Lea's class with diplomas - waiting for the proud paparazzi parents to finish taking pictures so they can leave. :)

Our little Kindergarten Grad - starts 1st grade on Aug. 3rd. So proud of you Lea - we love you!

Mother's day

This year for Mother's day, I got something a little different. Jeff came home from work one night with a dozen roses, a 24 pack of Dr. Pepper and a bag of candy with the condition that it was "to be consumed over a 2-3 day period". As if I would finish it off in one night....the candy not the DP.

Friday before Erin (you've seen her kids and her name mentioned a lot in our blog) invited me to see a movie with her Saturday morning. The thought of going in the morning was a little bizarre for me and the thought of going at all was way out there. I don't like to pay for movies I end up not liking - so frustrating to me. $9.50 for a movie!!! Ridiculous! Anywho, she wanted to see Star Trek to which I thought she was joking and didn't want to go. I didn't even know there was a movie out about Star Trek. Her selling point was "Lots of hot young actors" - okay who could argue with that, but Star Trek.....really?! I told Jeff about it and he said to just go and enjoy a day off, okay fine I'm in. :) Thankfully she wasn't too scarred from my laughter the first time and let me come. And...........it was a really good movie and I'd pay to see it again. I might even let Jeff come this time. So "Live, long and prosper" and all those other good trekky terms. :)

Later that night, Erin, I and Lea went to get pedicures. I had won a $30 giftcard at BUNCO and now was a perfect time to use it. Lea was excited to go and happily chose purple for her toes and fingers with white flowers. The night ended with Jeff going to Geoff's (erin's Geoff) house to play video games and I enjoyed a somewhat quiet evening....

Me and Lea
Erin said she was not looking her best after a long day at a massage, facial and manicure...strange girl. :)

Lea enjoying the warm water and bubbles

The finished product. Lea with the balloon sandals, Erin in pink and me in red/white/blue. So cute!

Sunday, (my sister) Kristin, Jonathan, Brendan and Dallin, came over for brunch. Yummy belgian waffles, strawberries and whipped cream. My fav - thanks Jeff for cooking. :) They were in town for the weekend for Jonathan's niece's wedding. It was fun to see them even if only for an hour or so. Thanks for coming!

Brendan

Dallin playing with his "big boy" toys

Lea showing Aunt Kristin, the teacher, how well she can read.

Where's Mickey?

Poor Lucas - he has been SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO whiny lately. Everything little thing and he's yelling from somewhere to find me or Jeff or running to his room and slamming the door. The other day I was getting ready to leave and Jeff was relaxing in our room with Lucas. Jeff changed the TV from the Disney channel to something more Jeff appropriate (Poker world series, pool, espn classics or something else rivoting....). Lucas was obviously upset as he loves the Disney channel. A normal response from him would be "I want mommy.... I want daddy....", but this time (in the most whiny voice you can imagine - masked with tears) "I want Mitty Mouse, I want Mitty Mouse!!" wahhhhh. :) Oh how quickly I've been replaced by Mickey Mouse.....

Family walk

After dinner at Panda Express (Lea's favorite!), we went for a walk. There is a fire burning a mulch farm nearby (it's under control and mostly smoldering now), but we walked towards the fire truck at the end of our neighborhood. The kids had a great time running the path and pretty excited to see the fire truck. There was one firefighter manning the truck and a long line of hose running from the truck to the fire area which was about a quarter mile away. He was nice enough to let Jeff and Lucas climb in the truck to sit for a minute (I didn't listen to that little voice and had no camera to take the picture!!!) Lea had her ears covered and wasn't interested in climbing in because she had already seen a fire truck at school. Thank you to the firemen and women and police that protect our neighborhood. This is the second fire very close to our home and people we know. We have never been in jeopardy, but it's not fun to see smoke and flames visible from the backyard. 

Lea and I walked pushing Abbey in the stroller while Jeff and Lucas ran ahead. The walk was to wear Lucas out. 

She asked if the lights were on all the time.

me: No, they only come on at night so we can see when it's dark. 

Lea: No she told me, not those lights, the other ones..... 

me: huh? 

Lea: The behavior lights (the street lights at the intersection). 

me: Oh those ones!! Those are on all the time. 

For those without kindergarteners - the behavior lights are the discipline for the classroom. Green- good, yellow - warnings and red - no good. :)