A birthday and a broken nose!

Last week Andi turned 5!  She has loved being 5 and has even told me "back in the day when I was four", or "maybe when I was 4 but not anymore".  She has been 5 for less than a week, but to her it has been a long time since she was the tender young age of 4, no she is mature a mature 5 year old.
We all love Andi for her spunk, her random comments and her contagious personality.  In our house the saying is "If Andi ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.  If mama ain't happy, leave her alone!"  Andi is such a light in my life.  When I feel the boredom coming on I can always count on Andi to make my life exciting.  She is the best example of living life to the fullest and holding nothing back.  She is a great example not being judgmental and of seeing all people as a brother or sister and a child of God.  If I can be half of what she is as a 5-year-old when I die I will be proud of my accomplishments in life.
As always we never have one party so get ready for Andi's Birthweek!

Andi on August 24th (her actual birthday) waiting for Rich to get home so she could open her presents.

 Opening a Minnie Mouse shirt!

 Yay for RIO!

 Andi got new bedding and she loved it!

 She was super excited and she could hardly hold still for a picture.

 We had little piggy ice creams for her birthday cake.

On Friday night we had a birthday party with Colby, Christie, Nykells & Kacie!  It was a lot of fun and we didn't even eat very much because we brought hot dog buns, cookies, and drinks.  They brought 5 hotdogs, marshmallows and chips.    Its not very often you go camping and don't have enough food to go around.  It was a lot of fun and very memorable!

 Andi, thanking Nykelle for the gifts.

Andi wearing the gorgeous necklace that Nykelle made for her.

Saturday Morning we went to cheer on Grandpa Dan at the Top of Utah Half Marathon.  He did great with a time of 1:34, finishing 4th in his age group. 

Then we rushed back to paradise to get ready for the "friends pirate birthday party".  I am so grateful that Katie came to help me out at the party, I couldn't have done it without her.  

 

Braken enjoying his delicious pirate cupcake!

 

 Our delicious pirate cupcakes.  (Thanks for the help making them Donald and Mom)

 Opening up the presents was very exciting as you can see on Andi's face.

 Andi got spoiled at the party and got everything you could imagine. A dinosaur puzzle, an apron, crayons, whoopee cushion, and more!

 Here is there pirate lunch that we served with pirates blood (red cool-aid)

They enjoyed the octopus and Pirates blood.  We sent them all home with their tiki cups and a pirate sword.

Then we packed up and got ready to go to Dan and Angies for the Family Pool Party!

 

Here is the pool cake that I made and Andi loved it.  It was a lot of fun to make!

We had delicious taco salad with eye balls.  Thanks Angie and Katie for helping me make these.

My mom made this awesome watermelon convertible filled with fruit.

O yeah and about the broken nose!  On Friday right before Rich got home from work Andi was making a "hunt" (in Andi slang) or a hut in the living room.  She slipped when she was putting a blanket on the table and smaked her face on the edge of the table.  Poor thing was bleeding everywhere.  She even had blood coming out of the side of her nose.

 This picture is after we had been cleaning her up for about 5 minutes.  The blood just kept comin and so did the tears. :(
Now she has 2 gorgeous black eyes, a bruised cheek and a green nose.  It is healing quickly and still looks mostly straight which is great.  Hopefully we won't have to go to the ENT DR anytime soon.
Happy Birthday Andi!!! We love and and hope you have a great year!

First Day...

I was always the parent who thought it was silly when parents cried on the first day of first grade...but today when I took Jailyn to school I thought about how much I would miss all of her help at home.  She is such a good girl and a great helper, we call her "the other mother".  She was so brave and excited to go to school this morning and I was brave also (at least on the outside, inside I was terrified!!!) 
After taking Jailyn to her 1st grade class I took Andi to her Kindergarten class.  She was so excited that I didn't have anytime to say goodbye.  She has such spunk and I hope that she can contain it enough to learn.  She did great today and can't wait to go back. 

Andi Lu all ready for school in her fancy new duds!  She didn't get any new shoes this year so we magic markered the old shoes and voila - NEW SHOES!!!  Is it strange that Andi's teacher was able to pronounce names like Brinslee, Jaselle, Aeyden, and Xene, but struggled to pronounce Andi or Andrea? (I still don't think I have heard her correctly pronounce it) I'm a little worried..... 

Jailyn went through 3 outfits this morning to find the perfect one!! She didn't want any help and I think she did great, shes always gorgeous and ready to rock the newest "trend" or whatever she wears that she thinks it the best new thing that everyone else should try. 

Here is Ren, wishing she was old enough to go to school with the big kids.  She was realy excited when I told her that she would have preschool at home until I told her that I would be her teacher, she said "not you, someone else could teach".  All I have to say to that is Ouch! 

So now I have to put my foot in my mouth and apologize to all the mother's I mocked when they were sad to send there kids back to school.  I have joined you now...but am admitting that I could get used to only having to kids at home for a few hours...this could end up being pretty exciting!

Guess who?

What has blonde hair, blue eyes, a delicious thumb, a cozy brown blanket, can triple his weight and grow 12 inches in one year?  ....... You guessed it ..it's Braken or Mr. B!  I can't believe he is already a year old and how much he has changed.  It all started ast February when I found out that I was pregnant with a 20 week old baby, not a gummy bear! (like what you are supposed to see in the first ultrasound) ...this is what we saw instead!  What a shocker, not only are you pregnant, you only have a few more months to prepare and o yeah its a little boy!  

(Sorry this next part has no paragraphs, because I don't remember any paragraphs/breaks during labor)

After that life was pretty much smooth sailing, baby boy grew in my tummy, tummy got fat, and so did I!... until the night of July 19th, 2010.  Rich and I stayed up late snacking and watching a little hulu entertainment, because I was so uncomfortable and starving.  At about 3 am the next morning I woke up really uncomfortable and could feel something going on down there.  It wasn't excruciating yet, but I knew something was up, so at 4:30 I woke rich up to inform him I needed a ride to Idaho Falls, so that I could have a baby during his finals that were happening today.  We called our neighbors to come watch the girls and left our house at about 5:20.  On the drive to Idaho falls which is about 30 minutes, Rich was the WORST driver I have ever seen.  He was stopping at all of the red lights, going to slow or fast over the speed bumps, and just being a real jerk! When we arrived at the hospital at about 6:00 we started out long walk from the parking lot to the hospital.  It was only about 50 yards to the hospital and 50 yards up a couple flights of stairs to get to the admittance desk.  But it took us about 10 minutes because every minute and a half I stopped to breath, cuss, cry, etc.  When we finally got to the desk the nurses where in slow mode.  After asking a lot of ridiculous questions (name, birthdate, how much pain are you in, etc.) They finally gave me a gown, showed us our room and let me change. They finally decided to check me at 6:30 and all of the sudden a bomb went off in my room, the nurses paniced, told me I was dialated to a 9.5 and ready to have this baby.  I told them "DUH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU!"  While one nurse called the DR.  the other nurse tried to put an IV in 3 times, failing and then the other nurse was also trying to put one in my other arm.  She succeeded but was immediately showered with blood all down her front.  When the Dr got there she said its time to push, no need for drugs, lets do this!  I said umm...no drugs?!?!?!! let's do this thing!  At 6:57 Braken was born and I have never known such pain and joy in my life.

  

Mr. B has grown so much since that day and I can't express my love for this little man.  He lights up my world with his laugh, brightens my day with his smile and warms my heart with his constant hugs and kisses!  He is truly one in a million and any amount of pain was worth it to bring him into our family.  We love you Mr. B and hope you have a great year!

Here are some pictures of his first year - in no particular order!

Braken enjoying his dumptruck birthday cake. 

Braken enjoying his delicious thumb and brown blankie at the zoo.

 Baby Braken - 1 day old

 Braken sticking his tongue out - 3 months old

 Brakens first bath, given by Daddy.

 Brakens first, photographed smile.

 Brakens first fight! only 3 stitches, I think the table won.

 Brakens newborn head and brown hair.

 Rich and Brakens hands 

 Love at first sight! the girls loved him the first day and love him more now!

Andi being the big sister. 5 days old 

 All the cousins, except for Kade (he wasn't born yet)!

 Brakens nature photo!

 Lauren feeding Braken...and succeeding!

 All of Brakens b-day presents, he was a little overwhelmed.

 5 months old

 Brakens first dirtbike adventure.

 Braken loves soft things and sleeping!

 Easter Egg hunting

 Peek-a-boo at the playground!

Andi luvin on mr. b again. 

Brakens famous stink face!

Happy Birthday Braken!  Watch the video and watch how he puts his candle out! Excuse the awesome videoing!