Faith's New Love!

We found this pink unicorn stick horse and the dollar store and Faith is in love! Her passion for unicorns at full height with this.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

Yesterday I took the preschoolers and Jesse to the pumpkin patch. A couple of kids couldn't make it, so there was only a few of us but it was still a lot of fun. We started out with the kids going through the hay bale maze. After the initial traffic jam from the kids on all the groups, they all raced through and had a lot of fun. Then we went and picked pumpkins. I think Jesse and Faith both felt they could only get a pumpkin from the very back of the patch because they both just kept walking without getting a pumpkin. Faith was very choosy about hers as well. Every one I suggested just wasn't quite right. Finally we had to just pick one or go with out so we could head back to where everyone else was.
We ended the adventure with a hay ride around the pumpkin patch. Jesse enjoyed taking pictures on the different colored pumpkins on the way. We had a great time finished the morning with a little shopping before heading home for school.

Tell Me the Stories Tuesday- Our Little Miracle Arrived

Five years ago this summer I started working on getting my masters degree. I had finally found a program that would work for me as a working mother of three. It was an on-line reading program through NNU. It was great because we only had to be on campus one week out of the year. A few months into my program I found out I was pregnant. I was really upset. Having a baby in the middle of a masters degree wouldn't be the easiest thing to do and the program I was in had everything planned out for the 2 1/2 years it would take to complete. You completed the program with a cohort group so I couldn't just quit and pick it up again later. We had also made the decision to not have anymore children a few months prior and sold all of our baby things. Our decision was based mainly on the fact that I didn't feel like I could handle another child with the struggles Jesse was already exhibiting at the age of three. However I shouldn't have been surprised because with each pregnancy I had a dream telling me how many children I had left to be born.

So after much tears, worrying, and prayers I finally felt that things would be OK and that Faith would actually be a blessing to Jesse (not sure of that yet, but maybe in the future). So I went through the pregnancy pretty well. It was an advantage for some things such as when the heater became a problem as it did every year in the school I taught in, it was taken care of much quicker than usual, especially when I started having class outside because it was making me sick. I also got out of a few field trips and jury duty because they were in my last month of pregnancy. Something about being on a bus for a few hours each way didn't make the administration very comfortable with me going.

Well we found out with our earlier children that I have to be induced with my children otherwise I would be pregnant forever. So we scheduled the date with my doctor to have Faith in the Nampa birthing center. Since he was moving offices at the time of my delivery, his wife was going to be the one delivering Faith.

It ended up being a very easy delivery. I think we arrived around 8 or 9 in the morning. They broke my water and induced me. I took many walks had some contractions, but none that were regular enough to say that I was in labor. Then all of the sudden I transitioned without really anything going on (my mood changed slightly was the only reason we knew). I had about three hard contractions and Faith was born 15 minutes later. The doctor had stepped out to see a patient who was heading into labor in her office across the parking lot. The nurse told her not to leave because I have fast labors, but since she wasn't my doctor she didn't realize how fast I go. So the nurse, my mom, and Robert ended up delivering Faith.

When she was born the nurse was amazing. I didn't even realize something was wrong but Robert and my mom watched her as she unwrapped the umbilical cord from Faith neck TWICE. Then the real problem was seen when they saw a true knot in Faith's cord. She was a little blue so they got her on oxygen immediately and she perked up and was OK. We were told that it was a miracle she survived the pregnancy. The nurse told us that often times when there are problems like this then the labor are fairly easy to help protect the baby. It is amazing how our bodies know.

I am so thankful that our little angel was safe and survived to be the little stinker she is today. I really love her and all my children and thank my Heavenly Father for the blessings they are in my life.

A Very Traumatic First!

This morning after I gave Faith a bath, I was combing her hair. I have been considering cutting her hair for a while, but as I was combing her hair this morning, I noticed how uneven her hair was. So on impulse I decided I would cut her hair. I originally was thinking of taking her somewhere, but I was being cheap. Well when I told her I wanted to cut her hair she started crying and saying that she didn't want her hair cut. We did it anyways. I cut several inches off (her longest sections was down to her waist when it is straight). It ended up being shorter than planned because she was moving around and crying, but oh well. At least now it is more even. I guess I will have to find some new hairdos for her shorter hair.

So here are some pictures of Faith's first haircut (some of the pictures are blurry because she really wasn't happy). Faith just looked over and saw the pictures and started whining that I can't cut her hair. Poor girl, she is now traumatized.

Doesn't she just look thrilled.

Hallelujah!

I am so excited! We have been working to potty train Faith for about a year and a half. We would work with her and she would not show any interest or try to use the toilet. So we would wait awhile and try again. Well she has finally decided that she is ready and this week has been doing really well. She is finally telling us when she needs to go and working to stay clean. It is so great! Once she decided she wanted to do it, she has been very easy to train. I guess she just needed her own time frame. What a stubborn little girl!

Jesse is also doing really well right now with his bowel problems. For him it has been years of doctors and frustrations. Funny thing is that one thing that is really helping him is the Wii. I guess we needed to find the right motivation to help him get past the psychological side of his disorder. I can't tell you how wonderful it will be to no longer deal with toileting issues. One day . . . . .

The Man in my Car

Tonight Faith and I were waiting in the car while Tyler had her cello lessons in Boise. We were playing together, coloring, singing, etc. just killing time while we waited. After awhile I turned the radio on because Faith was wanting some music. The CD was Dave Tinney. All of the sudden she looks into the vent above the passenger speaker and says "There's a man in there." I just had to laugh!

A Girl Obsessed!

Faith with her blankie.

O.k. I have to confess that my daughter is obsessed. It has been going on for months now and I see no end in sight. You ask her about anything and she only has one answer: unicorns. That's right unicorns. Her obsession has now carried over to church where she was even being a unicorn in class today. Now you may ask how she got started on unicorns. Did she watch a movies, read a book, or anything? Nope, this is out of the blue, straight up obsession with unicorns. She has a stuffed horse that she calls a unicorn, she says she is a unicorn and will get so in character that she will only speak in "neighs", she says her name is unicorn, you ask her what she did that day and she tells you a story of unicorns, etc. There is no end. So for every one who has to put up with this out of control craziness, I AM SORRY and can only say, this to shall pass (someday, maybe, eventually)

Who Needs a Coloring Book?

So last night Faith and Jesse were coloring at the counter when my mom called. Faith was so intent on her coloring for several minutes when she got done from the counter and I saw she decided she longer wanted to color in her coloring book. Apparently her face and hands were so much more interesting to color. Without my knowing, Jesse had gotten out the markers which usually aren't allowed out and Faith decided to create a masterpiece with a pink highlighter. I must say that her coloring is really improving because she knew to color all areas of her face (even her eyelids). She must have really been trying to stay in the lines.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

On Friday Little Learners Preschool took a field trip to Linder Farms pumpkin patch. It was a lot of fun taking a hay ride, picking a pumpkin, coloring, and running through the straw maze.

Faith loved riding "the tractor" and looking at the animals along the way. She liked looking at the different pumpkins in the fields.

Then we went and picking out pumpkins. Faith picked out several "baby"pumpkins before she found her perfect pumpkin that she wanted to take home. When it came time to color some pictures, Faith wanted nothing to do with it. So we waited for everyone else to finish up and then we went to the straw maze. Faith loved running through the maze and figuring out how to make it through.

Overall it was a great day full of fun adventures and fall traditions!

Little Learners Preschool class with their pumpkins!

A Great Day for a Dive!

Faith had her first session of swimming lessons this week and Jesse continued with his lessons. Faith has always been extremely afraid of water and would scream like crazy any time she was within 10 feet of water. This summer she started getting better about water and started playing in the baby pool we have. We took the family swimming a few times and after sitting on the steps for about 15 minutes she would go play in the shallow area on her own. So I decided it was time to get her in lessons.

Her teacher was Mason, a young man in our ward. He was great with her. She was very apprehensive at the beginning of the first few lessons, but with his help she warmed up and had a great time. On the last day Mason wasn't there and Faith refused to go with the class. After the first ten minutes, her class got out of the water and went to the diving boards. She wanted to go, but was still really nervous. I took her over and she decided she wanted to jump. She loved it so much that she kept cutting in line to get another turn.

Faith dived three different times and loved every minute of it (it was a shock to me to see her going when she was so afraid of water in the past). After diving time was over, the class went back to the shallow end and played with toys. Faith was warmed up to the substitute by then and had a great time playing with the rubber ducks in the pool.



Jesse also had a great time diving and playing. He was very excited to have Faith there and thought it was funny that Faith's teacher that day was his former teacher.

Pirates!. . . Arg!

Faith and her friend London were playing the other day when I heard "We are pirates, arrr!" Faith had gotten the vacuum hoses, they put canning rings around their ankles, and then they marched around being pirates. Faith was loving it, while London was happy following Faith around the house.

Night Night

Robert and I came home one night to find Tyler and Faith together in Faith's bed. Tyler apparently had a hard time getting Faith t bed and so she decided to lay down with her. We just thought they looked so cute together that Robert had to grab the camera and take these shots.

Summer Fun

This summer I bought this little pool for the kids to play with. It is mainly for the younger kid, but as you can see Tyler and Britain has just as much fun as the little ones. It was great because Faith has always been afraid of water, but for the first time she willing went into this pool and loved it! She screamed about getting out instead of the usual getting in. Faith's friend London was also over to have some fun (she had more fun watching instead of getting in).

Faith and "Big Guy"

One of the kids I babysit is named Ezekias. I have watched him since he was about 2 months old. Faith absolutely loves him! She calls him her baby and gave him the nickname "Big Guy". Faith always tries to make sure he is taken care of by giving him his binkie or toys. She also loves to sit and play with him as you see here.



Faith is going to grow up to be a great mother. Se loves taking care of babies whether it is Ezekias or her dolls. Isn't it great to see the divine nature of our children!