Not Quite So Easy

Up until about a month ago, having 3 kids had been a cake walk. Well, maybe not a cake walk, but it had gone Very smoothly! People I had talked to had me scared out of my mind that the transition from 2 to 3 was going to rock my world. That it was going to be all out chaos and madness.

Along came sweet, easy going, calm Conner and not too much changed. Sure, life re-adopted a baby schedule. And yes, things were more busy, more laundry, another body to haul around and strap in and out of the car. But really, it was nothing like what I had expected it to be. On the contrary, life just seemed blissful. And I often thought "What were people going so crazy about thinking 3 was so insane? I guess I just got lucky (Or maybe I am just That amazing!)" :)

And then about 3 weeks ago that all started to change.

We have reached a new stage with Conner, and with this stage has brought much more difficulty and whole new challenges. Conner is still his sweet, loving, adorable little self...just less easy these days.

He is at the age where he is getting mobile (not quite on all fours, but the kid can get around quite well without needing to technically crawl...note the picture above...he gets into all sorts of silly places already). He is developing separation anxiety. If he sees Mom walk out of the room, then there are tears. If Mom is in sight, he wants to be held a lot. When Mommy picks him up, he is happy for 3 seconds and then starts lunging toward the ground because he wants to get down and explore everything he sees. So Mom sets him down, and then he cries because he wants to be held by Mom. And that is what we do most of the day these days. Silly babies. Conner has just gotten to a point of requiring more attention in a more difficult way. I am finding it harder to get things done. It's stressful doing things with a fussing baby, and it is difficult trying to do things holding a kid who is trying to climb out of your arms. So either way it is sort of lose/lose with him at times. I remember both Kenna and Kellen going through similar phases, so I know it is a phase that too shall pass. But I have just also realized that now life with 3 has gotten challenging in a way it wasn't challenging before. And I think it is sort of going to stay that way.

I love my 3 kids. I love the ways that they challenge me and make my life crazy. I love each of their sweet, sticky faces. I love their laughs and wiping their tears. I don't like being a referee all day to the two older ones, but I guess it comes with the job, so I won't complain too much. I love my hectic world and the crazy looks I get from people in the stores. I love all the new journeys we embark on and phases we go through. It keeps life interesting.

Training Wheel Graduation!

The milestones seem to come and go so fast. Before you have kids you think about and picture these "parenting moments" that you will someday have with your child. Hearing your child's first word. Watching your child take their first steps. Bringing your kid to their first day of school. Teaching your child to ride their first bike....You imagine these moments before you have kids. You anticipate and look forward to them once you do have kids. And then suddenly you find yourself standing there, right in the middle of the moment, and it almost feels surreal. You almost think to yourself, "Really? This moment is really happening?" It just comes upon you so fast, you hardly have time to feel ready for it.

And then before you know it your daughter is riding circles around you on her two wheeled bike!

So a couple of weeks ago Makenna went over to her friend Reese's house for a play date. When she came home she announced to me that Reese and her sisters had some bikes with only 2 wheels and that she rode one all by herself. Just that morning Makenna and I had been talking about trying to take her training wheels off sometime soon. I was just shocked that she was telling me she had ridden one all by herself that day, having never been taught. I wanted to make sure I was understanding her correctly, so I called Reese's mom to verify and she said yes, Makenna had been riding a 2 wheeler alone! So I told her that weekend we would go ahead and have Daddy take her training wheels off and give it a try.

A few days later she and Daddy took of the training wheels, and the next day we loaded up the bikes and headed for the park.

Apparently the bikes she had ridden at Reese's house were a bit smaller than her bike. So when it was time to get going she got a bit nervous. I was a bit unsure how to get her going. Was I supposed to just run with her and hold on or let go and see what she could do with it. So Pa, with previous years of experience took over and got her running around the park. After a couple of laps she seemed to be doing pretty well, so Pa let go a few times and she was able to ride alone a short distance. Then, as happens with all children the first time they ride a bike, she took her first fall. Pa had let her go for a second and she tipped right into the bushes. I was actually a pretty smooth fall. It freaked her out though for a minute or two. But Pa got her back on. At that point Pa was ready to collapse. I offered to help her again, but she didn't want me, she wanted Daddy. I don't blame her one bit. I would feel safer with a big man holding the back of my bike than a klutzy mom. Daddy did a few laps as well and once he was ready to collapse she finally let me help out a bit. She did well for it being her first time. Still needing assistance, but getting the feel of it and figuring out the balance.

The next day we decided to practice at home for a bit just on our small patch of sidewalk. This turned out to be a great thing. It was just enough space for her to get started, ride for a brief period and then practice braking and holding the bike without falling over. After about half an hour out in the back she was doing it on her own. She just needed help getting going, but she had the rest of it down. One more day of practice and she had the whole thing put together and was an independant 2 wheeler rider! To put it to the test we brought her bike to the park the next day after school. After one or two times of me helping her get started she was off and riding. She rode and rode and rode that day. And every time she rode successfully I cheered and cheered and cheered. I almost felt silly how happy and giddy and proud I felt watching my little girl cruising around on her very first bike all on her own. It felt like a big moment, for both of us. She really is growing up!

Mommy, Daddy and Kenna...learning to ride a bike, March 13th 2011!

Bud Bud enjoying his time pedaling around the track. He is really starting to get the hang of his trike and loves to cruise on it these days. He too is looking like a big boy!

Pa coaching Kenna. It is sweet watching them have these fun moments together. Memories.

In their exhaustion, the men started getting a bit silly :)

We love our Grammy. SO cute!

There is something very sweet about watching a couple of grown men play on a play set at the park with the kids. So funny!

Kenna is doing amazing now and is having a lot of fun with it. She is also starting to get pretty fast and slowly getting a bit braver on the bike. She has taken a few spills, but nothing too bad. And she is quick to tell you that if you fall down, you just have to get right back up and try it again. She really is a brave, tough little cookie!

And my sweet boy. Such a love! I am sure I will be making a similar post about Kellen before I even know it!!

For the new year Todd and I both set a family goal of having regular Family Home Evenings in our house. It is so easy to get busy in the evenings already. And we both realized that unless we made a constant priority to devote our Monday evenings to it then it would never happen. So we are going about a month strong now. And the great part is that the kids love it and actually ask if it is Family Home Evening probably 3 or 4 times a week. They are frustrated that it is only once, and I can't blame them for enjoying it. It is so nice to take the time to stop and enjoy one another and spend time together. It also makes me feel good knowing that we are taking the time to teach our children the gospel and that they know how important it is to us.

Last week was Makenna's turn to be in the dessert assistant. I asked her what she wanted us to make and she wanted a McKamey Family cake with blue and red frosting. So that is what she got. It was nice because even making the cake with her and Kellen was a lot of fun and a good way to spend some time together. Plus, we all got to eat a lot of yummy blue frosting, and that is always a good time!

My cute kids and their cute cake. I love how Kellen is trying to pose the same was as Makenna.

8 MONTHS OLD

I can hardly believe that Conner is already 8 months old. For some reason 8 months just starts to sound big to me. He is now definitely closer to a one year old than he is to a newborn. His look is changing. His attitude is becoming more mature. He is developing opinions and letting them be known more often. He now make it known if he gets mad at his brother or sister for taking something away from him that he was playing with (some of the time at least). He is just acting like a bigger and older baby. Which, as always, is both fun and exciting as well as a bit sad.

Here is a bit about Conner at 8 months:

-He is only waking up once a night (most of the time). He will have a bottle around 2 am and then go back to sleep until around 7-7:30

-He is taking 2 naps a day, each one lasting anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours.

- We have started a few finger foods (puffs, Cheerios and mum mums). He loves them all and loves feeding himself. He has recently mastered picking up small food and actually getting it into his mouth!

- He can clap and loves having Pat-a-Cake sung to him. He actually loves it when you sing anything to him! If he is on the floor and you are singing to him he will bob up and down a bit.

- He had his first ear infection and thanks to Kellen also got pink eye at the same time. Handled them both like a champ!!

- He is getting onto his hands a knees a bit and is definitely figure out how to pull himself around a bit. I give it 2 weeks Tops before he is mobile (in some way).

- He Loves taking baths at night and loves having his hair brushed afterward!

- His hemangioma has either not grown or has only grown a tiny bit in the last month or so...it is so hard to tell for sure. We go and see a dermatologist again at the end of April.

- He is passed the 20 lb mark. While at the doctor for his ear infection he weight 21 lbs 2 oz!

- Conner loves to suck on his blanky to sooth himself and has to have it to go to sleep at night.

- Loves to coo and babble and is starting to make a lot of new sounds and combined sounds together.

- Developing a small amount of separation anxiety. Watches as you walk out of the room and will cry about it a little bit.

WE just love our little Conner to pieces. He brings so much joy and love and peace to our home. He has such a sweet, kind spirit to him. I couldn't ask for a better, happier, more cuddly, adorable baby! It's so fun to watch his personality develop more and more and see the cute little boy he is becoming. His brother and sister can't wait for him to be up and running with them. I am sure he will be before I know it!

Zoo Days

If you asked me as a kid how much I like the Zoo, I would not have given a very enthusiastic answer. Ask me now and I am sure to go on and on about how much I love it, how much I love watching my children enjoy it, how nice it is having passes and being able to just pop over for a few hours here and there and enjoy walking around and playing with the kiddos. And one of the other fabulous perks about the Zoo is that Grammy has a pass and it is great way for us to steal her for a few hours and get some good Grammy time in. We love our Grammy. All of us!

Grammy and the Grandbabes. We always joke together about how the kids seem to Never look at the camera or smile whenever they are taking a picture with Grammy. So this is a good pic of her with all of them and everyone is actually looking good. Big accomplishment here!

So yeah, my 2 year old son is a hottie. There is no other way to put it. I mean seriously. You know your kid is dang cute when you yourself (as his mother) keep looking at the picture and saying to yourself "Wow, he is just Really a good lookin' boy!" Watch out ladies! Future heart breaker in training. Too bad he is already taken. Keep your hands off Mama's Boy! (I will soak up his affection while I can maintain my status as the woman in his life)

Baby Blue Eyes. Love my happy Con!

All Mine. Certainly no denying I'm the mama here.

I love little Miss Makenna for So many reasons, one of which is the fact that she is a total goofball. I always appreciate a person that knows when it is okay to not take life too seriously. Makenna has this one down pat. Silly goose!

Now you know why I bring Grammy to the Zoo with us! Just got to throw the baby Bjorn on her and we would be good to go!

Grammy and her boys.

Makenna and her "pet" eagle, or whatever it is this giant bird is supposed to be. I probably have 8 pictures of her on this thing by now :)

Still a bit unsure about the whole skyfari experience. I can't blame him. It totally freaked me out as a kid. Still does a bit as a 27 year old!

Twins?

We all knew that Conner would catch up to and then pass little Brookie in size. I don't know that we expected it this soon. Looking at these two you would never know that they were pretty much exactly a year apart.

Boys....

Just about every Wednesday we get together with Ashley and Cam and have some sort of play day. A couple of weeks ago they came to our place after we tried going to the park but it was freezing! Cam was in quite a silly mood that day. And out of nowhere he came running out of Kenna's room wearing her grass skirt and totally shaking his hips and doing the hula! This was hilarious and he was totally hamming it up. This of course inspired Kellen to dress up as well, so he adorned the mouse suite and had a blast shaking his booty and showing off his tail. It was the funniest thing to watch the two boys run around dressed up all silly while Makenna just watched Thomas the Train. I know, it makes no sense. But it sure made for some great laughs!

How Many is Too Many?

I feel like I take a ridiculous amount of pictures. And I am sure I do. I don't think I am as crazy as some people, but I know I have a lot. But really, when you have such cute subjects to shoot, how can you help yourself?

The other day the kids had the idea of putting Conner in the swing for the first time. So we got out the baby swing and plopped him in there and he loved it! (What baby doesn't love to swing though, right?) He looked so cute in his swing and Makenna was so happy to help push him. She kept reminding me that I was not allowed to push Conner too high and closely monitored me to make sure I was pushing him safely. What a good little mommy!

Kenna just loves having Conner by her all the time. And he is quite fond of her as well!

On Thursday I made cupcakes and frosting just for fun. The kids helped me make both and then after lunch I let the kids each have a cupcake and put their own frosting and sprinkles on themselves. Kellen was very anxious all morning for it to be "cupcake time". He kept climbing in his seat with his cupcake and just waiting there patiently and bored. He is such a little cutie. So when it was finally time to make cupcakes he was Thrilled!

In this picture you would think Auntie Rah Rah was more excited about the cupcakes than the kiddos. And hey, maybe she was?! Pregnant women get intense about their treats!

Kellen finally got to indulge! I gave each kid their own cup of sprinkles and bowl with some frosting to decorate the cupcake. Kellen tried once or twice to put frosting on the cake. I then helped him a little. But ultimately he developed a method of putting the knife in the frosting, then dipping it in the sprinkles and straight into his mouth. Who needs the cake? It's really just a vehicle for the frosting anyway, right?

Makenna was obviously the most mature one at the table. She carefully used all her frosting and spread it on her cupcake, poured on her sprinkles and ate it traditionally. It was almost sad to see this...it just means she is growing up....

I told you Makenna was the most mature one there! Love you sissy!

Brooke did a combo of all things. And you can certainly tell she is like her mother....same sort of face in her picture as her mommy! Brookie is growing up too!

Rah Rah and the kiddos (minus The Con) reading "I Love You Stinky Face". Totally cute book! Really makes me think of my kiddos. If you have never read it, go get it!