Holiday Happenings
Saturday, December 17, 2011 - Posted by Sunny - 1 comments

It all started the Saturday after Thanksgiving when Hyrum could wait no longer for a tree and we got ready to go to the local tree lot to get one. It was nice to be getting a tree during the day light and when it wasn't so bitterly cold. Hyrum was doling out hats to all of us and picked out the santa hat for Derek. Thinking he'd rather wear another hat I told Hyrum that I wanted that one. I was doing something else when I heard Derek laugh. I looked up and asked what was so funny. Derek told Hyrum to tell me what he'd just said.

"You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit."

"That's right, Hyrum" ( thinking "Wow he's finally getting it. Yahoo!" )

Then I took a closer look at Derek, and started to laugh. He was wearing a child's German hat that probably fits Noah or Hyrum perfectly right now. Derek...not so much. But after that lecture, how could Derek refuse so off we went with our hats on to pick a tree.

The hat actually started to grow on Derek and by the end he decided that it was going to be his official tree hunting hat.



We'll see if he feels the same next year.

This will be our last year (hopefully) loading a gigantic tree onto our tiny car. It's always an adventure. We always take the back roads and worry all the way home.


But once we had it up and decorated the car ride was forgotten. We've all but abandoned the idea of a coordinated tree. Our boys just love to see their past ornaments. I love to see mine too. We wouldn't have enough ornaments to be coordinated these days anyway.


Our next door neighbors moved up to Salt Lake City right after Thanksgiving and we decided that we would go up to see them and hit temple square for the lights. It was really cold so when we got onto temple square we went into the visitors center to warm up a bit and squeezed up to see the Christus.


There were a lot of people up there. Pretty much everywhere we went we felt a bit like cattle. I guess that's what you get for going up on a Saturday night. We'll have to try a Thursday next time.


This was Hyrum's favorite part. He was fascinated by the little light balls on the water.

The boys loved it. We'll have to make more of an effort to make it up there every year. We'll just have to remember how busy it is on Saturday. Of course most days are busy when the lights are on.

When we went to get Hyrum's pictures taken we noticed this Christmas tree lot where they had made an old truck into Mater from 'Cars'. Noah is head over heels in love with 'Cars' this year so I thought he would like meeting Mater in the rusty steel. He was a little hesitant.


He warmed up to the idea a little.


As we were leaving with Hyrum's pictures we noticed that we'd gotten pictures with Mater without his hat on. We had to get another picture from the car.


At the annual Ward Christmas they had a Santa Claus and Hyrum literally ran without me up to see him. he was so excited that he was hugging and bouncing around with his friends that were near him. Noah wasn't so sure but by the time we got up to see the big guy he was feeding off Hyrum's excitement.




I was proud of both my boys they sat on his lap and spoke very clearly both saying what they wanted and that they were good boys. Not sure how we got such confident social boys when we were both so painfully shy. I don't imagine I ever said much to Santa in my day.

Throughout the holidays I would frequently find my boys like this


My parents gave us a prerecorded book about the first Christmas that they "read" to the boys. They both loved it. Especially since Mema and Papa were reading it to them.


Factory
Wednesday, December 07, 2011 - Posted by Sunny - 3 comments
Last Friday was the day that Hyrum was waiting for for a long time. He couldn't wait to see the baby. He was CONVINCED that it was a girl. When I asked him why he thought it was a girl he said "Because we don't have one yet" Sounded like a good enough reason to me. I'd long since given up on trying to guess what gender the baby was. I went back and forth. As we drove to the doctors Derek asked Hyrum what would happen if it was a boy. He was quickly informed that the baby was a girl.

We went in for the ultrasound and Hyrum was fascinated by the little feet and legs. He thought it was really cool to watch the little heart beat and was confused by the skeletal face. He laughed at the baby doing somersaults

Do you see what's going on in this picture? I've never seen this in an ultrasound.

Then the tech told us that it was a boy. Hyrum was so mad. He moped through the rest of the ultrasound. As we left to go to my appointment Derek tried to convince him that another boy was a good thing by telling him that he, Noah and the new baby could be "The Three Musketeers" and have swords. That didn't work immediately.

After my appointment we were walking out and Hyrum stopped dead in his tracks and said "WAIT! Where's the baby!?" He thought we were taking the baby home today and it's a good thing he didn't want to leave him there. :)

Telling my family was pretty scary as well since everyone was really hoping for a girl. My mom even sent me a pink giraffe to take to the ultrasound for good luck. What's funny is that my parents were in a theater watching the movie The Three Musketeers when we called. Funny!

So we remain the boy factory. We can't decide if that means we're just really good at it or we haven't gotten it right yet. I have to say that when we were starting our family I really thought we'd have a lot of boys. Now for where we're going to put his clothes and how we'll get him around with the whole family.


First Field Trip
Thursday, December 01, 2011 - Posted by Sunny - 0 comments
I've seen blog posts about field trips to fire stations and was excited about Hyrum going to his field trip to a fire station.


But really the most exciting thing for me was watching Hyrum interact with his classmates and see him in a more classroom environment. When we first got there the kids were gathering in the main foyer and as boys would get there Hyrum would beckon to them and pat the carpet beside him inviting them to sit by him. It warmed my heart.


After a short introduction they were lead into the garage of the fire station where Fireman Daryl talked to them about fire safety.


He was right down on the ground with them reviewing key points and showing them his gear.


I decided at one point that taking flash pictures wasn't the best idea.


He put all of his fire gear on to show them what a fireman would look like coming to a house fire because it would be alarming to a scared child and warned them not to hide.


He gave the kids a chance to try on his fire clothes and a few did but Hyrum wanted nothing to do with that.

As soon as we walked into the garage with the fire engines Noah said "Fire! Fire! Fire!" I didn't even know that he knew anything about fire engines. Go figure.


After the fire safety presentation we walked over to the ambulance to get further instruction but not before getting out the wiggles. I was the only mom getting wiggles out with the kids. :) When they walked over to the ambulance the EMT's didn't have them sit down


but when their teacher came over ( with much more experience with children) she had the kids sit down immediately and they were given much more attention after that.


They showed the kids how they checked for oxygen in their blood


And their motorized gurney. And strapped one of them to a backboard to show them what might happen.


Upon seeing this Noah just kept saying "Uh oh Momma! Uh oh Momma!"

They even got to take a ride on the gurney

and get into the ambulance

(For some reason Hyrum could NOT stop yawning.)

Then the police officer came to talk to them. He too had them stand but the kids were quickly seated when their teacher came. He showed them his taser gun.


and his police car


and his lights and sirens


Hyrum even got in to see the cage. Hope that's the last time he's in a police car.


He went home with a plastic fireman hat, pencil, sucker, coloring book, rubber glove that he wanted made into a balloon and a police badge sticker. It was a good day!