Looking at the blog, I realized it's been a long time since I've posted any pictures of the babies. Here are some...
Trying to get a decent picture of Bryce...
Trying to get a picture of Aleah not shoveling food in her face...
And Cayley... "CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!"
And one of Cayden doing the hula-hoop.
Cayden started Karate in the beginning of January. Scott was able to see his first day of Karate. Watching 4-6 year olds learn Karate is really "entertaining." Anytime I'm having a bad day or stressed out, a little Karate sure lightens my spirits. Next week is testing. Here is Cayden's last practice before testing.
And one of his favorite activiities: "Jellyfish"
Here is Cayden's first snowman. We had a nice day back in January. Grandpa Harley came over and watched babies so Cayden and I could play outside. We had fun! I tried to teach Cayden how to build a snowman. Turned out pretty well. Only problem was I didn't have much to make his face. We used celery for his eyes, mouth and his "spikies". (The spikies match Cayden's hair, we do spikies every morning.) His nose of course HAD to be a carrot (just ask Cayden).
Cayden competed in his first skating competition! He competed in two events in the Basic Skills Competition: Artistic Low and Snowplow Elements.
This is a video of Cayden's Artistic Event. He competed against a chicken and Mary Poppins. It was too cute! Cayden had a few chuckles (ok, quite a few) from the audience as he skated out to his starting position. Then he didn't want to listen to his coach (me) when I told him he needed to skate more one way, so he ended his program with lots of music left to play. I apologize for the video not being steady.
Enjoy my Pablo (from the Backyardigans)!
Cayden tied for Second place with his Backyardigans routine.
My Pablo!
Cayden during his elements event.
Cayden earned Second place in Elements.
Cayden so very proud of his two silver medals! He really had fun!
We headed back to Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's House late Christmas afternoon (after naps) for our Christmas Dinner. It was snowing and blowing, but it does that in good ol' ND. As we leave our neighbor hood (we had two cars: 1 is 4-wheel drive, the other is my awesome minivan.), we see a car stuck in the snow. I am following Scott since he has the 4WD, but I'm starting to panic in may car. We had packed some extra clothes for everyone JUST IN CASE we needed to spend the night. Well, sure enough we had to spend the night.
December 26th was spent with the guys (Grandpa, Scott and my brother-in-law) with some help from my sister, digging the cars out of snow drifts. We got the cars out, but they didn't help much because the streets were filled with snow.
We convinced the kids that they needed to spend some time out in the snow. It was pretty nice out considering the fact that we just had a blizzard (it wasn't 30 below 0 and it easily could have been making it much more miserable)
We know how to dress warm here!
Cayden in the snow.
Cayden with Grandma.
Nice jump Cayden!
All 3 "big" grandchildren (babies were napping inside) on the sled together. I think Cayden is the front, but I can't remember now.
Playing in the snow is exhausting! (Keno, our dog, is normally contained in our kitchen at home, but we brought him to Grandma and Grandpa's with us-in case we got snowed in. I think he really liked the free-roam he had at her house)
So, how does this story end... Well, there is so much more to it! Scott's parents were supposed to fly into Minot on the 26th, but all planes were cancelled into Minot. They couldn't get a guaranteed seat to Minot until Dec 29th. So they flew into Bismarck on the 27th, and some friends who were visiting their daughter and family brought my in-laws to Minot. Somehow they lucked out and their luggage got to Minot later on the 27th. My mom, dad and I ventured out to try to get to my house (for the 4th or 5th time) on Sunday. We made it to the end of my street, and my mom and I hiked through the snow to get to my house. It was too funny! We worked on getting my drive way cleared. As we were cleaning it, a payloader came through and got one lane of traffic cleared of snow (our neighbors came out cheering-they had been snowed in since Christmas Day also). So finally, we made it back to our house in the evening of hte 27th.
It really was a Christmas to remember!
Christmas Eve was spent at Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's House. Here are some shots of the present openings.
Aleah (in sweater with red on it) and Cayley (white sweater) opening presents together. These two worked together on a lot of their presents.
Bryce opening a present. He kind of did his own thing during present opening.+2009.jpg)
Here is Bryce getting into the Holiday Spirit.+2009.jpg)
Cayley and Aleah working on another present together.+2009.jpg)
Cayden and his Batman Cave.+2009.jpg)
Cayden's "School" (aka: daycare) put on a Christmas show for their parents. It was so cute! Luckily, Scott arrived the day of the performance, and he was able to attend as well!
(Cayden has the red polo shirt on, in case you can't find him)
Apparently the teachers at school tell the kids to do their "bubbles" when they are supposed to be quiet. Well, Cayden listened very well. In between each song they would leave the room, get the next prop, and then come back out. Everytime Cayden came back out, he had his cheeks puffed out (we later heard about the teachers and the bubbles).
A class picture.
Wait! What do we hear?
SANTA of course! What's a Christmas performance without an appearance from Santa!
Daddy was able to take his 2 week R & R (aka: "vacation") from his deployment. Luckily I didn't tell Cayden when exactly his dad was supposed to be home because he was delayed on the trip home. Dad made it in time for Christmas though!
The babies were sitting down for lunch when Daddy came home. They weren't quite sure what to think, but they didn't get upset. Then after lunch, they took to him very quickly. I had to go back to work, but apparently the girls were stuck to him like glue after lunch. Here's Daddy with Aleah.
The first time Cayden had seen his dad in 5.5 months.
"Mom, I was here first!"
"Mom, she's touching me!"
Now, it is your pick who is saying what line. Silly girls! (Cayley is in the green shirt, Aleah is in the pink shirt)
I was feeling like I needed to do an update on the blog, however there just isn't enough time. I haven't really taken pictures of the kids for awhile other than the occasional cell phone picture. Here are some:
Cayley playing on Grandma's toys.
Bryce playing with a toy at Grandma's. 
Cayden helping me shovel. A teacher from school was kind enough to come sit with babies so I could clear out the snow.
Bryce loves to climb into these storage containers. He just sits and plays in them.
Cayley also enjoys sitting in the storage container. However she is one unhappy camper when Bryce (who is a good 6 pounds heavier than her) sits ON her in the container.
Aleah put this "pretty necklace" on herself the other day.
I brought up Cayden's couch from the basement. The babies have truly loved playing on it. Here is Aleah relaxing on the couch.
Cayley on Cayden's couch.
Aleah watching Dora while relaxing on Cayden's couch.
Cayden with Bryce and Cayley
Wow!!! It's been a month since I've posted anything. Life sure has been crazy!
We went out of town beginning of the month for my Grandmother's funeral. Spent the weekend in a hotel that was not child-proofed, especially for three munchkins. Why can't hotels child-proof 1 or 2 rooms and reserve those for families with small children. The expense to childproof can't be the great and the rooms would definitely get used. Plus it would help make the parents stay a bit more relaxing. I can think big, can't I?
Actually, prior to going out of town, Cayden had a doctor appointment with an Ear-Nose-Throat Doctor. It was the day I had been waiting for, finally answers to why Cayden's tonsils were so ginormous. (so I know that's not a word, but his tonsils were beyond huge!) We had been to the doctor for Cayden's throat 5 times within a 6 week period. If you know me, I'm not one to rush my kids to the doctor over anything. It has to be pretty serious before I take them in. Well, the first time he had tonsilitis, gave him medicine, no change to his tonsils. Take him back a week later: Doctor says, yep that's normal, toddlers have enlarged tonsils. I think Ok. I'm good with that. Then three weeks after that Cayden is complaining that his throat hurts (Cayden never complains of any pain, EVER) so I take him back in. Now he has strep throat. More meds (different kind this time), cures the strep, still huge tonsils (HUGE). Take him back 2 weeks later, another doctor says yep, their still big, but since he just got off his medicine, he should be getting better. This doctor also said he has allergies so she prescribed him Singulair. Now, let's think about this... It's almost November, I realize our fall has been really mild, but allergies now??? to a kid who hasn't really ever shown signs of allergies before? I'm not buying into this anymore. I decided I'm not happy with these doctors because something is going on that his tonsils are HUGE (did I mention that they were really, really big?? almost touching!) I finally talk to someone on base (first time we actually get an appointment on base), and the doctor there says, "Why don't we refer him to and ENT" (ear, nose, throat doc). Whew, finally some real help. We finally get this appointment with the ENT, and he says "yep, his tonsils are huge" (no? really?) "and his adenoids are also large. We can either wait" (for what I'm not sure) or we can remove them all." I said, "let's remove them and be done with this" (ok, so the decision wasn't really a snap decision, I had been thinking about this for a long time - September and now it's November - and keep in mind, Cayden is showing lots of other issues at home regarding the swollen tonsils and now to my knowledge his adenoids. He had sleeping issues, breathing issues, to name a few.) I should also mention, the ENT doctor said that "other" doctors often say allergies are the issue when they really aren't.
So, one fine Monday morning, just 10 days ago, Cayden underwent surgery. I was terrified even though I know that this is a routine, same day surgery. Here is Cayden prior to surgery.
He did well in the surgery and then continued to do well at home. He had chicken nuggets for supper that night.
The day following the surgery is a whole 'nother story. I get called to the office at school to hear from our secretary "your dad called and he can't wake Cayden to take his [pain] medicine" What?!? He's not waking. So I leave my students with the secretary to deal with and run home. It's now 11:45, and my dad started trying to wake Cayden at 11. My mom was there by this time trying to wake him as well. He didn't respond (he is breathing). Nothing, just a deep, deep sleep. So I pick him up, wrap him in a blanket and off we rush to the Emergency Room. (he doesn't wake up in the cool fall air either). Finally, while we are waiting to go into the ER he wakes up, around 12:15 or so. He wakes on his own. We go back so they can monitor him. Turns out the medicine he was on for pain was just way too strong for his little body. We have since only give him medicine if he asks for it, and we only give him half of what was recommended. Scary, scary stuff. He is doing much better now.
Let's see, what else has been happening... Babies went in for the 15 month check up and shots. That was a blast! HA!!! Lucky Dad gets to miss all of these fun shot appointments. Babies were all healthy at the time of the appointment. But a couple days later, life was not fun with babies. Brycey got sick, coughing lots, just unhappy. Then Cayley caught it, and then Aleah is just plain ol' miserable. A week later, I'm sick and checking myself into the clinic (got meds, doing much better now). I decide to get babies in as well a couple of days later. Cayley was the only one to come home with medicine for two ear infection, poor thing. The other two, I am told, just have viruses.
I always claimed I was not going to the THAT family that is ALWAYS sick. I never should have said anything. We are THAT family now.
Whew, lots of information for one post, with only one picture. Hopefully life will calm down soon (but probably not with a 4 year old and 3 - 15 months old), but I don't think I will get my hopes up for that!
Happy Thanksgiving!
