Fun with Cousins

We had the wonderful pleasure of having Kurt's cousin, Roger, and his family come stay with us. We were so excited when they called and asked if they could come visit us - we couldn't wait for the time to come for them to get here.

They arrived Wednesday, July 3rd, the day after I spent running Trevor around getting x-rays and getting his cast on. Since I unexpectedly spent that day running around, I wasn't as ready as I wanted to be when they got here but some things just can't be helped. Luckily it wasn't a big deal.

They arrived at the end of a major heat wave we were having here. The day they arrived it was 110. They live in Washington state where, I think, they said their high is normal around 80. Welcome to California! Hot, sweaty California! 

Thursday

We went to a church breakfast at a park. The kids got to decorate their scooters or bikes for a kid parade. Unfortunately, humidity was added to the heat that morning. It was quite uncomfortable, bearable but uncomfortable. They asked if our weather was always like that. No, definitely not. 

Little T folding his arms for prayer.

Such a sweet boy!

This is Charlotte. She is Roger and Veronique's youngest at 4. Isn't she a cutie?

Getting ready for the parade.

After the breakfast we went home and collapsed in the air conditioned house and relaxed for a little bit. Then the Mickelsen's invited us over to go swimming and we couldn't resist. Then it seems like we did something after that but I can't remember so . . . on to Friday!

Friday

We had planned on going on the boat but with Trevor's cast I thought that was out but Kurt came up with the idea to get a babysitter to stay with T. Luckily we were able to find one last minute so off to the lake we went.

Roger and Charlotte

We went up the north fork to the 5 mile an hour zone and let the kids play and swim. The water was wonderful! The heat wave had warmed the lake up to a perfect temp. I even got in the water - that is saying something!

This is Jacob.

After we had lunch and enjoyed the water, we got to playing . . .

First we started off with some slow tubing with Evan and Eliza.

Then Roger and Jacob got in the tube and fun really began:

After they were done tubing, Jacob wanted to try knee boarding. He had never tried it before and he got up on his second try. He did a GREAT job! He was like a pro!

Then Veronique water skied. She also did a GREAT job and looked like a pro!

Jacob got to drive heading back in.

Saturday

After spending Thursday and Friday in the sun, we were all wiped out. We couldn't decide what to do on Saturday so we made a list and voted. And then the parents kind of over ruled the results because we didn't have the energy to go to a local water park (i.e. be in the heat and sun all day) or go on a hike (i.e. be in the heat and sun all day). So we decided to go pick blackberries near our house.

There is a creek and we walked down the creek (in the shade and cool water) and picked blackberries.

The kids ended up swimming. They just couldn't resist.

The only way to keep T and his cast out of the water.

Miss Cutie Charlotte

All going for the same clump of blackberries.

Roger and Veronique.

The adults went out on a double date that night while Kayla babysat. We got to have real adult conversations. Amazing!

Sunday

We went to church and then after dinner we decided to take dessert to the Sacramento Temple. It was beautiful. I think it was Sunday (or maybe it was Saturday) that the weather returned to normal. Cool mornings, hot during the day and then wonderful cool evenings. Ahhh! Back to normal.

And T definitely wanted in the water.

Eliza and Hailey

Evan in a tree.

All the kids in the tree.

What cuties. Eliza, Charlotte and T.

Our whole group.

These are random photos from the week:

Evan and Charlotte were little buddies:

Their very own fort!

T tried to convince us he didn't have a broken arm and could do everything he wanted to do (and that the big kids were doing) like riding bikes and scooters.

The boys' fort.

Notice the disco ball? Yes, the baby shape sorter is their disco ball. Take one baby shape sorter, put a flash light inside, hang from your fort and spin it really fast and you have yourself a disco ball!

The girls' fort

Comfy and cozy.

One tired little boy.

Oh, look at that face! So precious!

What a fun week. We really, REALLY wish we were closer to our cousins.  It would be so fun to see them more often. Thank you Roger and Veronique for coming down to visit us. We had a great time and miss you guys!

A Little Day Hike

When Kurt's cousin was here, we planned to do lots of things. Unfortunately, they arrived right at the end of a major heat wave we were having so the heat zapped a lot of our energy out of us. By Saturday, we were wiped out so instead of doing a hike like we planned, we rested and went blackberry picking near our house. I will post all about their wonderful visit another time as all those pictures are on my computer which is down at our office. 

We decided this last Saturday to do the hike we had planned for their visit. We had never been there before so it was a fun adventure. It is called Hidden Falls and it is located in Auburn. There are a lot of trails in the area so it was fun to try to read the map and follow the correct one. They do have signs up but sometimes that didn't always match the map exactly.

This was the first little water fall we came to. Evan wasted no time in climbing out there.

And Cody wasted no time in testing out the water. The boy is a serious water dog. Kurt unhooked the leash and it was like he was shot out of a cannon directly into the water. He swam round and round with no intention of ever getting out. He loves him some water!

We hiked on and came to this swimming hole.

We were not exactly prepared for swimming so Hailey and Evan went swimming in their clothes.

Next time we know to bring the swimsuits and towels! It was hot enough that they were {mostly} dry by the time we got back to the car.

Leaving the swimming hole. That's me in the hot pink shirt.

 Another waterfall.

The only thing I didn't like about this trail - well, actually, there were 2 things - was that the trail itself was very dry and dusty. Our legs and sneakers were completely covered in an orangey/brown dust. The other thing was that there was poison oak {or ivy - how do you tell the difference?} right on the side of the trail. It wasn't too bad as the trail was wide enough that you didn't feel like it was touching you but all it takes is one kid to goof around and fall (or push a sibling) and *poof* poison oak.

Overall, it was a very fun hike. We definitely should have gone earlier so it would have been cooler but we made it and had fun. 

On the hike back, Mr. Cody decided to face plant on the dusty trail and try to roll in it. Lovely. Our all black dog came back half brown. Crazy boy!

T-Man's Birthday!

On July 11th our little boy turned 2!

I can't believe it. He is growing up way too fast!

Here are his morning birthday smiles:

He just cracks me up.

Trevor and I have been having these very special moments lately. Even though he is super busy and {what feels like} out of control and is definitely our most "active" child, he and I have been having these moments where, I don't know, we just connect. Does that make sense? We "talk" and he tells me all sorts of great stories and we laugh and cuddle and it is just super special to me. 

He is starting to "get it" and listen when we ask him to do something. Right now it is a 50/50 chance of him following through but that is better than the 0 chance it was before. He wants to be a good boy and thrives on positive attention. He is just busy. I guess that is the best way to describe it. He doesn't want to be naughty or get in trouble. He is just busy and loves to explore and has no fear. So he definitely keeps us on our toes!

Since his birthday, he has started talking A LOT more. He seems to be speaking in sentences way more instead of a few words. For example, he just got a time out for hitting and after he served his time, I told him, like I always do, to go tell Evan he was sorry and to give him a kiss. Usually he says "sowwy" and gives a kiss but this time he walked up to Evan and said "I sowwy Eban" and gave him a kiss. He is also copying everything the big kids are saying. . . which they think is hilarious and they try to get him to say funny things.

We were super low key for his birthday this year. I don't know what it is but I just haven't been in the mood to throw birthday parties for the last few years. My big kids don't like this at all but T didn't seem to mind . . . yet. We just made cupcakes and had a friend and her 2 kids over for dessert. Very simple.

Oh, little man. We love you so much! You are such a special and loving little boy. You bring so much fun and smiles and laughs to our family. You are super fun right now with your facial expressions and your "stories". Oh, and you LOVE to dance. Anytime music comes on, you can't control yourself. You just have to dance. Absolutely adorable! I love you my little T!

The Story of Trevor and His Broken Arm

Trevor is our first child to break anything. We kept all the kids safe and unbroken for 12.5 years but leave it to Trevor to break {literally} our record in under 2 years of his life.

Honestly, we don't know exactly when he broke it. It could have been either of 2 falls he had in one night. I think it was the first but you just never know these things sometimes. Here's how it all started:

Monday, July 1st I was cleaning the house because Kurt's cousin, Roger, and his family were coming to visit us. While I was in the toy room, Trevor kept climbing up on the end table and jumping onto the couch. I stopped him several times, told him it wasn't safe and distracted him to prevent him from continuing. BUT you all know Trevor and as soon as my back was turned while vacuuming, he climbed up there and was doing it again. Evan said he got on the end table and backed up to get a running start and backed right off the end of the table. This is when I think he broke it. He cried a little more than normal but he hadn't napped good that day or the day before so I thought he might be a little extra tired and it was at the end of the day.

About an hour later we met several other families at a local rock climbing wall for Family Home Evening (for the older kids and dads). Trevor was running around and I could tell he wasn't 100% but nothing stood out as being wrong. I just thought he was tired. While running around in the climbing wall place, he fell again. It was a really weird, twisting, awkward fall. He could have broken it then. But again, he cried and then stopped and continued playing. We all went out for ice cream afterwards and he ran with the other kids. No one noticed anything.

We came home, changed him into pj's (not a single cry of discomfort or anything) and put him to bed. He woke up at 1 am saying he was hungry so I got him some bread and milk and was holding him when he threw up all over me. I mean all over me! I thought he had gotten the flu and was thinking we were going to have to tell Roger that we were sick and was so sad we would miss their visit.

We changed him into clean pj's and again, not a single flinch or cry as if anything hurt. So at this point, his arm is not even on my "mom radar." He had showed no signs that anything was wrong with it. I just thought he was sick. 

When we got up the next morning, I put my left hand down to hold his right hand while we went down the stairs. I remember very vividly the look he gave me and then used his left arm to help raise his right hand to me. This is when my mom radar picked up that something wasn't right with his right arm. Every time I handed him something he used his left hand to grab it. I very carefully and gently squeezed his right arm trying to see if he would jump or cry out when I touched it. Nothing. I called Kurt and told him that I thought something was wrong but I didn't think it was broken because he let me touch it and wasn't crying. I put Trevor on my bed with a sippy of milk and had him watch a movie with Evan while I showered. At one point Evan moved to the foot of my bed and Trevor followed suit. Except when he crawled down there he only used his 2 legs and his left arm and did a 3-point crawl. Something was seriously wrong.

Kurt came home and we decided that yes, something was definitely not right. I called a friend who is a PA and asked him what we should do. I didn't want to go to the ER because I don't like the ER (who does, right?) so we decided that urgent care would be best since they could take the x-rays there. We got him dressed and again, nothing when I moved his arm. I was there when Med 7 opened and we were seen pretty quickly. 

The doctor came in, asked his questions and squeezed his arm just like Kurt and I had done. No response. The dr. was thinking that he sprained it really good but would take x-rays just to be safe. The dr. and the x-ray tech were shocked that he had broken both bones just above the wrist. They couldn't believe that he wasn't crying, especially when someone touched his arm.

So they wrapped him up like this:

And gave him an arm sling.

Ok, I just have to say - What were they thinking? An almost 2 year old with an arm sling. Ya, that lasted 2 whole seconds! But it was pretty cute.

They said that we needed to make an appointment with his primary and that was schedule for 3:30 that afternoon. So we came home and napped.

His primary referred us to an orthopedic. We could either call and make an appointment or go in as a walk in. With Roger showing up the next day, I thought we should get it taken care of right away so we walked in. The wait wasn't tooooo bad but this was the 3rd doctors office T had been in that day. He was a little restless, which made it seem worse.

So this is what we have now: 

A little boy trying to learn how to be a lefty.

Wednesday, he was sooooooo frustrated! He couldn't ride his bike, he couldn't ride his scooter, he couldn't pogo stick. Oh, he was FRUSTRATED! He cried a lot, poor baby. (I had him on meds for the pain).

He tried to convince us that he was very capable of doing all those things. I love this outfit. Helmet, no clothes and rain boots. He is ready to play!

"What broken arm, mom?"

So we have been doing a lot of this:

Playing inside, reading books, playing with new toys I bought him hoping to entertain him, playing on the ipad with big brother. Our summer plans have definitely been altered. July 31st can't come soon enough - that is cast removal day. Only 17 more days, not that I'm counting or anything!