Strode Family

Hailey 10 months

2008-12-07T13:08:00.002-07:00

Hailey turned 10 months on the second and is changing so much. She is standing all on her own and getting all over the house. She is one touch little cookie too. Having all these older brothers is making her that way.

She loves to go to the grass area and watch the boys play ball. She just crawls around and pulls all the grass. She is so independent.

This one was taken just after getting out of the bath and the light was coming through the window. It just looked so sweet to me. LOVE IT!

She is finally getting her two top teeth and loves to eat food. She won't eat baby food anymore so she has to eat everything we do. It seems like all she does is eat sometimes. She has a better

appetite than Hunter does. I think she weighs just as much as he does.

Christmas Spirit

2008-12-06T19:32:00.003-07:00

We finally brought out all the Christmas decorations and Hunter is having so much fun with it all. He is so curious about everything. It is so cute. I was able to get him to wear the hat so I couldn't pass up the photo op. He actually posed for me and said cheese without me having to bribe him. I guess he is learning to just give me the shot and I will go away.

I made Tyler and Trevor do the same and here they are also. Too cute.

They are really excited about Christmas and having the babies here to share. This will be Haileys first one and Hunter is at such a great age for it I am sure it will be a lot of fun!

Be back soon.

Hailey 9 months

2008-11-24T21:19:00.003-07:00

Hailey if growing so fast and is going to be walking before you know it. She is standing on her own for a few moments and then she sits. It is so cute to see her. She is still so short so it is funny to think of her walking.

She has been cruising around on furniture for a while now but Saturday Jason called me and told me that she finally stood up in the middle of the floor all by herself to get a toy Hunter was giving her. She has never done that, she usually has to use something to pull herself up on. Of course she did it the ONE TIME I am not around to see. I am always home with her so she should have waited for me. I guess this is just the beginning.....can't wait until she is walking. I love that stage.

Brotherly love!

2008-11-23T22:42:00.002-07:00

Tyler is so great with the babies but there is a special bond between these two and that is why I have dedicated a post just for this purpose. Here is Hunter with the stuffed gecko Tyler got him for his birthday.....there is a great story here!

Tyler came home from school on Friday and told me he had a present for Hunter. He brought it out and I asked him where he got it. He told me that he used the paper money they get in school for being extra good and getting all their work done to buy it. He said it was $77.00 and that he had to use ALL OF HIS MONEY to be able to get it. I almost cried to think that he really put thought into Hunters birthday and that he was willing to spend everything he had to get Hunter something he knew Hunter would love. I was so proud of him! They really are close and Hunter really looks up to him. Tyler has a lot of patience with him and is always willing to stop whatever he is doing to play with Hunter if he wants him to. I know they are going to have a strong relationship the rest of their lives.

Hunters 2nd Birhtday!!!

2008-11-23T22:09:00.004-07:00

Here is the now 2 year old Hunter. His hair is a little long but he is still as cute as can be. We went to my moms house and had a little pizza party for him on Friday night. He didn't really know that the party was for him but he did know it was his birthday. Everytime I said "Is it your birthday?" he would jump up and down in a circle clapping his hands. It was so funny.

Here is a picture if us singing Happy Birthday to him and he started crying. We had to stop. I don't know why he did it and I really didn't expect him to. He usually likes to be the center of attention.

After he blew out his candle (with a little help and some spit for extra flavor) I took the cake and let him take a big bite out of the side. He LOVED that and wanted more. I didn't get a picture of that but trust me it was funny.

Since we have had a few other birthday parties these last few weeks, he knew exactly what Birthday cake was and excited to eat some again.

This picture is one of my favorites....just a genuine happy smile. Full of cake and all.

He is always wanting to go upstairs and play with the boys basketball hoop so I decided to get him his own for downstairs. He really loves to play ball, whether it is basketball, football or even baseball. Maybe he will be a famous ball player someday.

My sister found these Wow Wow Wubbzy toys for him. He loves that show and when he is really cranky I just turn on the video and I have about 30 minutes to regroup.

He also loves Elmo so she got him a tickle me Elmo.

He thought it was so funny.

Here he is on the bike my mom got him. He didn't understand the concept of pushing with one foot and then the other. He got really frustrated and threw himself on the floor and then was done for the night. Typical Hunter...no patience yet.

Happy Birthday HUNTER!!

2008-11-22T10:37:00.003-07:00

Today is Hunters 2nd birthday. I can't believe it has been 2 years already. I am not adding any pictures to this post yet because I am working on his party and a special post for all you family that does not get to see him often. Thank you to all that have called to say Happy Birthday and have sent gifts. You guys are great. Keep your eyes open for another post later this weekend

Thank you,

Jessica

Tyler turns "10"

2008-11-07T10:40:00.002-07:00

I can't believe it has been 10 years already. Time has flown by and my babies are growing up. Tyler has officially turned double digits. For his birthday we went to the park to BBQ and play outside. That is one of the nice things about AZ, even in November you can wear shorts and BBQ outside. We had a great afternoon just hanging with family and playing some football and skateboarding.

Hunter was having so much fun playing with the big boys, he had to be right there doing everything they did. Here he is smiling cheesy for the camera like the other kids were doing.

Trevor was enjoying his hot dog and getting ready for some more football.

Here is Tyler and his best friend Brian. They went to school together a few years ago and him and Tyler have remained friends this whole time. He is a great kid and we enjoy having him around with the boys.

Tyler has become such a great kid and I know as he grows older he will continue to make me proud. Before you know it he will be moving out and starting a family of his own. I know I am getting mushy so I will stop. Just hard to believe he is "10"!!!!

Halloween

2008-11-04T10:41:00.004-07:00

Here are some of the pictures taken from Halloween this year. Tyler and Trevor are at the age of wanting to dress up in scary costumes so this year Trevor was the character from scream.

Trevor is the one that loves to be in front of the camera so of course he was hamming it up for me to take pictures of him.

Tyler dressed up as a scary skeleton. His mask looked really cool on him.

Here is the cutest little spiderman ever. Hunter has found this fascination for spiderman so of course that is what he was for halloween. I think he was too cute.

I was surprised that he put the costume on and even wore the hat all night. It took him a few houses to get the hang of what was going on but he caught on real fast. There were a few houses that he was afraid of but surprisingly he never really got too scared.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. We had fun and I can't wait until next year when I can dress Hailey up in a pretty princess costume.

My Beautiful Family

2008-10-29T12:30:00.010-07:00

As I have been practicing my photography I have been taking lots of great pics of the family and thought I would share how much they have grown. I just love this picture of Jason I took. He has no idea how HOT he is and how much I love him. I am so lucky. Here we have MR. I don't want to take any pictures. He is in the akward stage where he won't smile and he doesn't want any pictures taken. I still think he is adorable though.

Trevor is the opposite and loves having his pics taken. He will jump in front of the camera for it and he always wants to see himself. I guess you can say he is a little vain but I love his enthusiasm for photography!

I can't believe Hunter is almost 2. Time is flying and he is growing up so fast. As crazy as he drives me he is the funniest and sweetest little guy. He is only a fan of pictures on his own terms. He takes great ones and makes my job so easy.

Hailey is crawling all around now and is very hard to photograph. She tries to crawl to me and grab the camera. I was very fortunate to get these smiles from her since most of the time I just get this blank stare from her when I bring out the camera. I think she is just too cute for words.

I have started trying to get into photography as a career and need new subjects to shoot. If you are interested in having some pictures done for Christmas just let me know. Now is the time to get them done so there is plenty of time to get them out. First come first served.......spread the word for me.

Thanks to everyone for their support.

Jessica

My Friend Autumn

2008-10-11T10:46:00.003-07:00

My Friend Autumn wanted me to take some fun pics of her for her boyfriends birthday. I had just taken this class that my dear friend Melissa was teaching and had learned so much I thought I would take a swing at these pics for Autumn. I really like how they turned out.

I need a lot of practice but really enjoyed doing them. I hope she likes them also and he likes them even more.

Feeding the Ducks

2008-10-01T16:00:00.002-07:00

Since the weather has been so nice in the mornings, one saturday we decided to take Hunter to the Surprise Park to feed the ducks. He was so cute and so excited. These ducks were very friendly and he wasn't afraid at all. He wanted to catch them and pet them. They weren't having any of that but they did come up to him and eat the food right out of his hand.

There is something about this kid and animals. He just loves them and can't get enough. He might be all BOY but he has a tender heart and is one of the sweetest little guys ever.

Paul and Diane got MARRIED??????

2008-09-29T18:48:00.003-07:00

These are our dear friends Paul and Auntie Diane (she adopted jason as her nephew and then decided to keep me also) and they just got back from Vegas where they FINALLY ran off and got married. We are so excited for them, just wish we were invited to the ceremony. Since they just ran off and didn't tell anyone they decided to have a pool party to celebrate a few weeks ago. Here is a group pic of all of us that were there.
Of course it was an adult drinking party so here is Jason and I after a few!!!! We had so much fun. We always have the best time with these guys.
Later in the evening I decided it would be fun to try and push Gerald in the pool and well I guess I wasn't quick enough because I ended up in there also with all my clothes on. It was refreshing though.
They have these dogs that can't stay out of the water. At this point I had to make my escape cause they will swim right over you. Jason has always loved dogs so he was having a blast with Buddy!!! AKA Meathead!
I am so glad the Paul and Diane have found happiness with each other and I wish them a lifetime together. They are great friends and we love you guys!!!!

Funny Story!!!!!!!

2008-09-04T09:57:00.002-07:00

So the other day I was in the car with my dad and he starts telling me this story. I thought, this is too funny not to share!

He came over last week and took the kids for some ice cream and to run a few errands. He took my car since he had all the boys with him. Tyler was sitting in the front seat and they had the radio on. My dad says "I love this song". Tyler tells my dad who sings the song and the name of the song. It is an older song so my dad is a little confused as to how Tyler knows this information. He asks Tyler and Tyler just says, "I am smart grandpa"! The next song comes on and Tyler does the same thing...names the song and atrist. My dad shakes his head and is a little confused. These are older songs and Tyler should not know who they are and the titles. Finally the next song comes on and Tyler does it again. My dad finally breaks down and wants to know how Tyler knows all these songs. Tyler starts laughing and tells him "I can read the radio"!

He got him!!! My dad had no clue that the artist and name of song runs across the screen of the radio while the song plays in my car. Tyler had gotten him so good. When he tells me this I can't help but laugh, and laugh, and of course laugh some more. That boy is smart and too funny sometimes!

I am just glad it wasn't me that fell for that one!!!

Daddy's Little Girl

2008-09-03T13:04:00.003-07:00

Hailey used to be a mommys girl but since daddy has been home so much lately she has really become a daddys girl.
She is smiling all the time and has the cutest little giggle. I never leave her in a diaper but this time I was getting ready to give her a bath and saw how cute she looked. I couldn't pass it up. Her and her daddy skin on skin.....too cute

Jason has learned a little trick to get her to sleep and it only works for him. All he has to do is rub the side of her face with his hand and she goes into this trance. It is so cute and when I have had enough I know he can finish the job. I know how I feel about my dad and in my eyes "daddy can do no wrong". I hope Hailey and Jason have that same relationship growing up. I have a feeling there is no hope for me and her until she is about 25. LOL!!!!

New Milestones

2008-08-28T18:09:00.002-07:00

I have always said that Tyler is great with Hunter and again here they are playing so well with each other. Hunter spent the majority of the time ruining Tylers game ( and tyler never complained ) until I explained that if Tyler took the remote and unplugged it Hunter would never know the difference. So they sat and "played" video games together and had a blast.
Trevor was at his friends house and that gave them an opportunity to have some brotherly bonding. Hunter really loves his older brothers and will do anything to be around them.
Hailey has started eating baby foods now. She can scarf a whole jar already. I think she eats more than Hunter did when he started with baby food and he ate a lot.
It took her a while to understand what we were trying to make her do but once she got a good taste she was all in.
With 4 kids there is always something going on and there is always someone doing something great. They are all good kids and Jason and I are very blessed. I am just glad they all get along for the most part. I can't imagine how that would be. I already go crazy some days.....LOL!

Hailey 6 months

2008-08-18T13:42:00.002-07:00

Hailey is 6 months now and is changing so much. She is grabbing things and pulling everything to her mouth.
She loves her tummy time. She plays with her toys and watches Hunter run all over the place. She is so strong on her tummy and will be crawling before you know it. Look out Hunter....she will be able to follow you then.

My dad and Hailey have a very strong bond. He has always had something for her. I just thought it was because she was the only girl. He has said that she looks just like me when I was a baby and he goes back to then everytime he holds her. I never really saw it until the other day when my sister found this picture in one of my boxes.
I am a little over a year here but I can't believe the resemblance. She does look like me. I am so glad. We are very close and I hope it stays that way.

Surprise Water Park

2008-07-24T17:07:00.004-07:00

Yesterday we took the kids to the surprise water park. It was really nice to get out and enjoy some of the summer. The boys had a great time jumping off the diving board. Here is Trevor trying his back flip. He didn't quite make it all the way around as you can tell.

Tyler went straight for the cannonball. He wasn't going to make the same mistake as Trevor.

Hailey got in her cute little swimsuit and just sat in the water. She wasn't too happy about it but I know she was a lot cooler.

My nephew Daniel went with us and they spent a lot of time in the whirlpool. It is about the size of a hottub and it has water pressure that pushes the kids around it.

Hunter had the most fun I think. He loved the freedom he had in the zero depth area. They had this area where the water squirted up and he found that to be the coolest thing.

We had a lot of fun and will definately go back again soon. Just one of the great things about living in AZ. There is sunshine just about everyday and a lot of opportunities for some great family time.

Miss Hailey Marie!!!!

2008-07-20T18:04:00.004-07:00

Hailey hasn't spent much time in the pool this summer like the rest of us but she has began to like it now. We found her this cute little car boat that she fits perfectly in and she floated around the pool just laughing.

I think she had more fun just floating around with daddy though. I know it cooled her down but I think she also liked the way the water felt. She hates the bath though. I know the pool was warm like bath water so I am not sure what her deal is.

I was just playing around with my camera the other day and she is usually my model and I got these really cute shots of her lying on her tummy. She has learned to roll over now and is finally getting strong and holding herself up really well.

She is a very happy baby and is growing really fast. I don't know where the time is going. She will be 6 months here in a few weeks and is already almost wanting to crawl. She has the most amazing little smile and is always laughing. She is the best!!!!! (at least for now)

5 Months

2008-07-08T17:57:00.002-07:00

Hailey is getting so big. I can't believe how much she has grown. We were at my moms here and she decided to put Hailey to sleep. She was so tired and she was fighting it so hard. She curled up on her and pulled her thumb to her mouth and was out in a minute. I thought it was so cute how she had her hand by her mouth and the tip of her thumb in it.
Hunter is so crazy. There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make me roll laughing. He found this cowboy hat in the boys room from one of their costumes and had the best time walking around in it. He was so cute.

I love this picture. All I see is a country singer trying to be all mysterious and sexy when he sings. I think he looks great in a cowboy hat. It seems to fit him perfectly.

My Crazy Life!!!

2008-06-19T08:38:00.003-07:00

So I was doing laundry last night and Hunter likes to help. The phone rang and I left to go get it. I was gone for maybe a minute or two and when I returned, this is what I found..... Hunter was playing in the dryer. I had no choice but to laugh and get my camera.

I can't believe he thought to get in there. He was having so much fun. I hated to make him get out but what kind of mommy lets her kids play in the dryer?

Hailey is 4 months now and she is the happiest baby I have ever seen. She smiles everytime I look at her and she never cries.
She has started to play and grab at things. She loves to play in her exersaucer and watch Hunter play around her.

She has so many clothes that she never really has to wear anything twice. She has some really cute summery outfits with matching hats. She isn't really a fan of the hats but she will wear them for a few minutes for me to get some pics.
I am a very blessed mommy with this little angel. She is truly unbelievable. All the kids are. The older boys are great with the babies and everything seems to be falling perfectly into place. I am very lucky and am feeling very blessed.

2008-06-10T17:09:00.002-07:00

Jim and Jason have been friends for years. Jim is in the military so is now living in Washington. He was here this past weekend and we hung out a few times. He is married to Ashley and they have a 3year old son Brett.
We all went to the movies Monday and the guys went to see Iron Man and Ashley and I went to see Sex and the city. It was a really great movie. Funnier than I thought it would be. Worth going to see!
After we went to dinner at PF Changs and then came back here for some drinks and cards. We sat and played Rummy and just hung out. It was a lot of fun to get out and be with some friends we hadn't seen in a while.
Ashley is pregnant again and they are going to be moving back soon so hopefully we will get to spend some more time together again.

Summer's underway

2008-06-02T11:57:00.004-07:00

Summertime is here and I am so glad it is still nice enough to play outside. My dad came over last week to see the kids and this is the first picture I have of him and Hailey. I think Hunter looks a lot like him.
Grandpa always has cool toys for the kids and this day he brought over a motorcylcle for the boys to ride. Trevor loved it and I had a hard time getting him to get off of it.
Hunter was intrigued by it but not too sure when you actually fired it up. He does look cute sitting on it though.
Tyler has already had his run in with bikes like this. He had a little crotch rocket and flipped it one time so he is still a little apprehensive to get on and go. I don't blame him especially after just getting his cast off.
Hunter is such a daddys boy. He loves when Jason takes him outside to play ball.

Hailey is starting to sit up in her seat now. She is still a little wobbly but I love that I can put her in it and get some stuff done around the house. Lets just say she is very spoiled.

I know this pic isn't the best but I think it is one of the only ones I have with all of us together that we are all looking towards the camera. I am going to need a wide angle lens here real soon.

Going Away Party!

2008-05-25T16:55:00.005-07:00

We are really going to miss Diane. She is our dear friend that is moving back to Florida for a while to help her mom out. I know that she is doing what is best but we are going to miss her so much!!!!! Friday night we had a going away party for her and let me tell you.....I haven't had that much fun in a really long time.
Diane loves Mexico so I thought it suitable to stay with the mexican fiesta theme. I went to the party store and bought these cute little decorations. I found the hat and had to get it so everyone could sign it as her going away card.
Here are the best buds anyone could have. This was taken at the end of the night so we were doing really "WELL"!!!!

Here we were dancing the night away. There was Karaoke this night so we had a blast singing and dancing to each others songs.....good or bad.

Here is Pam and Bill with their shot glass necklaces I bought. We are a group of shot drinkers so we had to have our own glasses. I collect them so I thought this would be a great memorabilia from the night.

There is no way I can explain how great this night was. I hope she had just as much fun as the rest of us. I know Jason and I had so much fun we actually forgot we were there to say goodbye. It just felt like old times again. I know she will be back in a year or so but it is not going to be the same without her here for a while.

We love you auntie Di and you will be missed.

Happy Mothers Day!!!!!!

2008-05-12T10:52:00.003-07:00

For Mothers Day we took Hailey to get her ears pierced. She wasn't very happy with us at first but she was fine after a while. I went to take a picture of her new earrings and she woke up with the cutest smiles.
She was so happy and so cute. She smiles all the time now. She is such a happy little girl!

2008-05-11T21:28:00.004-07:00

What a fun way to start the summer....swimming and grilling burgers.

Hunter has the cutest, cheesiest smile when he gets really happy. I love this picture because it really captures his personality.
Summer wouldn't be the same without all little girls having their toes done. Hailey is no exception. They might be little toes but they still look pretty in pink!
Here is her first time in the pool. She had the cutest little "ONE PIECE" bathing suit. She looked so adorable and was really good in the water. She wasn't able to stay in for long because she was getting a little cold.
Hunter loves to do everything the older boys do and when we are all swimming, he likes to try to play ball with them. They are great at helping him and fetching the ball 100 times if needed as he keeps throwing it in.

This kid hated when water hits his eyes in the tub but dunk him under water in the pool and he thinks it is so cool. He loves to go under and makes the cutest face when he comes up. Then he laughs and says "gen"!!!! He is learning a lot of new words. They are hard to make out sometimes but we have all learned how to speak HUNTER.

Poor Tyler still has his cast on so he hasn't been able to go swimming yet. He was going to get it off but when he went to the doctors they decided to give it 2 more weeks. He was pretty bummed but knows that it is probably for the best. He doesn't want to go through surgery again. He will get it off a week from tomorrow.
Happy Mothers Day to everyone. I will post pics from today tomorrow. Hope everyone had a great one!

Hailey and her Brothers

2008-04-25T22:12:00.004-07:00

Hailey is very lucky to have her brothers to take care of her. She loves all of them and they love to hold her and talk to her to make her smile.

Hunter got to hold her for the first time the other day and he was so excited. It was so cute to see him smile when I put her in his arms. He held her so close. It was hard to get him to let her go. When I took her away, he threw a huge fit. He wants to hold her all the time now.

Trevor loves when he can curl up with her and she falls asleep with him. Here he was just relaxing on the couch and she was so comfortable with him that she fell asleep after crying while I tried to get her to bed. He was so proud to be able to get her to calm down when I could'nt.
He pretended to be asleep so I wouldn't take her from him. It was a cute photo opportunity for me and I took it and ran even though it wasn't really real. She loves Trevor and he has really taken to her.Tyler hasn't really got the chance to hold her much since he has had his cast on. He says it is too hard for her to lie on and he is still not that great with it. He is getting better but he will have it off in a week now.
Here is some horrible pics of Hunters newest owie. He is always getting hurt and this day was no exception except this was a real good one. He got into the pantry and pulled a soda can from the box and when I came around the corner he got scared and dropped it on his toe.
His toe is alot worse now since this pic was taken about 3 days ago. It has started to drain and his toenail has started to lift off. I don't think it a great idea to post any pics since it looks so painful and I can barely stand to see my babies toe so hurt. I will spare you all the pain. I know he will end up loosing his toenail and it breaks my heart to think that he might actually be in some pain. He seems to be fine right now and it doesn't seem to bother him much. I just hope that it doesn't get caught on something and tear off.

We will be moving again next weekend so it might be a while before I post but I will try to get some more recent shots of Hailey up since she has grown so much.....until then.. Take care!

Womb Buddies

2008-04-15T23:50:00.002-07:00

I know this is a little late but it was so nice to have Aiden come and stay with us. He is Hunters womb buddy since me and his mommy worked together and we were prego together. They are only 1 month apart and we haven't seen him since he moved to California last May.

He came out to visit with his amazing photographer mommy to take our family pics and Haileys newborn pics that I will soon post.
He is the cutest little boy (outside Hunter since I am biased) and was so smart and funny. He knew how to say "Please" in sign language and it was so cute.
We watched him a few times while Melissa went and took care of some things and he was so much fun. He played so well with Hunter that the only thing I worried about was the mess and at the end of the day that was the last of my worries.
I hope that they get to see each other soon and maybe even become great friends. We love and miss both him and Melissa. She started out as a co-worker and has become a great friend. She has been there to photograph some of the most important moments in my life and I trust her to be there with all my important moments. She is amazing at what she does and has so much passion for her work.
Check her out at www.melissakoehlerphotography.com We are famous on her site!!!!!!!!!!

Lots of Love to those that follow our family. We appreciate all of you. Jessica

What a weekend!!!!!

2008-03-30T19:30:00.004-07:00

I have had the most trying weeekend I have had in a long time.....I spent it in the ER with Tyler.These are the x-rays from Tylers broken arm. He was playing at his grandpas house Saturday morning when I got the call to meet him and my sister at the ER. Tyler had fallen and hurt his arm. I rushed over there and we sat in the waiting room for 2 hours before they saw him or gave him any meds. I was so upset that I had to sit there and watch my little boy suffer all that time. He was such a trooper. We were sent to another hospital by ambulance since the one we were at didn't have a pediatric ward. He went into surgery last night for a compound fracture and had some pins put in his elbow. We are all home after a long night in the hospital and he is doing fine now. A little sore and in some pain but all in all he was amazing.

XOXOXO

Hailey 6 wks old

2008-03-21T15:50:00.002-07:00

Hailey is 6 wks old now and she is sooooooo beautiful!

I still can't believe I am a mother to a little girl as precious as her. She is amazing and I never knew that having a girl would be this amazing.

These are just some amatuer pics but Melissa is coming out tomorrow to do some family and newborn pics and that is where I am going to get some amazing shots......she is so good at what she does. Maybe she will teach me a few things while she is out here.I will post her pics when I get them back! Happy Easter to everyone.

Beautiful baby girl!

2008-03-20T21:56:00.002-07:00

Hailey is such a wonderful addition to our family. She has become the sweetest but most spoiled little baby ever.
She is the most stubborn little thing I have ever met. She will cry with no end until someone finally picks her up and then it is like you just turned the switch off. They say you can't spoil a newborn and that preemie babies are a lot more high maintenance. I am beginning to question which one it is. Anyone have an opinion on that?

Hunter really loves having a little sister. I was afraid that he would be really jealous but he is already very loving and protective of her.
Hunter seems to want to help her everytime she cries. He tries to give her the pacifier or bottle or points to her for me to do something. It is soo cute how he wants to give her hugs and kisses.I finally caught Hailey smiling with my camera. I know it is only because she probably had a gas bubble but thought it was so cute and I would share. Can't wait until she smiles because of me!

A new Milestone

2008-03-20T12:14:00.002-07:00

Hunter has been learning how to feed himself with a fork. This was his first attempt and he did a wonderful job!!!!!

He was so excited to be able to put the food on the fork and then put it in his mouth.
Sometimes it took him a while to get the food to stick on the fork and he even had a little confusion about which end went into his mouth but he caught on quick and had a ton of fun trying.......he is so smart and is growing so fast.
Spoken from a loving mom.....Isn't he the cutest thing!!!!!!!!!!!?

Brotherly Love

2008-03-19T23:26:00.002-07:00

Tyler and Hunter are the best of buddies. Hunter loves hanging out with Tyler and Tyler is always playing with Hunter. Tyler can't wait until Hunter gets up from his naps and he is always willing to play with Hunter when he is here.

Hunter loves to play outside and since the weather has been so nice lately we have been spending alot of time in the back yard. Hunter has learned to kick the ball all over the yard.

Tyler is the best big brother. He is so gentle and nurturing to Hunter. Trevor and Hunter don't seem to have the same relationship but Hailey and Trevor are very close. He loves to hold her and tries to help with her whenever he can.
It makes me soo happy to see the way they all interact with each other, some relationships are stronger but they all love and protect one another.

True Peace

2008-03-05T21:48:00.003-07:00

Doesn't happen often but this day I was actually able to get both beautiful babies to rest.
Hunter loves the swing (grandma Janet) bought him. He makes me push him for at least a 1/2 hour and then I have to beg him to get out. This afternoon he actually stayed in so long he fell asleep. Too cute!!!!!!!

Hailey is such a sweet baby. She is very spoiled but she is a very good baby. She loves to sleep in bed or on the couch. I think she just has good taste. She likes really soft bedding. She is definitely the PRINCESS of this household.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to be the mommy to these beautiful babies. There are days that I want to pull my hair out, but in all I have the most amazing children a mom can ask for. Jason is an amazing hubby and there isn't much more I can ask for. My heart is filled with more joy than most people will know and because of that I am truly grateful!!!!!

2008-02-28T09:06:00.002-07:00

Hailey had her first play photoshoot with Mommy last night. We had so much fun even though we didn't plan it and weren't really prepared.

Her hands and feet are so small. These pictures don't even capture the true size of her. She is still in preemie clothes and they are even still too big right now.
Her brothers love her so much. They can't wait to come home to see her and Trevor is always asking to hold her and feed her.

Tyler is a huge help with Hunter since I spend so much time with Hailey. They are great brothers and I hope they always stay this protective and nurturing.

Hunter 1st haircut

2008-02-25T10:44:00.002-07:00

Saturday we took Hunter to get his first haircut. It was a hard thing to do since it makes him look like a big boy now.It was definitely time though.

He was fine in the chair until she started spraying his hair with water, he hates water on his head and in his eyes. Once he started crying, there was nothing we could say or do to make it better.
Then Grandma found the suckers. Once he got that he felt a lot better. He had blue sucker all over his shirt by the time we left.

Now he is my handsome little man and not my baby anymore. Time has flown by and he is changing so much. I am glad we just trimmed up his hair and didn't try something like shaving the sides. I love his little curls and am really glad they are still there.

Hailey 1st Bath

2008-02-24T20:03:00.002-07:00

Last week we gave Hailey her first real bath and as you can see, she wasn't too happy about it. I think she just didn't like being cold. Once I put the warm water on her she got a little better. If she is anything like her older brothers, she will love the bath until about 4. Then it will be a fight everynight.

Happy Valentines Day!!!!!

2008-02-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Your Candy Heart Says "Hug Me"

A total sweetheart, you always have a lot of love to give out.
Your heart is open to where ever love takes you!

Your ideal Valentine's Day date: a surprise romantic evening that you've planned out

Your flirting style: lots of listening and talking

What turns you off: fighting and conflict

Why you're hot: you're fearless about falling in love

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatdoesyourcandyheartsayquiz/">What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

Blessed with Family

2008-02-13T18:15:00.002-07:00

When I found out I was pregnant again I wasn't sure how I was going to handle 4 kids. Now that she is here, I can't imagine life wothout her. I see how small and fragile she is and dependent on me. It was a miracle that she made it as long in the womb as she did and that she is as healthy as she is now. I thank God everynight for her and my 3 boys. I know she will always be protected by her daddy and older brothers.
It really hits a soft spot when I see how her brothers interact with her. Everyone has taken to her so well and loves her so much already. They love to just hold her in their arms and cuddle with her.
When I see pictures like this it reminds me that there is nothing better and stronger than family. I hope they understand how important their relationships with each other are and how much they will need each other someday.

As most of you know, things here have not been the best and we have had a lot of obstacles to cross. I know that there is nothing that you can throw at me that I cannot handle as long as I have the support of my FAMILY!!!! They have been a strength I can't explain and knowing they are healthy and happy is all that matters! I am also very blessed with a wonderful extended family. My mom has been a huge support for me and I am grateful for her everyday. I have found that as I have grown, she has become my best friend. Thanks to everyone that has helped and sent their prayers. We love you all and are very grateful.

A day in the life of Hunter

2008-02-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hunter is now almost 15 months old. He is the happiest little boy and so full of love. When I was pregnant, he would pat my belly and I would tell him that was his baby sister. Then he started to pull up my shirt when I would ask where baby sister is. It was so sweet. This picture was taken the week before she was born and I am so glad Melissa caught this moment. It will always be one of my favorite memories. Hunter loves to play. He is very active and loves balls.

It is hard to capture a picture of him where he is not smiling.
I guess I didn't really realize how big he had gotten until we brought Hailey home. He put his hand next to hers and he just seemed so huge. He didn't feel like my baby boy anymore.
I love this picture because this is usually what his hair looks like. We have been trying to go get his haircut but with Hailey coming so early we have been a little busy. I think he is starting to look like a little girl now. I think I am finally ready to get it trimmed. Not ready for a big boy haircut yet.

Thanks again Melissa for such wonderful pics. You are the best.

Maternity Pics

2008-02-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well I know these are a little late but Hailey didn't even give me time to let the ink dry on them. This is my friend Melissa and she is the one that takes all the beautiful pics I usually post. We used to work together until she moved back to San Diego. We really miss her and her little boy Aiden. We were both pregnant together and Hunter and Aiden are only 1 month apart.
She came out to visit the weekend before I had Hailey and while out here she did a maternity shoot with me. Here is my absolute favorite pics she has taken. She is so creative.

I really like this next one also. I love how the colors of the wall and booties are so bold.

Thank you so much Melissa for all the time you have spent on our pics and for being such a great friend. You are a great photographer and I wish you all the best in your business. I know you will do great, just look at how amazing some of your work is. Can't wait until you get to come out again and we can see Aiden (Hunters womb buddy)!

I will post some pics she took of Hunter in soon. Keep stopping in!

Introducing Hailey Marie Strode

2008-02-05T13:20:00.001-07:00

She is finally here! We are so excited to finally be able to hold her. She is really tiny though. I think we are both a little afraid of breaking her. She is even smaller than Hunter was. I think she looks a lot like Hunter when he was born. She has the same chin and mouth as Hunter and her daddy.

She has the most beautiful blue eyes, I just hope they stay that color.
Trevor was so excited to hold her. He almost cried because he was so happy. He held her for a long time and just sat there staring at her.

Tyler was happy to have a little sister too. He is always so helpful so he wants to feed and change her. She is just a little too small right now though.

Here is a picture without her hat so you can see all her hair. She has so much dark hair just like Hunter did. It is even a little curly like his.

It was so weird putting her in the carseat because she is so small. We had to really bundle her up to get her to stay in it. We are so blessed that she was healthy. There were a bunch of babies born early and small and most of them had some sort of monitor or tube on them. I was surprised that she did so well. She doesn't cry much or very loud right now but I know that is only temporary. We are just trying to adjust to the no sleep again. Wish us luck!!!!!

She's here!!

2008-02-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Hailey has arrived!
At 4:48pm today the 18" long, whole whopping 5 pounds of her took her first breath.
So far she is doing great. Due to her very small size the had to test her blood sugar and temperature every 30 minutes to make sure that she could maintain them on her own and so far everything is right on track.
Might not have been able to sleep for the last couple of months, but now daddy will not sleep for the next 18+ years, so I think we are even.

She turned!

2008-02-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give an update on the baby. I went to the Dr. this morning and had an ultrasound. She turned back around and is now head down. I was so excited. There was no way I wanted to have a c-section. I have also dilated to 2 and she has dropped and is very low. Doc seems to think we might have a superbowl baby. I have been having a lot of contractions but none of them too painful. I am only 35 weeks but he thinks if I deliver now she will be fine. I have had steroid shots and she is weighing in at 5lbs 4 oz . Hopefully we can hang in there another week but she makes the rules as we have learned.

I'll keep everyone posted!

Haileys Room

2008-01-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

We finally finished her room. Jason surprised me in December and brought home some paint and painted her room for me. He chose the beautiful purple and a very dark and bold pink. I ended up changing my mind on the pink and went with something a little lighter. We had not been able to repaint the room so my mom came over Saturday and repainted all the pink for us. It was really nice and I am so glad she did. It really helped us get excited about finishing her room.
I think it would look a lot nicer if we had a white bed but there is no way we are going to buy another one.

Jason surprised me yesterday also and took me to babies r us on a shopping spree to get EVERYTHING else we were going to need. We found this cute dresser and changer on clearance and it has a hutch that goes with it once we do away with the changer on top.
I have had these cat collector plates since I was a little girl and never thought I would be able to hang them again but they look so great in her room and it is nice to be able to pass them on to her. There is still a few things I want to do to finish but I am so glad to have it done. I love to go sit in there and just look around. Only 3 more weeks!!!!!

What a booger!!!

2008-01-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

So here is the latest on the bun in the oven.....SHE IS BREECH! AAAHHHH! I went to the doctor yesterday and mentioned to him that I was having a horrible pain in my rib and that I was having a lot of pressure really low and it hurt really bad everytime she moved. He checked me and said I am not dilating anymore and her head was real high....she is probably breech. He did an ultrasound and sure enough there her head was right under my ribcage. Her feet are pushing real low and that is where all the pressure is coming from. I was so upset. I know I still have some time for her to turn back but if she doesn't I have to decide if I want them to try to manually turn her or just have a c-section. I am afraid of both options. She has been such a pain since the day I found out I was pregnant. She better settle down and cooperate some or I am going to be so exhausted when she finally gets here I am not going to know what to do with myself. Keep saying some prayers that she turns on her own. Only 2 more weeks and I am free to have her when she is ready!
Everything else has been pretty good. Hunter is growing and doing great. I will post some pics real soon. Tyler and Trevor are back in school and Jason is just working all the time. He has had a lot of side jobs rolling in so he has been extremely busy. I have just been here taking care of the kids and trying to stay down on this bedrest thing as much as possible. I am going crazy but I know we are almost done. I am 34 weeks now so before I know it she will be here, I should really try to enjoy my quiet time while I can!!!!

Bye!

Me or Not?

2008-01-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

So I saw this personality test on my friend Caseys blog and was intrigued. Here are my results, I would love to hear what you guys think. Is it right or way out there?

***You Are An INFJ***
The Protector
You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity.Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is.You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience.You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them.
In love, you truly see relationships as an opportunity to connect and grow.You enjoy relationships as long as they are improving and changing. You can't stand stagnation.
At work, you stay motivated and happy... as long as you are working toward a dream you support.You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. How you see yourself: Hardworking, ethical, and helpful
When other people don't get you, they see you as: Manipulative, weak, and unstable
What's Your Personality Type?http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourpersonalitytypequiz/

Belly Pics

2008-01-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

So here are the belly pics everyone has been asking for........I hate them! I am 29 weeks here. I feel huge but I guess everyone says I am not that big.
As some of you know, the day after Christmas I went to the ER in early labor. I was having contractions for about a week but just thought they were the braxton hicks contractions so I just dealt with them. They ended up keeping me there until Friday and gave me shots of Turbutaline to stop the contractions. They were able to get them under control and sent me home. I am currently taking medicine for the contractions and they have a nurse coming out once a week for a shot to help me and they have me on modified bed rest. I can get out of bed to shower and go to the bathroom but I am not allowed to do much else. That hasn't been possible since I have Hunter all day but we are trying our best. I am so tired of being cooped up in the house I am going to lose my mind. I am 31 weeks now so they only need me to hang in there 5 more weeks. They just want to get me to 36 weeks and then they can lift the bed restriction and let nature take its course.........Wish us luck!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas

2008-01-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

So here are some pics from Christmas. I know they are little late but I guess better late than never. We go to my moms every year on Christmas morning and open presents with the whole family. She really goes all out and we have such a great time.
Tyler and Trevor are getting so big now and they are all into electronics and video games. They both got MP3 Players and Tyler got a bunch of Wii games. They got a new basketball hoop game for their game room.
Trevor is more into the clothes right now. He got a bunch of skater shirts and hats. That is all he really wanted for Christmas.
Hunter was so much fun this year. He loved tearing all the paper off his gifts. He didn't really care what was in them, he had more fun with the packaging. Once we got all the gifts opened he was able to enjoy the toys inside.

Hope everyone had a great Holiday and was able to spend some time with the ones they love. We had a wonderful holiday, I couldn't ask for much more. God Bless and heres to a great new year!!!!!

Christmas Tradition

2007-12-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Gingerbread houses and Christmas cookies..... it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Every year we go to my moms house and bake cookies until we are blue in the face and then the kids build their gingerbread houses. It is still a task that they need a lot of help with so it is nice to be able to stop what we are doing and get together and help.
Jason helped Trevor with his and I think he had more fun than the kids. He ate his share of candy also.
Even my sister Kristen wanted to continue in the tradition this year, she is 15 now so some of the things we usually do she has started straying away from.
Here are all the completed houses. They were all so different but very cute. Tylers is the first one, kristens is in the middle and then Trevors.
Here are all the kids icing the sugar cookies and putting on all the sprinkles.

We used to care what the cookies looked like back when we had to decorate them all ourselves but now that the boys are old enough, they really enjoy doing it so I guess that means we have to settle for some funky looking cookies every year. But they are made with lots of love!!!!!!

I am so glad we do this at my moms house every year :} so she is left to deal with the mess....hahahahaha!

It is such a long day but everyone has a great time. I am glad my mom is here to be a part of their lives and bring the family traditions that I grew up with. It is nice to see the kids have fun. If you ask them their favorite part of Christmas they say its the cookies and christmas music. I hope that when they grow up and get married, we continue with their family and keep the traditions going for many generations to come.

Merry Christmas and God Bless!!!!!!!

Kidnapped Santa!

2007-12-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

This is the Santa from the yard of Jasons Boss. Him and a buddy from work thought it would be real fun to go over there Friday night and steal it.
They took it to the office and set it up inside with a note for his wife Tracee, we thought this was pretty funny. She has so much Christmas stuff in her yard that she didn't even realize it was gone even after Jasons buddy called her and dropped all these hints. She just thought he was going to get her. She had no idea she had already been gotten.
Here is Jason with Santa, I was so proud :)
It was a lot of fun and we are glad they were such good sports about it. It was still there this morning when everyone showed up to the shop.

Santa @ The Mall

2007-12-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

Had to capture this moment. I know just about everyone has a picture of themselves when they were little crying with Santa. Hunter was definately not a happy camper as you can tell. I will cherish this picture though. After Santa, we went to Stride Rite and bought him his first pair of walking shoes.
They have come a long way from the plain white ones the boys got stuck wearing. Aren't these ones cute?

He really liked them. I thought he would try to take them off but he hasn't seemed to have a problem adjusting to wearing them. He had such a big weekend.He's becoming a big boy. The haircut is next :(
I know it seems as though this blog is all about him but he is just learning and experiencing so many new things right now. There will be alot that Tyler and Trevor do over the next few weeks so I will be sure to take lots of pictures and post them for everyone.
Take Care!

Yeah Christmas!!!!

2007-12-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

After all the fun at the mall, we came home and decorated our tree. The boys decorated it themselves so lets just say that it looks "GREAT". Hunter put on the first ornament with daddy! He just wanted to play with the ornaments.
We found these shatterproof balls that he likes to pull off and throw around the house.
The boys had a great time and it really makes it feel like Christmas around here.
With everything that has been going on, it is nice to find some tradition that feels normal. There have been so many changes and sometimes it is hard to be grateful for what you have. I just pray that this season everyone finds the strength to dig deep and stay strong. Remember what is important and count your blessings cause next year they could be gone. God bless everyone and I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your families.....the real christmas wish come true!

Hunters 1st Birthday

2007-12-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hunter had such a great birthday. I can't believe he is already one years old though. He has changed so much. He wasn't too sure of what was going on and why all these people were here to see him. It took him a little while to warm up and get excited.
Grandma bought him a ball pit for his birthday and he absolutely loved it. He had just woken up and we had it all set up for him when he came downstairs. He was a little confused as you can tell by the look on his face but he had so much fun throwing all the balls everywhere.
She also bought him this little sports playcenter. He caught on real quick as to where to put the balls and loved all the sounds it made.
We bought him this present and you should see how much room it takes in his playroom. There isn't a whole lot of room left for all the other presents.
Hunter wasn't too sure what to do with the cake at first. It took him a few minutes to figure out it was alright to make a mess and really get into the cake.

Once he got a good taste, it was all over from there.......What a mess.

We had cake everywhere by the time he was done. I thought I cleaned it all up until the next day when I found some on the wall.

What a GREAT DAY!

Too Cool!!!!!!

2007-11-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hunter found the boys sunglasses and loves them. Isn't this the cutest kid ever?
He likes when I put them on him but he won't leave them on very long. He hasn't been able to figure out how to put them on himself yet and he gets very mad when he can't do it.
He is starting to walk really well now. Not quite ready to walk on his own but loves to walk with you.

He got this new walker toy and loves the new independence he has found.
He has learned how to turn around and steer it all over the place.

I can't believe he is going to be a year old on the 22nd. Time is flying by so fast and he is learning so many things everyday. He has learned to throw a fit now. When something doesn't go his way, he throws himself to the floor and cries. It is so cute I can't help but laugh. He is so sweet and gives kisses now, they are sloppy but we love them.

Tylers turns 9

2007-11-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Tylers 9th b-day!!!!! I can't believe how old he is getting. We went to Grandmas house and had pizza and cake! Tyler opened presents and then we had a sleepover with his friend Brian.

The 3 boys thought it would be fun to see who could eat their cake the fastest. Brian won but Trevor made the bigger mess....Tyler just sat back and enjoyed his cake. My mom made it and he said it was the best cake ever.
All Tyler wanted for his birthday was a nintendo Wii~! My mom pitched in and thats what we bought him. He was so excited. He couldn't wait to get home and play with it. He got a couple of games from his Aunt and Papa!

Can't you just see the excitement in his face? I just love this picture. It feels so good to see them so happy.

When we got home Jason put the Wii together and the "4" boys played games until 10:30 when I finally made them all turn it off and put in a movie. It is a really cool game console and I can see us having a lot of family fun with it. It is very interactive and not like a lot of other video games. We all had a great time and lets just say I was exhausted the next day. They boys stayed up until after midnight and were up at 5:30 the next morning. Why can't they get up at 6:30 for school? :}

Happy Halloween

2007-11-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

This Halloween was a lot of fun. This was the first year the boys were allowed to be something really scary and they were definately scary. Hunter didn't dress up this year but he went along for the ride. We went to my moms house and went Trick-or-Treating.
We stopped and picked up some pizza before and had dinner over there. Hunter was just excited to have pizza for dinner and laughed at the boys in their costumes. He wasn't afraid at all. I told the boys that if he was afraid they were going to have to take the masks off and show him that it was just a mask.

Tyler as Jason and Trevor as Freddie Krueger!!!!!!!

Next year will be lots of fun since it will be Hunters first real halloween that he gets to dress up for.

Hope everyone had a great time also.......Take care.

2007-10-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you take "real food" away from this little monster....... He has been trying all sorts of new foods and loves just about everything he has been eating.

We gave him a pretzel and he just went to town on it. He must love that it actually has some flavor with the salt and all. He just sits and sucks on it until it is all soggy and then eats it. He is getting so big! Less than a month and he will be a year old already!!!!!!!!

2007-10-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

These guys just crack me up sometimes. We went to the park down the street for a picnic and they thought it would be fun to climb trees. They were having so much fun acting like little monkeys and seeing who could get the highest. I just prayed that we made it home with no broken bones. They were hamming it up for the camera too.
I remember being a kid and having this tree in the front yard I used to climb to hide from my sister. It seemed like that was the only place I found some peace away from her. It brought back a lot of childhood memories and even made me want to climb up there with them. I can just see myself explaining to my doctor why at 5 months I was crazy enough to climb a tree and how I ended up in the ER for something. I am very clumsy when I am pregnant so it was a lot safer for me on solid ground.
Hunter was with us and he got a kick out of seeing the boys in the tree. He wants to do what they do sooo bad! I can't wait until he can walk and really start playing with them. They are going to have so much fun together.

ITS A GIRL!!!!!!!!!

2007-10-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

We went to the Dr. yesterday and found out we are having a girl! I am so excited. I had a strong feeling it was a girl but I have been wrong before. Jason wasn't as excited as me. I guess he is just a little scared of what can happen when she hits the teen years. We went shopping already and bought all pink. After 3 boys it is about time there is another girl in this house. I have wanted a little girl with all 3 of the others so I am glad that with this being the LAST one I finally get what I wanted. This will be the first granddaughter too so I can only imagine how spoiled she is going to be. Tyler and Trevor were so cute yesterday, they were at their dads and callled me as soon as they got out of school to see if I found out. They were both excited to hear it was a girl. They are great big brothers. They love Hunter soooo much and I know that they will love a little sister just as much. She is never going to get away with anything having 3 overprotective older brothers.......poor thing.

2007-10-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

Only 2 more days!!!!! We have a doctors appointment Friday morning and we get our ultrasound to be able to find out if it is a boy or girl! I keep saying its a girl and Jason keeps saying its a boy. What does everyone else think? Jason is sort of pushing away the idea of a girl, I think he wants one but is afraid of having a little girl. Hunter has him wrapped around his finger now and I can't imagine what a little girl would do to him. I will let everyone know on Friday. Wish me luck that "she" cooperates and moves so we can see!

1st Busted Lip

2007-09-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Look how sad!!!! I almost fell over when I saw it. Hunter was at his babysitters house and I received a phone call that he had fallen and hit his lip. She warned me that it was pretty bad but I was not prepared for this. Just looking at it still makes me want to cry. It didn't seem to hurt him too bad as you can see. He was still very happy and smiling. We came home and I put a popsicle on it for the swelling and by the next morning it was gone.
I know that these are again just the joys of having boys!!!!! Say a prayer for me!

Dove Hunting

2007-09-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

Dove season is underway!!!!!!This morning the boys got up at 5:30 am and went dove hunting again. This year they were actually able to participate in all the fun. Last year they went but weren't quite ready to shoot them themselves but this year Trevor got a shotgun for his birthday and they were able to use it today. They had soooo much fun.
The gun was a little big so I wasn't really sure if they were going to be able to handle it but they did an excellent job. Trevor shot 8 birds and Tyler shot 5. They came home and told me all about it. They couldn't wait to rip the heads off and help clean them.

I found the whole thing quite gross but I guess that is the difference between men and women. It must just be bred in them from birth to hunt and kill animals. They know they are not allowed to kill anything unless they are willing to eat it. Looks like that is what they are having for dinner tonight!

I am glad that they have found something they all really enjoy doing. It makes for some great male bonding. Maybe next year Hunter will be able to go and watch. Hopefully this next one is a girl so I have someone to play with when all this gross BOY stuff is going on.

2007-08-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am soooo sorry it has been so long since my last entry. There have just been so many changes and I am still trying to get into a rhythm. Two weeks ago Jason and I got away for the weekend and lets just say it was well needed. We went to Prescott for the weekend. We had soooo much fun. We went to the PBR (professional bull riding) and it was pretty exciting. I have to give those guys their props cause they are crazy!!!!
Saturday I surprised Jason and made reservations for us to go horseback riding. It was so peaceful to be where it was a little cooler and doing something we have never done before. I know we both enjoyed it alot.

Last week we decided to take Hunter to the park and see how he did playing in the grass....as you can see, he wasn't too thrilled. He was so scared! I think the grass was just a little rough and he didn't like the way it felt. Even as sad as he looks, he was so cute and I couldn't resist the pictures.

I have been working from home 3 days a week now and as exciting as that may sound, it has been an adjustment. I lOVE being home with Hunter all the time but I feel the pressure to spend time with him and also try to give my 8 hours of work. It has been a month now and I think I am finally getting on a schedule.

I have had such a rough start with this pregnancy. I have been so sick. I am 14 weeks now so hopefully all the morning sickness (that lasts all day) will be going away real soon. It just makes getting up in the morning rough and I am not a morning person to begin with! OOOOOHHHHHH the joys of motherhood.

I promise I won't wait so long to update next time. Hope all is well with everyone!!!!

2007-07-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

Who could resist this little face? A picture that would make any Daddy proud! We took Hunter to Cabelas and daddy was on a mission to find Hunter some Camo, the hat was the perfect addition to his wardrobe. We couldn't pass it up.
Hunter has become a little fishy in the water. He loves to go swimming. He splashes and then laughs when the water hits him in the face.

We have gotten him used to going under the water. I thought he would cry like most babies but he actually likes it. He comes up a little shocked but then just laughs.

He is getting so funny. He is understanding so much more now and loves to play with his daddy. He climbs all over him and beats him up. He is pretty strong. He is pulling himself up on things and loves to climb. Things are going to start to get really fun and interesting around here!
We went to the doctor yesterday and unfortunaley weren't able to see him. He got called to a delivery. We did do some blood work and set up an appointment for an ultrasound in August. According to my records I am about 7 1/2 weeks. It puts me due on March 9. We will have to see what the ultrasound says for comfirmation. I will keep you all posted!

See ya

2007-07-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

Trevor is 7 years old now!!!!! I can't believe how fast time is flying. These are the 4 silliest little boys. We went to the skating rink for his party and they had so much fun. None of them were really that great though. They had a lot of fun just hanging out with each other.
Jason thought that Trev was old enough for his own shotgun so as you can see that is what he got for his present. It is just a little big!!!!!!!! He was very excited.
Hunter is growing up so fast also. He is sitting up on his own and is all over the place. He isn't really crawling but more scooting all across the room. He has also realized he has a voice and it makes lots of cool sounds. He likes to use it too.

Hunters best friend is Tabitha. He pulls her tail and chews on her ears and for some reason, she keeps coming back for more. She loves him just as much. She won't run away, she just lies there and takes it.
I have been very bad at updating and there are so many more things we have done, I will try to post more later this week and stay more on top of it. Things have just gotten really busy. They are about to get even busier since we are EXPECTING A NEW BABY!!!!!!!! We just found out that we are going to have another one sometime in March I think. I haven't gone to the Dr. yet but I think it will be around then. I will keep ya informed.

2007-06-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hunter has decided that he is finally ready to start crawling. Thursday he just started pushing himself up on all fours and then pulling his knees under him and rocking back and forth. I am so excited because he gets so frustrated that he can't go where he wants. He is trying so hard but can't seem to get it together yet. Soon enough I know though.

As big as he is getting, it is so nice to know that he is still me sweet little baby boy! It's not often that he falls asleep on us but I couldn't pass up the memory of this special moment. He usually falls asleep in his own bed like a big boy. I guess he was just really tired this night.

These are just 2 of my favorite pics I snapped yesterday. Love how the black and white make it so soft and sweet.
He has such a cute little smile and he is always smiling. We are soooo lucky!

Time is flying by and I am taking so many pictures so we can have alot to look back on. I keep telling Jason that he is going to start learning something new almost everyday now. He is going to change so much real fast so we need to stop and enjoy the good, bad and even ugly!

I will post some pics of Tyler and Trevor next week! They are growing so fast but every picture looks the same with their little posed smile.

Jessica

2007-06-03T16:44:00.001-07:00

Hunter is 6 months old now and is getting so big! Actually, we went to his 6 mo checkup and he is only 14 pounds. He is still only in the 3 percentile. He is getting big though. He laughs and grabs everything. He is so curious about stuff and is starting to want to GO! He gets really frustrated because he can't get around yet.

He loves to laugh but it is so hard to catch a picture where he doesn't have his hand in his mouth.
He is starting to really like his tummy time. He always rolls over, that's how he is starting to get around. I just love the look on his face and how pretty his eyes look in this picture.

I think he likes being 6 months because he is getting to try all sorts of new things. He is loving all the baby food and is starting to want to feed himself. Tyler and Trevor love to help feed him and it's really nice to have him at the table with us at dinner time eating with the family now.
A lot coming up in the next few weeks so be sure to check back in and see the pics of Trevors Birthday coming up and Fathers day! I can't believe Trev is going to be 7 already. Time flies faster and faster each year.

See ya

Happy Mothers Day

2007-05-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at the skate park, thanks for inviting us Brian. We will definitely have to get together and do it again soon. Trevor was doing so well and now wants his own board and wants to practice all the time. No pictures of Tyler skating cause he just hung out with one of his other friends that were there. They had fun also though. It was a beautiful day to be outside. Hunter was getting in on the action also.

I guess it's never too early to start. Look MA, No hands:)
Look at my 2 handsome men......aren't I sooooooo lucky?

Here is another handsome guy of mine. He was getting pretty daring.
Here is their friend Brian. He is pretty good at skateboarding and was a great teacher for Trevor

Tyler's teacher put on a Mothers Day lunch last Friday and we had soooo much fun. He was really excited to do something so special for me. Can't you tell by the smile on his face? I love his smile and his beautiful blue eyes!

They sang some really great songs for us before we ate lunch.
He sang me the sweetest song and of course "I CRIED"! It was impossible not to!

I had such a great time. These are the moments that make all the hard work worth it. To see them smile and feel so good to want to do something nice for you is very rewarding. Hope everyone had as nice of a Mothers Day as I did!
Here is my Last (but not least) handsome little guy. Again, how I get soooooo lucky?

Happy Mothers Day everyone!

Jessica

What a week!

2007-05-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hunter is so full of smiles I can't help but take so many pictures
He is also getting so good at holding his toys and of course everything goes straight to the mouth
He doesn't really like his tummy time but is getting really strong at holding himself up.

We made a second attempt at swimming now that the water is a lot warmer and this time he really liked it. I am surprised though because he doesn't really like the bath. I guess he is just a typical BOY!
Jason and I were able to break away for an evening together last weekend. My mom watched the baby (thanx a bunch) and he planned a special night at the lake. On the way there we saw a rattlesnake just lying in the road. I have never seen one alive like this so of course I had to break out the camera and take this opportunity to get some pictures. As you can see (these pictures were cropped and zoomed in) I wasn't brave enough to get very close. It was pretty neat. We had a very nice evening just hanging out together and having some alone time.

As you can see, things have been very busy but full of a ton of fun. I must say "life is pretty great right now and I really couldn't ask for more"!

Jessica

2007-04-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

We finally started Hunter on Rice Cereal. As you can tell, he wasn't liking it at all at first. He made such a cute face. He had a really hard time getting it out of the feeding bottle but once he got going, he was liking it more. He is already 5 months old and is growing so quickly. I can't wait until he can start eating more foods. He is eating 5 oz every 2 1/2 to 3 hours and the formula is starting to get pretty expensive. The doctor said to wait until he was 6 months before we started him on any foods due to food allergies and since he is still so small, he wants to keep him on formula. He says it is what is going to continue to put weight on him and if we start supplementing with baby foods, he won't eat as much formula. I don't agree with the food allergy part but I guess the other reason makes some sense so we are waiting. Soon enough I guess.

Isn't he just the cutest baby ever?!!!!!!

Mother Son Bowling

2007-04-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

This is Tyler and Trevor with their best friend Brian
Can you say soooooooooo Silly?

Tyler came in second place on the second game
Trevor was easily distracted with all the commotion going on around us

Every year the school puts on a Mother/Son Bowling event. It is so much fun. They turn the lights down and turn the music up. It is very well put together. It was a really nice way to spend some time with just the three of us. Hunter takes a lot of my time and I think they need some Mommy time too. We were very fortunate because they pair you up on the lane with another group and we got paired up with their best friend Brian and his mom. It made the day even nicer to be able to hang out with someone we already knew. I had so much fun just bonding with them. They really seem to open up when they are with their friends and I have learned so much about them. It just makes me realize how fast time goes and how grown up they are now. They have been very understanding with sharing my time with Hunter and even enjoy their own time with hin but I realized that they need more one on one with me. It's really nice to know that I am MOMMY and they love me so much!!!!!

Springtime

2007-04-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

An ordinary Saturday visit to Grandpas house comes with a not so ordinary surprise. We never know what to expect when we go over there and this time it was a baby duck. The boys had so much fun with "Duckly". They loved how it followed them all over the yard and they even got to hold him. Hunter was on the verge of a nap when grandpa put the duck in his seat. I guess Duckly thought he had the right idea cause he just curled up in there and was awfully comfortable.
Tyler has always been so great with animals and wants to be a vet when he grows up so it didn't come as a surprise when I was asked "Can we keep him at our house?"! Needless to say, the duck is still at grandpas house.

Trevor loves animals also but is sometimes a little afraid of new ones. He loved holding Duckly once he realized it wasn't going to bite.
After leaving gramdpas house, we made our rounds to grandmas for our weekend visit. Her yard is blooming with beautiful flowers all over and the weather was so nice out I couldn't resist sitting outside snapping these great shots. There is something so peaceful and relaxing about Springtime. It is my favorite time of year. I get this peaceful feeling and try to enjoy every moment since I know the summer is right around the corner.

Until Next time...........Have a great week!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Easter

2007-04-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

Tyler seemed to find all the "Hard to Find" eggs. Trevor found so many eggs, they were falling out of his basket!

Hunter going swimming for the first time
Look at those eyes!!!!!!!
He wasn't too sure of it, I want to believe he was having fun.
Look how little (and white) he looks. I'd say he needs some more sun!

We had such a great Easter weekend. We went to my moms house on Saturday and colored eggs and went swimming. Then on Easter we went back over to spend the day. We played (crocket?) and had an egg hunt. Everyone went swimming and enjoyed the wonderful weather. It truly was a very relaxing and memorable weekend. Of course I got snap happy and went a little overboard on the pictures but I hope you enjoyed them.

See Ya

Something in the air???????

2007-03-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Things around here have been very silly as you can see! The boys have been so much fun lately and I have been able to capture some great pictures. I am not sure if it's the weather that brings out such sillyness or what but even Hunter has been in this mood. Tyler and Trevor are such great big brothers. They love to be with Hunter and are so excited to teach him so many things. Hunter has become more aware of them and observes everything they do. I hope they are always this close. I have 3 amazing little guys with such different personalities, it's the best of all worlds.

Fun and Sun

2007-03-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

We finally got to enjoy the heat last weekend. We went to my moms and officially had our first swim of the season. Love the pics I got and the kids had so much fun. They love this floating thing my mom found last summer. They had so much fun with it last year and as you can see, it isn't going anywhere this year. Here are some of the pictures.....of course Hunter was again missing all the fun. We did try to put his toes in the water but he definitely didn't want any of that. Soon enough he will be right in the middle of all the caos.

Update

2007-03-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have been trying so hard to get this blog updated but I wanted to update it with some more pics of the boys. I have unfortunately have some technical difficulties getting the pictures off my camera and on to the computer. I am in the process of fixing the problem and when I do, I promise to update with all the fun we have been having. Until then, Take care.

BIG BOY NOW!

2007-03-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun playing today. We had another photo shoot. My coworker Cathy is also into photography so I thought it would be fun to have her come and take some pictures also since everyone has a different photography style. I know he probably doesn't enjoy them as much as I do but he just looks so darn cute I can't help it. Here are some of the cute pics. I think he looks like such a little boy in these pics. He wasn't happy at all today so I am very surprised to have gotten even a few cute ones. I can't believe he is already 3 1/2 months old. He is finally growing into some of his clothes and is outgrowing his newborn outfits. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Take care

2007-03-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

So I have been given grief about not following up on my blog. This is suppossed to be a way to keep in contact and I have already failed to do so. Things here are so much fun. Hunter is growing so fast and is smiling and trying so hard to laugh. He is almost there!!!! I have taken a few great pics of him but have not downloaded all the software that came with my fancy new camera. I promise I will do so soon. Please leave a comment so I can see who visits my blog and what you guys think. If you want to know anything about what is going on here.....just ask. I am going to post some really cute pics my friend took of our family since they are so cute and some of you have yet to see them. She does some amazing work so if you ever want some pics done, just check out her website and give her a call.

http://www.melissakoehlerphotography.com

She really is great. She is teaching me so much about photography and my camera so someday I will be able to take my own pictures.

Take care and keep in touch.

Jessica

Welcome

2007-02-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

Finally did it!!!! I decided to start a blog since so many of our family and friends live out of state. Things are so busy and it seems as though time just keeps getting away from me. I hope this allows me to stay in touch with everyone a little better and I hope you enjoy reading and seeing pictures of all the wonderful memories our family is creating.

Take care,

Jessica