Chaos on Curtis

A Trip to the Farm

2017-03-17T20:16:00.000-06:00

The kids and I spent some time in Montana last week, and we were able to make it up to my grandparent's house for one day.

The last time the kids were there, Sawyer was just a little baby. So, they were excited to be up there. Plus, it's calving time and nothing is cuter than all those baby calves.

It was so nice to introduce Fynn to some of his family and watch the kids play at one of my most favorite places in the world.

Rilyn at Six

2017-03-10T10:52:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we have been parents for six years! I remember looking at other six year olds thinking they seemed so old, and now we have one.

Rilyn is still our kind hearted, fun, extrovert. Her personality has stayed very similar. She still loves being around other people kids and adults alike. She LOVES her brothers and is such a great caretaker. She is really a big help with the boys and will help get them ready to go out the door or take care of whatever they need. She also really loves to help me especially if that means we are spending time together. She does a lot of chores around the house and will tell you her favorite room to clean is the bathroom. She also still loves to cook and her and Tyler spend quite a bit of time cooking together.

She has started enjoying more arts and craft type projects this year and spends a lot of time coloring, cutting, glueing, using beads, and just creating masterpieces. She really loves painting, drawing, and playdough. She also now likes listening to audiobooks while she is creating and will chose to do that most days when given the opportunity.

Rilyn really loves babies still and may have collected anything you could think of needing for your baby dolls. She has a few dolls she rotates in her play and really loves dressing them up and taking care of them. Dress-up is another activity that she will spend a lot of time participating in. Other than that she still doesn't really play with toys. She has never been a big toy kid and I don't think she ever will be. Occasionally, she likes to play restaurant, store, kitchen, and barbies.

Rilyn loves to wear dresses. The bigger and sparklier the better, especially if jewelry and pretty shoes are involved. She would wear a fancy dress every day if I let her. She is trying to grow her hair out and likes to have it curled. Also, having her nails painted is a favorite.

We are still homeschooling and that is going okay. I love having her home and she likes to be home, especially since that means we get to go places and she still gets to spend lots of time outside and helping around the house. She still doesn't really find enjoyment from academic related activities and doesn't have much of a desire to read although loves books. She really likes to write and spends a lot of time doing copy work and writing books. She likes to use meaningful math that she can use in her everyday life. She also likes to memorize poetry and her memory verses and she is very good at it.

Rilyn is very active and likes to hike, play outside, jump on the trampoline, and explore. She has gotten into observing nature including rocks, bugs, and trees. She spends a lot of time learning in our backyard.

Rilyn lost two teeth a couple of weeks after she turned six. They had been loose for awhile and came out within a week of eachother. She is a great sleeper and still naps a couple days a week. I'm glad she has the opportunity when she needs it. She usually sleeps from about 7:30 - 6:00. She is still a great eater and will try a variety of food, especially if she cooks it. She likes most vegetables and fruits, all the sweets, and I think her favorite type of food is mexican.

Rilyn is very sensitive and sweet and we enjoy being her parents. It's been fun watching her grow into a young girl. I love her sense of humor and spending time with her!

We did do a six year interview and here were her answers.

How old are you?

What is your favorite color?

Pink

What is your favorite show?

The Lego Movie

What is your favorite book?

Fancy Nancy

What is your favorite place to eat?

Red Robin

Where do you live?

Colorado

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A Ballerina Teacher

What is your favorite toy?

Princesses

What is your favorite animal?

Puppies

What is your favorite song?

Elsa

Who is your best friend?

Jane and Payton

What do you like to take to bed with you?

Kitty

Who is your hero?

Dadda

What are you really good at?

Games

If you had 1000 to spend what would you spend it on?

A huge barbie house with colorful clothes in the closet and with princess barbies

If you could have a wish what would it be?

A birthday party

Valentine's Day 2017

2017-03-08T21:03:00.002-07:00

I love celebrating Valentine's Day with my kiddos. This year, we had a local homeschool group party planned. We met at a library and the kids played games, ate snacks, and were able to watch a movie if they wanted. Then they all exchanged Valentines. I think there were about 30 kids so they ended up with lots of Valentines and all the sweets that go along with them.

I packed them heart shaped sandwiches to eat on the way home.

After a little rest they were able to go through their bags and see all the fun they got.

That night we got our usual abundance of Chinese food. Ryder got the most perfect fortune. Ha, like he could ever have more energy than he does on a regular basis.

Fynn at 2 Months

2017-03-07T20:43:00.001-07:00

Fynn turned 2 months on the 28th of February. I didn't get a one month post up because #fourthkid.

Fynn is a super easy baby in comparison to the other babies. We all love being around him and interacting with him.

Right at two months Fynn started going to sleep around 7ish and not waking up until 3ish. He has been pretty consistent with that schedule since he turned 2 months and I love it! He sleeps in his bassinet until that 3 AM feeding and then comes to bed with us. He fights sleep unless he is in the bassinet, swaddled, with a pacifier, and some white noise. He takes naps in his bassinet also. His morning nap is very consistent and is usually at least an hour but some days two hours. His afternoon nap varies. Some days he just sleeps on me in the carrier and other days in the bassinet. He is usually awake for an hour to an hour and a half but no longer. I'm still enjoying a sleepy baby and really hope it doesn't change. Having a baby that sleeps well has been such a blessing. I'm a much better mom and feel like our transition has been so much easier.

When Fynn is awake, he likes to look at toys on his baby gym. He doesn't last too long on the floor, but will tolerate it for about 10 minutes. He loves being talked too and will coo and smile back. The kids love talking to him and getting him to smile and he will pretty consistently look for Rilyn when he hears her voice and smile at him. He's a mover and is always swinging his arms and kicking his legs. He likes to be in the bath as long as he's not tired or getting washed up. He also really likes the carrier and he will stay in that for hours.

Fynn is still nursing every 2 hours during the day, but doesn't comfort nurse at all. When he has eaten he won't nurse again to even fall asleep. Give that boy his pacifier and he's content. Although, he is really trying to suck his thumb. He still can't figure it out and that frustrates him. At his two month appointment he weighed 11lbs 2.5 ounces (25%) and is 23 1/2 inches long (75%).

His eyes are blue, but I'm not positive they will stay blue. I think so because they are pretty light blue. His hair is a reddish brown and I keep saying he looks like a little leprechaun. I'm sure his hair will get darker and be more like Rilyn and Ryder's color but as of now it's more red than anything.
Even his eyebrows are red. He has some good chunky thighs that I love to pinch. He still looks the most like Ryder did when Ryder was a baby.

Fynn has been out and about quite a bit. He's been to the Children's Museum numerous times, the park, on walks, and to the library. He does not like the car seat so that's been a little difficult. I'm hoping that changes soon since everywhere we go is at least a 20 minute drive. At least when we are there he is happy to be in the carrier and has been an easy baby to take places.

Fynn is still such an amazing baby and we are really enjoying him. I wish he would slow down and stay little for longer but I know it will be even more fun as he gets older. I can't wait to see his personality develop.

Rilyn Turns Six

2017-02-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

Rilyn turned six at the end of January! We kept things low key with having a newborn, but of course it was still a fun day celebrating our girl.

My parents came down the weekend of her birthday. So, the Friday before we headed to the Children's Museum as her birthday activity pick.

Sawyer's favorite part of the museum. I don't think he would chose anything else if he didn't have siblings.

Rilyn and Ryder at the top of the climbing structure

On Saturday, we spent the morning opening presents and eating donuts. Rilyn also woke up to a bed full of pink balloons.

We also had dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Decker and then headed to their house for cake and more presents.

Ryder got all dressed up for the occasion and even found his "hair brother" at Red Robin. One of the waiters had similar hair to Ryder so Grandma Decker mortified me by asking the waiter over and introducing Ryder to him to discuss their hair.

Even Fynn got all dressed up.

I hope Rilyn felt loved and special. We sure do love her!

Fynn's First Weeks

2017-02-25T10:31:00.001-07:00

Fynn's first few weeks were so magical. I love the first few days with a newborn and have learned to soak up every second. And let me tell you...I did just that. Some nights I couldn't fall asleep, even though I was up all night nursing a newborn, I would just lay in bed next to Fynn and stare at all the wonderfulness that is him.

Fynn started sleeping 3 hour stretches within a couple weeks and by a month had even a few 4 - 5 hour stretches. His favorite place to sleep is my chest and he will sleep the longest when he is laying on my chest. It's not super comfortable for me to lay propped up but we have gotten through some fussy times by sleeping that way. I'm going to be honest, he practically has lived on my chest or in the arms of one of his siblings. They are all just as obsessed as their mommy and daddy are with Fynn. More so, Sawyer and Rilyn; however, Ryder is always checking on Fynn and helping whenever he can. Ryder's job is to throw away the diapers and he is very proud of that job. No one else in our house is allowed to touch those diapers. Sawyer's job is to turn on the music for Fynn, but I think he has decided it's giving Fynn either his monkey or Fynn's bear lovie. Rilyn just does everything else. She would nurse this baby if she could!

He takes the pacifier which is so nice right now. I'm sure we won't feel the same way in a couple years. He tries to suck his thumb too but can't quite figure it out and he is trying far less than he used to since he has taken to the pacifier.

Fynn has a very serious face. Sawyer had the same serious face. He looks confused and then mad most of the time when he is looking at a person or the fan. Fynn is really obsessed with the fan, but we are not sure if he likes the fan or if he thinks it's his enemy by the way he stares at it.

I did catch him smiling when he was dreaming though so I know he has some smiles in him.

Life has just kind of gone on as normal. I knew that things were just going to take longer and I wouldn't be able to get done what I normally do. Going into life with a newborn knowing that has made things way less stressful. We get outside when we can, listen to audiobooks a lot, and snuggle while I'm feeding Fynn.

Of course that doesn't mean we haven't had our moments. The second day I had to pick Rilyn up from school I didn't feed Fynn immediately before we left which meant we stopped at the library after getting her and the kids played on the computers while I fed Fynn. Trust me, they weren't complaining.

Getting out of the house before 10 is near impossible without lots of planning and prep the night before. We've even made it to the Children's Museum a couple times as well as some mom's group/homeschool group stuff that all started well before 10.
And when it's too quiet in the house I look in the bathroom where Ryder informed me him and Sawyer were having a meeting....in the bath tub.

Life has been so so good. Exhausting for sure and it's never easy trying to split your time between 4 kids, but I'm thankful the kids all love being with eachother and spending time as a family. Having a new baby is nothing but exciting in this house and I'm so glad this time hasn't proven any different.

Meeting Fynn

2017-02-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

We got home from the birth center at about 5 AM. Tyler got me settled in bed and we both fell asleep for a couple hours. Tyler woke up about 7 and started getting ready for the kids. We knew once they found out Fynn was born Grandma Decker wouldn't be able to keep them at her house. So, we talked to them after breakfast and told them the news. They were obviously so excited. They had breakfast and headed home.

They all instantly loved their brother.

The next couple of weeks, I was taken such good care of by Tyler. He was off of work and took care of everything. I literally laid in bed and took care of Fynn. It was so nice to focus on healing and getting to know this precious baby. The kids all adjusted well, and although, they missed having their mommy around I think they really enjoyed daddy time. They really are amazing kids and did so well with being quiet and obeying through a big transition. After those initial two weeks, I think we were all ready to get back to a routine except having Tyler go back to work. He could just stay home forever, wouldn't that be nice??

Fynn's (Very Long) Birth Story

2017-02-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

Fynn's birth story starts quite a few days before he actually decided to make his arrival. Like at least 3 days before. My initial labor was LONG, like days, but active labor was very short. So short, he was very close to being born in the car.

I started having prodromal labor on Christmas. I never had true prodromal labor and I wouldn't wish it on any pregnant mama. We knew Fynn was not in a great position and I had been doing some exercises, chiropractic treatments, and positions to try to move him around prior to labor. But apparently, he wasn't budging which is why I was having true contractions that would just stop after hours. My body was just trying to get the boy in a good position. But, it was exhausting physically and frustrating emotionally.

On December 27th, I started having painful contractions that I could time, so once again I was thinking it was the day. I was awake all night with contractions and at 6 AM after 8 hours they just stopped. I called the midwife on call crying that I had just been in labor and now I wasn't. Ha, I'm sure she was like ya so why are you calling me, but I was so desperate for help. She reassured me it was completely normal and could happen a few more times. Definitely not what I wanted to hear.

Tyler headed off to work and I carried on with our day. Although, my contractions never stopped they were not consistent through the day. They were extremely painful and many I had to stop and work through. It was a little scary for the kids and after some explaining to them, Ryder comforted Sawyer with the news that, "mommy is not actually turning into a monster." Such a great description of what a laboring mama actually sounds and looks like. Especially, since for many of the contractions, I was on all fours hoping to get the baby to move into a good position.
The kids and I went into town for a chiropractic treatment I had scheduled. I decided to let him try some acupuncture to assist the baby in a better position. He assured me it wouldn't hurt, well guess what having needles stuck in your toes does hurt, so I left there literally hurting from my head to my toes since the treatment also left me with a headache.

I took a nap when the kids did that day, and about 2:30 woke up to some really hard contractions. I called Tyler at work and asked him to try and come home earlier. Even though I didn't know if I was in labor or not I think I was just so tired at that point I wanted him home. We went through our evening as usual with my contractions sticking around but not being consistent. We decided to see if Yvonne would come grab the kids after dinner. A part of me was really worried she wouldn't be able to get the kids and I was wondering how much of that stress was stopping my labor. After she got the kids I got in the bath and of course my contractions stopped completely. We decided to go to bed. I fell asleep for 30 minutes and then woke up with some of the worse contractions I'd had with any of my pregnancies. It felt as if my hips were being pulled in opposite directions by a strong machine. I'm pretty sure this is when Fynn turned into a more optimal position.

I tried laboring a little in bed, hoping to fall back asleep, assuming everything would stop again. I couldn't relax and was in a lot of pain so Tyler and I got out of bed and I started timing them again. My contractions were not super consistent at this point but were about 9 minutes apart. Also, some were long and hard and others short and easy. BUT I was starting to feel pressure and that scared me as we have a 45 minute drive to the birth center. We called the birth center, and I think hesitantly, they said to come in. I was pretty sure labor was going to stop in the car. As soon, as we got in the car they jumped to 3 minutes apart and even though I could feel pressure and the urge to push I still timed the contractions with my phone they whole way to the birth center. It was like I needed proof that I was having them.

I was starting to not only having the urge to push but was feeling Fynn's head descending. Somehow, both Tyler and I remained calm the entire way and neither of us were stressed. Even if Tyler was driving a little faster than he should have and I was squeezing a baby in for dear life. We got to the birth center and I walked in, through a contraction, nearly breaking Tyler's hand in the process. I was not going to fall on the floor in front of random strangers in the waiting room. We got to the room, and after a couple contractions the midwife joked that maybe I should get undressed. So, I did and got in the tub and within 8 minutes of getting there we were holding Fynn.

I think the midwife and nursed were a little surprised to say the least. Tyler and I think we should get a discount since I've hardly ever labored at the birth center but have come in ready to have a baby and we don't make them work hard enough.

It was my hardest labor but easiest birth so I'm happy that at least all the work beforehand made for an easier birth.

We spent 4 hours at the birth center and headed home!

Fynn Harper Decker

2017-02-14T19:25:00.001-07:00

On December 28th, our winter baby decided to make his arrival. Fynn Harper was born, in the water, after only 2 pushes at 11:40 PM weighing 8 lbs 14 ounces.

Fynn has been a fairly easy baby and is super snuggly. His favorite place is mama's chest. Everyone has adjusted well to the new addition. The kids are all incredibly in love and big helpers.

Fynn is a good nurser, a decent sleeper, and extremely adorable.

We are loving this newborn stage and I am soaking up every minute with our guy!

Christmas 2016

2017-01-31T20:50:00.000-07:00

Christmas seems so far away already! We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas Day even if we didn't have a baby for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, instead of getting dressed up we got bundled up and met Yvonne and George for our church service in the park. At this particular park they decorate a beautiful tree and have lights all around on other trees. It was just warm enough to be outside so we decided this was a good year to try the service. I liked having the kids with me instead of them going to their own classes and of course the kids loved having grandma and grandpa to hang with!

Afterwards, we went home and ate our usual Christmas Eve dinner of appetizers.

The kids all bought eachother gifts. Rilyn and Ryder used their own money to buy gifts and they all had fun shopping and picking out presents that their siblings would enjoy. Ryder bought Rilyn a doll outfit and Sawyer a Star Wars sword. Rilyn bought Sawyer a construction vehicle set and Ryder an army truck. Sawyer picked out a doll outfit for Rilyn and a playdough set for Sawyer. Those were the only gifts they were allowed to open on Christmas Eve, and I think made their sibling gifts extra special.

We of course had to prepare for Santa. The kids left reindeer food outside (which I'm sure the turkeys loved) and cookies and milk for Santa.

Last but not least, stockings under the tree and a reading of The Night Before Christmas. The kids were so excited for Christmas morning, but lucky for us they were exhausted from all the fun of the day and went right to sleep.

Christmas Day obviously started very early! Tyler and I are both just as excited as the kids and we can never sleep the night before so we both end up on the couch early in the morning waiting for the kids to come out.

The kids of course had fun unwrapping presents, except Sawyer who really had no interest. He opened one gift and then wanted to be done. Easy to please that one!

We spent the day playing toys and lounging around before heading to Grandma and Grandpa Decker's house where we got to eat food, hang with cousins, and open presents.

We all came home exhausted, but especially me. I started having contractions early that afternoon and by evening had gotten closer together and consistent. I thought for sure the consistency meant I was going to go into labor that night so I was prepared to have a Christmas baby or a baby early the next morning. But no, I woke up just as pregnant as ever with no contractions.

I'm going to be honest, being that pregnant at Christmas was no fun. I didn't like that I had to fight though just to have the energy to get everything done. And I definitely didn't like stressing not being home for Christmas morning. It all worked out and I'm glad our baby came after Christmas and the kids seemed to still have an amazing time. I'm already excited to celebrate again next year!

December Delights

2016-12-24T09:38:00.001-07:00

December has been wonderful! My intentions this Christmas season was to keep things slow, purposeful, and very easy. Considering we have been anticipating our newest arrival I wasn't sure how much time or energy we would have for Christmas preparations. We kind of assumed he would be here by Christmas but alas it is Christmas Eve morning at 4:30 AM to be exact and no baby. The nice part of that is I got to do lots and lots of Christmas stuff with the kiddos. The bad part... 4:30 AM...yep pregnancy insomnia hit hard this go around and most days I'm up by 3. I try so hard to fall back asleep and never can but at least I get to enjoy this view for a few more days.

December Delight #1: Tree Lighting
We went to our annual tree lighting here in Larkspur and the kids love seeing Santa there. Grandma Decker even got to join us this year which was extra special and nice for mommy since I kind of panic when it's dark and we are trying to keep an eye on all 3 kids in a crowd. We still managed to lose Ryder who has become the king of getting himself lost lately.

December Delight #2 - Dunkin Donuts
We don't live close to a Dunkin Donuts so my kids have never been to one. However, we pass by one on our way to our midwife appointments so I made it point to stop one cold morning with the boys. They were in heaven. Ryder especially, who after about one hour said, "mommy, I know we just had donuts so why is my body telling me it wants more sugar. I really want to get another donut." Oh, the magic of sugar my son.

December Delight #3 - Quiet/Nap Time
I am so thankful all 3 kids either nap or have a quiet time during the day. Ryder never sleeps, Rilyn sleeps probably 4 days out of the week, and Sawyer sleeps every day. Regardless, I get at least 1 1/2 hours of mostly uninterrupted me time, which lately due to the awesome 3 AM wake up calls I've used sleeping. Ryder has quiet time in his room and Rilyn in my room. They entertain themselves really well and Ryder especially needs this time to play and be alone. I've considered doing school during this time because we could accomplish so much but I have to remind myself that not only do I need the quiet but so do the kids. Also, it's very amusing to see how Ryder entertains himself...

December Delight # 4: Polar Express Reading
Our library hosts a Pajama Time Polar Express reading complete with activities, hot chocolate, and cookies. The kids look forward to this every year and it is probably their most favorite activity. You know because hot cocoa and cookies.

December Delight # 5: Mom's group Christmas Party.
The leader of our group puts on a such a meaningful party for the kids. We read through the Christmas story and do activities for each part. It ends with a birthday party for Jesus. We love spending this time with friends and learning all about God's gift to us.

December Delight #6: The start of Renovations
I say the start very lightly because after two full days of work after 5 full months of a delay our contractor informed us the beam he needs wasn't delivered so he'd be back after the first of the year. Ya thanks for ripping off our garage roof, leaving thousands of dollars of materials to sit in the snow, and a making a very pregnant and hormonal woman want to lose her mind. So, actually this doesn't even qualify as a delight just a rant...

December Delight #7: A Visit with Santa
Once again our library comes to the rescue with a no line FREE visit with Santa. Come visit Santa, do activities, sing songs, don't pay for your pictures, and definitely don't wait in line. Umm...yes please!!!

December Delight #8: Cookie Decorating
Of course, we needed more cookies and frosting in our lives.

December Delight #9: Crafting
We didn't get to tons of crafts this year, because really my kids just aren't that into them. But, they LOVED making ornaments. We made clay ornaments and angels, and pipe cleaner candy ornaments and they loved them all. Even Sawyer was very particular about who is getting what ornament. Ryder went with the same theme as the cookies obviously...all the blue!

December Delight #10: Christmas Light Looking

We put on pajamas, grabbed hot cocoa, and some popcorn and headed into Castle Rock to enjoy some lights. The kids also did this with Grandma Decker earlier in the month so they got two special nights of this.

December Delight #10: Life
Really just spending my days with these 3 little crazy kids is the best ever, and knowing this boy growing oh so long inside me is the best delight ever. I feel like the worst mom some days. Again hello 3 AM wake up calls, but when I reflect on all the smiles we've had this month I guess we are doing an okay job as parents. These pictures don't even tell half the story. We've watched Christmas movies, sang Christmas songs, Rilyn has wrapped up things around the house and placed them under the tree for us all to unwrap 3 seconds later, colored in our advent book taking us through the birth of Jesus, read ALL the Christmas books (Rudolph - Sawyer's favorite, Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Ryder's favorite, and The Nutcracker - Rilyn's favorite), a school performance where Rilyn took Elf's motto so seriously "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing loud for all to hear," and just spent our days together loving eachother the best we know how.

It's been a good December. We are excited to meet this boy but know I'm just hoping he waits a couple more days to make his appearance. I would have been fine with yesterday or even early today, but he's missed his chance and now has to stay for Christmas. Too bad for him, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be magical.

Thanksgiving and Thankfulness

2016-12-05T20:10:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving was so so good this year. It was a very slow day followed by an amazing meal with family and lots of relaxation.

Tyler and I both ended up waking up early on Thanksgiving morning and enjoyed a few moments of quiet and darkness before the kids were up. This is very rare for us because usually take turns getting up with the kids when he is off. It works out nice because someone gets an extra half hour to hour of sleep, but we definitely miss out on some sweet quality time in the morning.

We had our traditional cinnamon rolls for breakfast and got ready to watch the Macy parade. The kids LOVE watching it (Ryder for the balloons, Rilyn for the dancing, and Sawyer was excited by it all). Actually they were all really excited to see Santa at the end also. It was such a nice day out though that we did have them go outside about halfway through to play and they made it in just in time to see Santa.

Everyone got naps and then we got ready to head to Grandma Decker's for dinner. They had lots of cousins to play with and good food to eat so everyone was happy and we brought home some very tired kiddos.

We did take a quick drive through Castle Rock though because the town is lit with Christmas lights and we don't get into town often when it's dark. Such a sweet ending to our night.

The whole month of November we were really thoughtful to practice gratitude. The kids are pretty good at this as we have done it every year and they enjoy coming up with things other than the usuals to be thankful for. We usually talked about it at meal time because our leaves hang next to our table so Sawyer almost always said whichever food we were eating, but the other two put a lot of thought into their responses. We didn't always write them down, but did paint some leaves with watercolors for recording our responses. It's always such a fun tradition for us!

November Moments

2016-11-30T06:19:00.001-07:00

November seemed to fly by with Thanksgiving, school, and general life around here. We've spent some time getting stuff ready for baby, lots of reading, and still were able to enjoy some awesome fall weather.

The kids had fun packing their shoeboxes again this year. It becomes more meaningful as they get older and it's a great way to start off our month of practicing gratitude for what we have. It's also getting a little harder as far as conversations go and makes my mama brain and heart think hard about how to respond to their questions and emotions regarding life outside of our little home. The kids were very proud of the stuff they picked out and enjoyed writing little notes to put in their shoeboxes. We also watched some Youtube videos with kids getting their boxes and this really helped them understand the excitement and love the kiddos feel when they get to open their presents.

Decorating boxes and writing on their information sheets...with a Sawyer photo bomb

Rilyn really got into the election this year, so the night of the election she got to color in her map when states won. She was pretty bummed she could only stay up for like 10 states to announce their winner, but it was a great way to stick some geography and social studies into our schooling. She obviously had her own opinion on who she wanted to win, and lets say we had a pretty disappointed girl the next morning.

We had some fun outings like the Wildlife Experience and lots of park days, but for the most part we have started to slow down in preparation for the new baby. I'm in hibernation mode a little which is really challenging around the holidays.

Even though the kids get wild they are never bored at home. Actually, I don't think they know what that word is. We've been playing with toys and games that haven't been touched all summer and of course lots and lots of reading.

Rilyn oohhing and ahhing over baby socks. She seriously can not get enough of this baby business.

Sawyer is mad because he won the board game. Go figure...

This looks like a peaceful picture but honestly they were fighting over trains because as you can tell we don't have enough mini trains to go around.

We had our first snow of the year. The kids and mommy were beyond excited so hot chocolate, Christmas music, and some outside play were on the schedule.

The grinch appeared the second we turned on Christmas music because you know it's Sawyer....

We also started some Christmas decorating. We are keeping it simple this year for two reasons...one everything we own is packed in our POD including all decorations and two I don't want the mess with a new baby. We bought a small tree and found some stuff at the dollar store to decorate. We plan on making some decorations which the kids are excited about and have lots of activities planned as long as baby doesn't make an early appearance. The kids were actually super pumped to decorate and they got to watch a Christmas movie afterwards so I would say the season is off to a fun and meaningful start.

We are all excited for December...Christmas, snow, and new baby...perfection!

Halloween

2016-11-25T19:39:00.001-07:00

The kids were all super excited for Halloween this year. I'm pretty sure it is Ryder's favorite holiday and he talks about it non-stop for months ahead of time. Costumes were very easy this year as the boys each picked something from the dress up bin and Rilyn was happy with any princess dress we found. I found a used Cinderella costume with accessories so she was a happy princess.

We did the usual leading up to Halloween...pumpkin carving, crafts, books, and lots of Halloween songs.

We went trick-or-treating at Tyler's work the Friday before Halloween and the kids loved visiting where daddy works and getting some special treats.

Pumpkin carving was a hit with Rilyn but neither of the boys had any interest in sticking their hands inside the pumpkins. Ryder has never liked it as he does not like getting his hands messy and Sawyer was too busy playing to really care.

The day of Halloween we went trick-or-treating at Trick-or-Treat Street in Castle Rock. The kids love all the additional activities like games and pony rides. We also met up with cousins Xander and Aebrynn to get some candy at all the businesses. Tyler and I decided that was enough candy collecting and didn't take the kids out after that. They end up with way too much candy and makes for a late night since we have to stay in town.

The kids were pretty happy to come home and look through all their fun treats!

October Recap

2016-11-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

October was amazing partly due to the weather. The weather has been amazing and the kids and I spent a lot of time outside.

The older two had fall soccer. Rilyn enjoyed it a lot and Ryder was happy when it was over as usual. As much energy as that kid has I can't believe he doesn't enjoy sports more but he would rather just run around like a maniac and bang into things than follow any rules. And he loves collecting the medals he gets after the end of each season.

The kids and I went on quite a few hikes. I recently found used hiking shoes for the older two and that has helped their balance tons and they can all go for quite awhile. The kids all like hiking and its so fun to have something we can all do together.

We went to the pumpkin patch with Rilyn's school on a field trip and the kids had a great time wearing out their mama.

We were able to meet up with Carly and Gideon for a lunch before they moved to California.

We went to the zoo

Continued homeschooling and really worked just to get into a routine that works for everyone. We still have our struggles, but I love teaching them at home. We all spend a lot of time reading and the kids have even started some independent reading time. I spent a night planning while the kids had a sleepover at Grandma's and had to laugh at my big bottle of tums instead of a glass of wine or coffee. Ah, nothing like being pregnant.

The older two spent the weekend in Steamboat with Grandma Decker at Stacey and Jason's house. They had lots of fun and didn't seem to mind being away from home at all. While they were gone, Tyler and I took Sawyer on his own little date. Sawyer got a little dressed up and had dinner at a place we wouldn't normally take kids. It was nice to spoil him a little while we had the chance.

Sawyer still tries to snuggle me even though he doesn't really fit anywhere on my body.

Ryder dumped almost every puzzle he owns (which is a lot) into a suitcase one day during quiet time. That took quite a bit of time to clean up since I'm sure there were like 1000 mixed up puzzle pieces in that suitcase. Of course Ryder informed me he didn't do it to all of his puzzles because he left one together.

Tyler was out of town for work so while he was gone we managed to eat a late bedtime snack of chocolate chip cookies. I should get the nomination for dumbest parent ever as I showered them before feeding them cookies. Nothing like cleaning them up twice. Also, while Tyler was gone we found a very big black spider that I'm pretty sure was a black widow in the kids' room. So, while I freaked out and killed the huge disgusting thing my kids all clung to the couch and watched in horror. Ryder definitely got the lecture about manning up while daddy is gone.

And of course, we spent lots of time playing because that's what we do mostly around here.

Our Montana Fall Trip

2016-11-13T17:26:00.001-07:00

In October, we headed off to Montana for our usual fall trip. We decided to go during Rilyn's fall break so she wouldn't miss any enrichment days. This kids did so well on this trip and if I wasn't 31 weeks pregnant it probably would have been our best drive; however, my old preggo body hated that drive and it took me quite a few days to recover from it. The kids are really becoming champs at the drive and the older two barely make a peep during the 9 + hours they are in the car. They watch movies, eat snacks, and are most excited to stop in Wyoming at McDonalds to play.

This trip, we had planned a surprise 50th birthday party for my Uncle Sam. The kids love their Uncle Sam and get so excited when they get to spend time with him.

Sawyer is in love with all things trucks so my dad took the kids out to a work site to drive his excavator. All the kids had a blast. Ryder really wanted to know how it worked and asked question after question as well as thought it was hilarious when he could make it go a little crazy. Sawyer still talks about the way it sounded and how it drove it. You can't say he rode in it, you have to say he drove it because that is what he did. And Rilyn likes to talk about how crazy of a driver Ryder is lol.

We also had a surprise party for my grandpa who turned 76. He was pretty shocked to see almost all his grandkids and great grandkids hanging out at his favorite restaurant waiting to have dinner with him. Not everyone was there, but we were only missing a couple of people so I think that was pretty special for him.

Of course, we spent our time doing our usual...playing with daycare, eating lots of sugary cereal, and playing with cousins. The Nelson cousins spend so much time with their little cousins. The boys pretty much do anything Rilyn wants and they all love their cousins so intensely.

Sawyer got a DVD after our trip since his firetruck video didn't work on the way up, and he carried it around with him wherever he went. At this moment he was saving Papa's spot for him while he was at work.

Thought maybe I should get a preggo picture on this blog before this baby comes

Staycation and Potty Training

2016-09-13T13:26:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago we had our first ever Staycation. Tyler took the week off from work and with school just having started we decided to just stay close to home and plan a couple fun activities. The best part was, although, we did plan some fun stuff we also had times of pure relaxation. We are much better parents when we aren't cramming a million things into our schedules.

On Monday, we took the kids to Chatfield State Park to play on the beach and wade in the water. It was actually tons of fun and we were a little disappointed we hadn't spent more time there this summer. If it wasn't for the massive amount of bees and one very angry goose who really wanted to share Tyler's shade it would have been perfect. The kids loved playing in the sand and water obviously and since it was a cooler Monday there was very few people so we could relax and not worry too much about not being able to not see the kids. The kids even found a frog with some other kids and had fun playing with a.k.a torturing the little thing as they observed a frog up close. Rilyn and I worked on writing our sight words in the sand and did a little school that afternoon.

On Tuesday, Rilyn had enrichment and I took the opportunity of Tyler being home to get some cleaning done. I sped through as much cleaning as I could before she came home. That afternoon we worked on school work and just hung out at home.

On Wednesday, we spent our morning working through our school work and then headed out for a Rockies game. We had never taken all the kids, and it was so much fun. We had good seats and all the kids really enjoyed it. We were surprised thinking they would get bored, but none of them wanted to leave. Sawyer loved watching the balls go high and fast and every time he heard the announcer say the word ball he would jump, clap, and yell. He also was very serious about his clapping and spent the majority of the game clapping.

On Thursday, Rilyn had enrichment again and when we picked her up we dropped all 3 kids off at Grandma Decker's for a sleepover. Tyler and I went to lunch at an Indian place we like and then I took a glorious nap, read, and ate french fries and a blizzard for dinner. Seriously my perfect day!

On Friday, Tyler went in to get the kids pretty early while I got a few more things done around the house and then we worked through school plans AND....started potty training Sawyer.

Since we had the capability to be home all weekend I thought we should give it a shot and so far it has been a huge success. We hung home all weekend and only focused on Sawyer and using the potty! I've been really dreading training this boy because he is so hard headed but I knew he was ready and didn't want to miss my chance. Friday, he peed in the potty twice and had two accidents. I learned that he holds his pee for an extremely long time which made the successes far in between. But, was still happy he was receptive and excited to go and wear underwear. Saturday morning we had two frustrating accidents (sitting on the potty forever just to stand up and pee in underwear) so when he went down for his nap I was bummed and pessimistic. He didn't nap which was really weird but kept calling me into his room to take him potty and after 3 tries was successful. When it was just him and I, I was able to talk to him about making himself go and it seriously kicked in because that afternoon he went in the potty at least seven times including a number two! He would even run to the potty on his own and go. He also realized the more he goes the more candy he gets so he was trying to use the bathroom as often as he could! Sunday he only had once accident and again was telling us when he needed to go potty! He even stayed dry at nap, woke up, and told us he had to go. I still can't believe how awesome he is doing and worried it won't stick because it was just too easy. We are so proud of him and Rilyn and Ryder have been awesome with supporting him, praising him, and letting me focus on him. So, I'm officially diaper free after almost 6 years of cloth diapering. Yes please! That's like 3 less loads of laundry a week for me...for 3 1/2 months at least.

We have had such a fulfilling week, and I was really sad that Tyler had to go back to work. I love having him home, but also know we were so lucky to get him home for a solid week.

School Time

2016-08-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

It's officially time for Rilyn to start school! We had originally planned on sending her to our local public school and felt good about it. She was registered and had gone to all the back to school nights they had...but a couple weeks before school started Tyler and I decided to try homeschooling out. I've always wanted to because I love teaching and most of all I love teaching my own kids. We were already doing preschool at home and it has gone well. It was a really hard decision because our neighborhood school is actually a great school and Rilyn really loves to be part of a group and socializing with other kids.

It is really important to us that all of our kids get the chance to be part of a community outside of our home so we were excited when we learned our district offers some homeschool enrichment programs. So, we signed up Rilyn to attend a Science/Spanish program twice a week for 3 hours, and we will do the rest of school at home. In addition, to the program she has Sunday school, usually some sport, plus various other playdate occasions with friends.

We started school this last week and it's been an adjustment for us all. Monday Rilyn was plain exhausted from the weekend so was super whiny even when I was making her chocolate chip waffles for a special breakfast. We worked through the morning, but there was a lot of complaining and crying from all the kids so I gave it up, we went outside, and after her 2 hour nap we resumed and finished what I had planned. She was awesome in the afternoon and was happy to do school with me. The nice thing about being home is I can work around their needs!

Some fine motor work

Rilyn working on sounding on words

Playdough sight words

As you can tell the boys just do school with us. If I give them activities to do they don't feel left out and don't cause trouble. When they are bored of school they can go play. I am working with Ryder on about the same level as Rilyn so I'm expecting a little more of him than Sawyer, but it helps that he has a natural tendency to want to do school. And, I'm positive we will have rough days when the boys just want my attention.

Tuesday Rilyn was off to enrichment. She told me she was excited but still a little nervous. I was happy she could understand that it was okay and normal to have both emotions. We all took her to school that first day and I think she felt pretty special that morning. I did fine until I left and then I just wanted to turn around and pick her right back up. Leaving your kid with strangers is so dang hard, but I know it's good for her. The boys also weren't big fans of leaving their sissy behind.

When the boys and I got home, I got to enjoy watching the boys play without the direction a.k.a bossiness of their sister controlling the play scene and it was a real sweet moment for me. I'm happy these two will have a chance to develop their own relationship.

After pick-up we headed straight to the park to run off some energy before lunch.

Rilyn enjoyed her time at school, but was a little disappointed they didn't get to play. They don't have a recess which actually is a little disappointing to us also since we are primarily sending her for social interaction so we will have to try it out this year and reevaluate. She is happy to go and happy to come home so I guess that is a good sign.

Wednesday I decided to tweak a few things in our schedule. My goal would be to do most of our school work in the morning to leave the afternoon free for play. That will be a challenge if I try to fit everything that sounds fun into our day, which by the way I did on Wednesday. Rilyn was a champ and soared through everything Wednesday. Tyler had an idea to set up a schedule on the computer for her and she loves it! She sets her own schedule in the morning and then knows exactly what she has to get done. This works incredibly well for her. When the boys were antsy we took our lessons outside and since it was drizzling her and I sat in the garage for math. Of course she had to teach Ryder what he missed out on while riding his bike.

Again, she took another great nap and Ryder happened to nap also. He then fell back to sleep on his mama. Oh my heart melts.

That afternoon, I almost ruined a perfect homeschooling morning by trying to fit more into our day than we needed too. Like bake cookies for Poetry Tea Time and draw in our nature journals. It's going to be so hard for me to say no to things. We even ended up having tea time without cookies because I couldn't get them done before it was too late for them to have an afternoon snack.

On Thursday, Rilyn had her enrichment program and then we hung out at grandma's for a little while. After nap, Rilyn did a little reading and we did a quick math lesson. I'm not sure how much actual school we will do on the days she has enrichment, but I would like to do a little because I would like to leave Fridays open for field trips, our mom's group, or whatever fun activity we can come up with.

On Friday, Rilyn worked on school all morning so we could spend the afternoon at the park.

Sawyer right in on the action of some phonics

I think the week was successful. At least Rilyn loves showing dad everything she knows and is excited for school next week. She loves the attention she gets from me, and has had a really good first week. I have a lot to tweak as far as scheduling goes, and I need to learn to let some things go. It all seems fun and important so it's hard for me to say no. I'm hoping next week we can get through our schedule a little more quickly and smoothly so we are not doing school so much. Even if Rilyn likes it I want to give her lots and lots of play time especially outside while it's still nice and we can enjoy being outside.

Chicago

2016-08-25T19:57:00.001-06:00

Tyler and I were able to go on a vacation all alone this month. It was so amazing and long overdue. We had never spent more than 2 nights away from the kids, which happened well before Sawyer was born. I was gone a total of 3 nights; although, Tyler stayed longer because he was actually in Chicago for work. My mom came to stay with the kids so I wasn't at all worried about them knowing they would have amazing grandma time and Rilyn just keeps asking if next time I could go away for 11 nights...we compromised on 4. It was so nice having my mom come to stay because we didn't have to pack up the kids to go anywhere, she watched the dogs too, and we knew they were having the best time of their lives! I was of course pretty panicky that something would happen to Tyler and I really had to calm myself down the weeks leading up to the trip.

We had such a great time and I think we had a great balance of sight-seeing and relaxing. We definitely didn't want to overdo it since we never get time just to relax and be together. Really Tyler and I are both so tired of always needing to feed children. Between 3 meals a day and snacks I feel like we are either cooking, cleaning up after, or planning meals so just not needing to be responsible for that would have been enough of a vacation for me.

We arrived on Friday and after an extra long airport stay due to awesome traveler woes we had time to check-in and grab a bite to eat. We also took a walk in the rain to Ghirardelli's Ice Cream. The best part of the trip was not cooking, eating together with no interruptions, and not sharing my dessert!

The next morning we headed to an amazing breakfast spot and walked across the street to Millennium Park for awhile. It was nice to just walk around and sight-see.

The rest of the day we lounged around in the hotel. We grabbed lunch to go and got fancied up for a dinner out. Ah vacation is the best. I also took some bad baby belly photos in the hotel room because I never remember when it's light outside. Oh and grabbed ice cream again because I live dangerously when pregnant!

Tyler had to work for a few hours on Sunday so I went on an architectural boat tour of the city and Lake Michigan. It was so neat and felt weird to do something like that alone since I'm usually toting 3 kids with me.

That night we went to another great dinner and hit the sack early since I had to be out of the hotel room early for my flight. Again no luck remembering to take a picture in the daylight.

We loved Chicago and actually can't wait to take the kids when they are older. There were so many great things to do and am excited to experience them with the kids.

Also, reconnecting with my hubby was so good and I can't wait to have the opportunity to do it again!

Fair and Fourth Birthday

2016-08-14T09:56:00.001-06:00

Ryder turned 4 early in August. His birthday always falls on the same weekend as our county fair and parade, and he choses to do those things instead of a big birthday party. We've been giving our kids a couple of choices for their birthday....either an outing, a small friend party, or a family party. I realized we were doing all 3 and it ended up being too much for everyone. We didn't just get to slow down and celebrate our kiddo and enjoy them. It was a rushed filled week where everyone was stressed.

Ryder LOVES the fair and parade. He talks about it all year. He especially loves the parade because drums are his most favorite parade parts....well that and the candy of course.

I took the kids to the fair on a Thursday evening to avoid the crowds and it worked. We didn't have to wait in line for anything and got to walk around and see all the animals. They usually are not big enough to ride many rides and that held true for Ryder. He was literally a half an inch to short for almost everything. Rilyn was just tall enough to do everything so that was a little bit of a juggle. They each got a couple rides and we all rode the ferris wheel together.

Sawyer's favorite attraction was of course the tractor. He loves machines!

I don't like rides so I had to put on brave mom face which I failed terribly at. I mostly yelled at them not to move the entire time because I was so freaked out. Which of course made Rilyn giddy with excitement that she could scare her mama the entire time. Sawyer was a little nervous but is still talking about how high he went.

On Saturday, we hit up the parade. I think it's a really great parade for a small town and the kids love going. They literally end up with the same amount of candy as they do trick-or-treating.

Sunday was Ryder's actual birthday so he woke up to lots of Spider-Man balloons and presents. One of the puzzles he got from my parents he said he had been waiting for for 100 weeks. He was so excited to get new puzzles, books, and legos. Rilyn bought him a present with her own money this year and was so excited to give it to him.

That morning we had the Decker clan over for breakfast to celebrate all 3 Decker birthdays in August so Ryder got extra spoiled with grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. I didn't take too many pictures, but his new drum set was by far his most favorite part and it is currently in the garage where it might remain! He also got a new bike but apparently still prefers his sister's old one which apparently doesn't have spiky pedals like the boy bike I bought him.

We were able to have a quiet afternoon and take our boy out to dinner at his restaurant of choice. Red Robin of course, because he gets a free ice cream. Such a fun way to celebrate our big 4 year old!

Rilyn at 5 1/2

2016-08-10T11:24:00.000-06:00

I was a bad mommy this year and didn't get a 5 year old post up about Rilyn. Sometimes life just happens (like a sickness in our household for 2 months and then a very tired 1st trimester mama) so we are just getting around to taking some 5 1/2 year old pictures and her interview.

Rilyn is a super fun, energetic, social, loving, sensitive, and often moody 5 year old girl. She loves being a big sister and is so good with the boys it's really unbelievable. Of course she has her moments, but 90% of the time is just plain awesome with the boys. She can't wait to be a big sister again and kisses and squeezes my belly throughout the day (more than I would like to be honest ha).

She loves to play pretend with Ryder and they are usually dressing up and imagining some sort of wild play scheme. She is really into her baby dolls, but for the most part is not really into toys of any other kind. Unless of course it's part of whatever it is they are imagining. She likes to do crafts for a short period and much longer if she is just creating something on her own. She likes playdough, drawing, beading, and painting the most.

Rilyn loves to be outside growing her own garden and just being active. She loves the trampoline, riding her bike, swinging, and getting dirty. She has tried many different sports and activities and I don't think she has found her thing yet. But, is always sad when they have ended and is always excited to try something new.

She loves being with friends and going to Sunday School or daycare at the Ymca. She makes friends easily. Even at home she doesn't like playing alone and always wants to be around others. She is definitely an extrovert.

Rilyn is always ready to learn something new and with her I've realized I just have to wait for her to be ready to learn something particular and then it's easy, fun, and smooth sailing for us both. She really enjoys writing and is often with a pen and notepad in hand. She can sound out many 3 letter words when she writes and is very excited about being able to write actual words. She knows all her letters and their sounds and she is able to print all her upper case and lower case letters. She has recently been more interested in math and is grasping numbers and their relationships to objects. She enjoys working with shapes and patterns.

Rilyn loves to help around the house and usually will offer to clean with me. She really likes washing dishes, sweeping, and cleaning the bathrooms.

Rilyn is still an early riser and I would say is up by 6 most days. She goes to bed around 7:30 or 8:00 and will still take a nap quite often. We are transitioning to a quiet time, but this week have noticed she has decided to nap instead of play. She functions so much better when she naps. If she doesn't get enough sleep we get 15 year old Rilyn and let me tell you I'm so not ready for a teenage girl!

We love being her parents and are incredibly blessed to have her as our daughter. I couldn't imagine any girl more perfect for our family. It's so special to have someone that always makes you feel loved and appreciated and I never get tired of seeing her bright eyes first thing in the morning ready for another adventure.

Rilyn's 5 1/2 year interview

How old are you?

What is your favorite color?

Pink

What is your favorite show?

Princesses

What is your favorite book?

Sophia Book

What is your favorite place to eat?

At Sandwiches (Subway)

Where do you live?

Colorado

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Teacher Ballerina

What is your favorite toy?

Doctor

What is your favorite animal?

Giraffes and Kangaroos

What is your favorite song?

Elsa

Who is your best friend?

Jane, Ameila, Orion, Payton, Grant, and Noah

What do you like to take to bed with you?

Dollies

Who is your hero?

Daddy

What are you really good at?

Sports - baseball

If you had 1000 to spend what would you spend it on?

Dollies

If you could have a wish what would it be?

Dresses, jewelry, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces

Sawyer at 2 years old

2016-08-04T13:52:00.000-06:00

Our little guy turned two in May. He brings so much love and joy to our lives as well as frustration and a lesson in patience. He is all boy, and is growing and learning so much every day. It's so fun to watch their language and comprehension develop as well as all those connections they've been making to come to life in their actions and words.

Sawyer's vocabulary has really started to pick up and he attempts to repeat most everything. Although, he is a much later talker than Ryder he reminds me a lot of his speech development. As did Ryder, when he repeats a word it is very clear. Every day he's adding new words to his list of spontaneous word bank. I can't list all of his words but here's a shot: mama, dada, me, you, Bubba, Sissy, dog, truck(uck), ball, blue, purple, color, drink(ink), Papa, Zoe, Porter(Poe Poe), Night, Love you, shoe, sock, poop, pee, bath, outside, moe moe (motorcycle), Yesss, no, done, more, yellow, hi, down, cheese, milk, good, gone, zoo, and car. He knows common animal sounds and vehicle sounds and has an amazing fire truck siren sound.

Sawyer sleeps well through the night. He goes to bed around 7:00 and is up anytime between 6 - 7 in the morning. He still sleeps with his monkey and elephant and loves those lovies. He naps between 1 and 3 hours every afternoon.

Sawyer is still a good eater, but most recently has decided once he is done he is done and wants down immediately. He just can't wait to go play so I think he is consuming less than he was a couple months ago. I actually don't think he is completely finished, but you can't tell him that. We are working on keeping him at the table until everyone is finished, but sometimes he is so stubborn he has to go sit in his room until we are done so he is not so disruptive to everyone's meal. His favorite foods are: fruit, cheese, hard boiled eggs, hummus, cottage cheese (his most favorite), mac and cheese, pizza, cucumbers, peppers, and of course sweets. Other than those he will usually try whats in front of him, but doesn't have tons of extreme preferences. He is not really into bread, crackers, or meats of any kind.

He is growing and developing just as he should be. It's nice that he continues to put on weight and height and move up a tad on the growth charts. At his 2 year check-up he was 27.1 lbs (55%) and 35 12 inches (80%). He is in 24 month or 2T clothing and will probably move up this fall or winter into 3T as most items are starting to get snug or not snap easily.

He loves to play! Outside is his favorite and prefers to be outside to any other activity. What he lacks for in language he definitely makes up for in gross motor skills. He is very sturdy on his feet and can climb, jump, throw balls, kick, and keep up well with his siblings. He loves water and swimming. He loves balls and vehicles of any kind and will typically play with those most often. He plays well with his siblings; although, does best when he is one-on-one with one of them. He really enjoys books and I often catch him pulling out quite a few and reading to himself. He still wants me to read the same books over and over again and I try to comply as often as possible, but oh boy do I get tired of reading the same ones. His favorites are: "Goodnight Construction Sight" "Go Train Go" "Goodnight Arizona, or Colorado, or Montana," "Goodnight Moon," any sound book, or some simple word books we have with animals or vehicles in them. He enjoys coloring or stickers and usually wants to do whatever it is I'm doing with the older two.

He is crying less in Sunday school and at the Y daycare (I bribed him with candy) and is starting to interact with other kids more often. He loves his people and his dogs! He is pretty obsessed with any animal and can't help but snuggle all dogs as much as I let him.

He is still very stubborn and likes to be in control. I don't think either of those will change so we just parent him as is. We are trying to be consistent with rules and has started doing lots of time outs (which he really dislikes). He throws more temper tantrums then the other two combined and will fight for his way until we are spent. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with him. He also likes routine and struggles if I try to deviate from his normal way of doing things. I'm still hopeful as he gets older it will at least be easier to reason with him and as him communication grows I'm sure some of the tantrums will stop.

He is such a fun energetic boy and we are always laughing at his different facial expressions. I love spending my day with him and can't wait to see him every morning when he wakes up and am more than ready for him to go to bed every night. He is such a great addition to our family and is very loved.

Summer Trip to Montana

2016-07-22T20:42:00.001-06:00

We got back recently from our summer trip to Montana. It is by far my favorite trip of the year for a couple reasons. One the weather is fine for driving and I don't have to stress that and two the kids literally play in my parent's backyard with friends and/or cousins the entire time and I get a little break from entertaining them ALL THE TIME.

The great thing about the weather being nice is it's easier to get the kids in and out of the car by myself on the drive. We don't have to worry about socks, coats, snow, or blistery Wyoming wind. On the way up I grabbed Subway and we ate at the park. It was a longer stop than usual but nice to let the kids run free outside for awhile. It's still really tricky for them to eat in the car especially the younger two, but as soon as they are more capable I will be feeding them meals in the car so they can just run when we stop. While we were eating our lunch Ryder did tell me, "Mom this is the best day ever, a picnic, play at the park, and driving to Montana!" Ha, he didn't realize we weren't even half way at that point.

Watching our car get an oil change before we left

We got to go swimming with the cousins which was a real treat especially for Rilyn. She thinks everything they do is amazing so Isaiah helped Rilyn perfect the cannonball.

We also had a busy day fishing. Definitely everyone's favorite part of visiting Montana The kids have so much fun and this time they got to splash around in the river.

Fourth of July was a lot of fun too. We had my grandparents and sister over for lunch and then we went to watch the firework show. It ended up being a really late night and I'm not sure if I will attempt that again with little kids but then I look at Ryder's face in the pictures and not sure I could deny him that chance again. He was amazed. Sawyer stayed up the entire time and during the fireworks he kept throwing up his arms as if he was the one putting the fireworks up in the sky.

It was a great trip and a lot of work. The kids had so much fun and it's always nice spending time with my family. The kids are already asking to go back.

June Moments

2016-07-06T14:17:00.001-06:00

We had a busy start to the summer. The kids did two full weeks of swim lessons with lessons being 4 days/week. That took up our whole morning most days as I would try to work out beforehand. In addition, the morning sickness/exhaustion was real and I struggled through May and June to just have enough energy to be a good mom.

The kids love swim lessons and are becoming good little swimmers. Sawyer just swims with me while the other two take lessons.

As if swim wasn't enough the older two also started baseball. I've definitely learned my lesson and will try to schedule less in the summer. I guess with school some things will have to happen in the summer but I'd like to keep them more open if I can.

The kids enjoyed a summer festival at our park which included hay rides, tug o'war, and giant pickles no one ate and mom just carried around for a couple hours.

We've spent as much time as possible exploring our backyard and all the fun it has to offer.

We had a Decker family camping trip. I don't know if there is anything better than tents, campfires, and cousins. Well according to the kids lots of dirt might be the best.

Tyler and the older two are trying to make some money hosting a lemonade/popsicle/water stand during some heavy traffic times this summer while we have a festival happening. Tyler has spent hours preparing the kids and stuff and really is the best dad ever. It's so much work for him, but has committed to teach the kids financial responsibility early.

They worked up a business plan and purchased supplies.

The first day they made enough money to cover all their expenses with lots of inventory left, but the second day only profited $3.00. We have a few weekends left of this festival so fingers crossed they makes some money. Rilyn is hoping for a mermaid barbie and Ryder a puzzle. They've realized how much work it is to make money and I think it's been an eye opener in the sense that making money is not easy.

Our amazing fire fighters stopped by to buy some cold drinks and show off their truck.

It's really hard not to drink or eat the yummy inventory...especially for Ryder

Just some random June fun...

Spending June with these 3 cuties...YES PLEASE!

Sawyer's Second Birthday

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Sawyer turned 2 on May 3rd! He was very excited about his birthday this year and kept telling us he was 2. He also had a strong preference to go to the zoo even with his older siblings trying to give him other ideas he kept saying he wanted to go to the zoo!

Daddy scheduled his work from home day that day so although he couldn't go to the zoo got to be a part of all our other fun happenings.

He woke up to balloons in his crib, which may have been his favorite part of his day!

Chocolate Chip waffles were on the birthday menu that morning.

Opening up a couple of presents

And off to Sawyer's activity of choice...the zoo!

We had grandma and grandpa Decker and great grandma over for dinner, cake, and ice cream. Sawyer loves trucks so his cake was filled with his favorite toys to play with after eating.

Notice anything wrong with this picture?? Pregnancy brain started early this time around. I actually bought the candle looking for a number one....ugh.

He had a great birthday. They are so easy to please at 2 and it was nice to keep it low key and just what Sawyer wanted.