Stitches

It was bound to happen! This boy has been cruisin' for stitches since shortly after he made his entrance into this world! He has done everything fast and without regard since his first moments. I am impressed that he made it to 4 and 1/2 before we had an event like this, but it still wasn't something I was really prepared for!

We went to a back to school BBQ, last night. I thought nothing of it, and let the kids take their scooter with them to the park. Apparently, splash pad + scooter = disaster!!! My bad! I am not even sure how or what happened, there have been several different stories come from several different kids! We were only there about 15 minutes, when I hear my girls come screaming with pure terror written all over their faces. Then I see Daxton walking towards me screaming with blood all over his face and body. Kind of scary, but we acted fast! Even Tony was a champ! I was impressed with him not fainting or even getting squeamish! We got to the bathroom, Teresa went and got her first aid kit, and after a few minutes, the bleeding had subsided. We put some bandages on him, and headed back out to the BBQ to figure out what to do with the boy with the 2 inch gash down his head. Somebody at the BBQ offered to take us to his office and stitch him up. At first it sounded like a good plan, but then Dax started saying he wanted to go to sleep and that freaked me out. I also forgot, in all the chaos, that we had purchased supplemental insurance a couple month ago, and decided that I would rather go to Instacare. Teresa offered to keep the girls, and we were off! But not before Daxton downed a hotdog, some cheese puffs, and some watermelon! This boys not going to let a head wound stop him from eating!

We got to Instacare and we were the only ones in the entire building! Weird, huh?!!! They got him right in, numbed his head with some gel, and stitched him right up! 7 stitches! They were shocked and amazed at how calm he was! He didn't make a single wimper or whine the whole time! I think I need some of that numbing cream around the house! He was such a champ!

Teresa had taken the other girls home for a bath, thanks for that! But what I was most impressed by was what she told me. Apparently, when the whole thing happened, the girls all kneeled down in a little circle, and prayed that Daxton would be alright. I thought that was so sweet and thoughtful of them! They have been so worried about him and really mothering over him since the whole thing happened. Asking him if he wants to sleep with them, making plans to paint with him, asking if they can get him anything to eat. I don't know what I am really needed around here for right now. I think I will take a vacation! Karlin even sat with him on her lap at scriptures this morning! I was smiling at that one!

His stitches come out on Saturday, then he will be good as new! With one additional scar!

My Little Mini Me-Karlin!

This little girl is so me, it is scary sometimes! I watch her do things and know that she learns from me...so I have to be careful! But I also see in her a fire and a drive that has made me the person I am....so I just keep reminding myself that she too will grow out of some of her more challenging habits! I can't believe that I these kids are really starting to come into their own! Karlin's little personality is starting to really shine though! I am so blessed to be this beautiful child's mother! I want to share 9 little somethings about my little lady.....

1. She has a love for babies and small children that is amazing! She loves to pick up toddlers and tote them around on her hip! I have thought several times as I watch her that the child she is carrying must weigh close to what she weighs! It is so funny to see her with her hip caulked out to the side carrying them like they weigh nothing!

2. She is madly loyal to her little brother! We cannot even think about getting mad at him or she is right there standing in front of him ready to fight us! She is always the first one to his side if he is crying or if he has a problem! I love that she loves him so much!

3. She loves to read! I find her most nights in her bed with a book fighting to keep her eyes open to read just one more chapter. I am so happy that she is developing a love for a hobby that is so important to her growth and education!

4. She has finally found her a bestie! Karlin has always been my one that hasn't really latched on to anybody for very long. Even at school, she has friends, but not one that she would hang out with dawn to dusk, every day and never get tired of. They look the same and it is so fun to watch their little relationship....I am so happy for her to have that person that she is so comfortable with!

5. She is quite the little cleaner and organizer! If I need something cleaned well or if I need her closet organized, she is my girl! She does a great job and I love this! I don't even need to check her bathroom on Saturday anymore because I know it is clean! Apparently her dads OCD has been passed on and I can't say I feel this is a bad trait to have!

6. She still has her rubbing fetish! I have a like/dislike relationship with this! There are days when it drives me bonkers, but then there are those moments when she is snuggling with me and I realize that these days will soon end and she will not think snuggling with me is so great!

7. She is a little smarty pants! We could worry about her being the youngest in her class, but we don't because she is holding her own! She does great in school and doesn't need much direction-thank goodness!!!

8. She is my little fashion diva! You know I love this one! She always picks out cute outfits from head to toe, including earrings and shoes and comes to me telling me how she would like her hair done that day! So me and she does a great job of it!

9. She is my little firecracker! There are good and bad in this! She is usually involved in things that don't really involve her, but she also doesn't let anybody push her around! This is something we are definitely going to have to help her to refine, but I am glad that she knows who she is and what she wants at such a young age! We will just have to help her develop this in a healthy way!

Happy Birthday, Karlin! I am so happy that I am your mommy!

Pancake Girl

I woke up from my nap today, to find these sitting on the kitchen counter. We have a deal at our house on Fast Sunday, if you fast, you can have whatever you want when it comes to be dinner time. Kenzie always picks pancakes, not just pancakes, but chocolate chip pancakes. When Kenzie makes the pancakes, I think they are actually more chocolate saucers than pancakes! I love that this child has started to stake her independence-some good, some scary! I have been thinking a lot about this child recently. She just turned 10, only a couple more years until Young Women's, and she seems to be very impressionable right now. I am finding I am making more mistakes than doing her good at this point. I have yet to really had a child in my home full time to really go through all the different phases that follow toddler/early childhood. So this is new for me!

I sat in church today knowing that I had to tell her she couldn't watch a show anymore that I had been letting her watch. I didn't think it was a big deal at first, but as time has gone by, and she has continued to watch this series, some of her actions and ideas of play have changed. I was really worried to talk to her about it, because I knew that it would upset her, but I also knew that this was something my Heavenly Father expected me to fix. I sat her down and told her how much I love her and how much I appreciate the child and big sister she is. I then went on to tell her that things that are dark are not of her Heavenly Father. He does not want us to be scared or sad or feel unhappy. He only wants light and happiness and love to be in our lives. She knew where I was going with this, and was a little sad, but I also saw in her an understanding that I was trying to protect young mind from things that will be with her forever. She asked me if I had seen things as a kid that I wish I hadn't, and I told her yes. I still have some insecurities in the dark because of some Twilight Zones and Tales of the Crypt shows that I saw at her age. I feel such a huge responsibility for her to grow up to be an amazing and strong daughter of God. I know some of it is because she is adopted and her Birth Mom and Heavenly Father chose us to raise this child and I want her to be the best her she can be. I just have to find that balance between letting her spread her wings and make some of her own choices about the things she likes and protecting her from things that are not good for her mind and her amazing spirit. I have decided that it is going to be a daily struggle for both of us. She is drawn to things that most 10 year olds are not so I am finding that I have to be more vigilant in explaining to her the good and bad in all things. I know she will be an amazing person. Her Spirit is strong and bright and her little testimony is amazing. I just hope that I can help her to let those things shine!

I took her, last month, to Grafton, just her and I . We had so much fun! I love taking one child at a time to do things. It is always amazing to me how much their little personalities come out when they get some alone time. She has such an amazing presence about her, it wasn't hard to get good shots pretty fast! I love that she likes me to take her pictures. I used to think when she was little that she had an allergic reaction to the camera, but I think we are over that. I am so grateful for the little lady she is becoming and am so excited to help her figure of what her path will be in life because I know it will be bright!

Lost Tooth

I didn't really think that Daxton would be the next child who would need a visit from the Tooth Fairy...I aways just assumed it would be Kamren. But when he started complaining about a tooth hurting a few weeks ago, and then the dentist said it needed to come out, things changed! His trip to the dentist is right up there in the "things you don't want to watch your children go through" department. He was so brave. I was not! He let them give him the medicine to make him drowsy and continued to play a video game while the waited for it to take affect. About 15 minutes later, he threw some of it up. The dentist just thought maybe it didn't agree with his little tummy since he hadn't had anything to eat or drink since the night before. A while later, they took him back got him comfortable and started the nitrous. He again started throwing up, only this time is really freaked me out because he was kind of out of it and his stomach just keeping heaving and his little heart rate was all over the place. I needed the nitrous by this point! He seemed to be ok though, so he just started working on him. He did relatively well and I was so grateful that the dentist was so kind and calm with him and with me. I am also glad that I was able to sit with him and not have to wait in the waiting room through all of this. Unfortunately, he only got half of his mouth done and we have to go back again next month, but after that I am really hoping his cavity days will be over. We have always been good about brushing and fluoride, but apparently that isn't enough for a couple of my kids. So now flossing and using the water pick have become part of our nightly routine right before prayers. I don't think I can handle having to do this on a regular basis! My mommy anxiety cannot handle it! Good thing he is brave, though!

Becoming her father!!!!

Today Karlin has done two things that are sooooo her dad, I had to write them down. This morning, I heard her at the breakfast table quoting The Princess Bride about marriage.....so her dad. Later this morning, she comes to me and says that she organized her closet to look like a rainbow! Though my closet now is color coated, it actually took me until I was 34 to see the benefits of keeping a neat and organized closet. Tony, on the other hand, has always had a nice and neatly organized color coated closet! I love that she likes to be organized and that she does it of her own free will and choice!

I Heart Faces | Let's Hear It For the Boys

I haven't entered a picture, until now! I look at I heart faces every week, but until now I didn't think I had a shot that fit their weekly contest. This picture totally fits, in my eyes! I still can't believe I really let him do this, but when I think of boys, THIS is what I think of! Smiles and mud!

Moving On

I never really thought about moving out of Coral Canyon. To be honest, I really never thought we would ever leave there! Why would we?!!! We loved the ward, the school, or neighbors and pretty much everything about our comfortable life we had going for ourselves. I guess that must be some of the reason it was time to move on. It has been more difficult on me, or I should say, I am still holding on more than the rest of the family!

We went back to our old ward for a baby blessing, this last Sunday, and it was just different. It was difficult to have to sit and watch somebody else conduct, and sit in my chair up front. It was difficult to look around Sacrament meeting and see faces I didn't recognize and not go and try and find out if they were new to the ward. It was difficult to be called a visitor and realize that after I left that room, I would not just drive around the corner home. I can't say that going to visit will be one of the things I will do much of. It is just too hard to go back knowing that my reality is not in Coral Canyon anymore.

I know I will move on, I have no choice. But it doesn't make it any easier. Our kids are adjusting just fine. They are thrilled that around every corner there is a friend to play with! When we visit the Coral Canyon ward, this last week, they all chose to go back to our Washington Field ward with Tony for Primary. I stayed! Tony got called into Young Men's the 2nd week we were in the ward. He was on cloud nine! He has been trying to get back there for the past two years! I never have been good at moving-my family moved when I was 7 and still live in the house I grew up in, so moving just isn't my thing. Tony and I have only lived in 4 other places, including apartments, our whole marriage. I think I prefer it that way. We plan on making only one more move after this, and them making it permanent. But as I have recently learned, sometimes what we have planned isn't what He has planned. So I guess we will see!

For now I am adjusting, slowly! I am so glad for the friendships I do still have from the old hood, it makes me feel like I still have a place there, even if I really don't have a home there anymore. Somebody made a comment to Tony the other day that they think I am more attached to Coral Canyon Elementary than my kids are, and I think they are right! I am not cutting my ties, completely, anytime soon!