December recap

December came and went, and seriously...where did it go? Besides it already being the busiest month of the year, we had family in town to see, a party to plan, and Christmas to be had. We survived and are finally going to tell about it. And in no particular order.

The leaves all finally fell off the neighbors tree. Hey, who needs a rake when you can use the blower?!

My brother Shan's family was in the live nativity out at Tuacahn so the boys and I braved the freezing cold and went to watch. I love doing that every year, it's one of the things that helps us remember the important part of Christmas.

Ok, so I didn't get any pictures of them in the show with my camera, but the boys thought this part was super cool.

Noah was a wise man in our ward Christmas party Nativity. For about 10 seconds Cutler was a sheep.

We celebrated my Grandma Carter's 80th birthday for our family Christmas party. It's always so much fun to see all of our family.

Lexie figured out she could crawl under the tree to the back corner where nobody could get to her. It was one of her favorite places to go.

Another attempt at kids' pictures. We actually did get a pretty cute one. Just imagine...10 kids...7 years old and younger...10:00 in the morning...40 degrees...outside. It took coming back in the afternoon to finally get something.

And we had a baby shower for Melanie. Here are all the little girls together. Hallie 15 months, Reese 13 months, Lexie 11 months.

one year old

Our little sweetheart is ONE year old. Man, time flies. Prepare yourself for a picture overload...I just thought she was so cute.

First, we took her pictures in Sherie's dress. She wore it, her girls all wore it, and now the granddaughters have all worn it when they turned one. Lexie is very lucky gramma Sherie shared this with her.

Second...the birthday party!!

We transformed the house into a Winter One-derland. It was oh so cute, and wintery.

We got her this chair and she just climbed right up into it and thought it was the greatest thing ever. She still loves it so that's a good thing!

Opening presents

The Cake. Thank you gramma Sherie and aunt Stefanie.

This is about as much as she 'dove' into it.

the yummy cupcakes. Thanks again to aunt Stef.

Stats:

Weight: 17 lbs. 1 oz.  2%

Height: 29 inches  43%

*She is getting 2 more teeth right now. The next top ones.

*Loving the bink more and more.

*Not sleeping so well right now, but I'm convinced it's the teeth.

*Started throwing up in the night on Christmas Eve. Continued one or two times a day for the next 2 days.

*Will only walk if she's holding your fingers with both hands.

*Has to be rocked to sleep.

*Says mama, dada, and be (for bear)

*She absolutely loves a soft bear, dog, or baby. And has to have one to love as soon as she gets out of bed.

*Still very serious.

*And starting to throw tantrums if she gets mad enough.

*She's a total momma's girl. But loves her dad so much she gets shy when he comes around her.

*Loves to play with a phone.
*She's the cuddliest little girl ever...and we all love to take advantage of it.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Sunday

Video from Santa

My friend Jessica had this on her blog, so I went to it and it was so awesome!! Go here to make a video for your child from Santa. It's so cute. I haven't shown my kids yet(they're already in bed) but I'm sure they will totally love it.

Underwear and no shoes!

Typical Santa picture. I love it!

Sorry, but ya get the stories too. #1 - For weeks now the kids have been telling us what they want for Christmas, and it's always the same things. Well for some reason we finally get to tell Santa what's on 'the list' and Cutler goes from a rhino clown car(4-wheeler rhino. the clowns drive them in the rodeo...whatever), to a green t-rex and underwear. I have NO idea where the underwear came from...but it's funny. Noah wants a r/c truck & r/c helicopter, and battleship. Lexie wants all things 'girly'. We only have boy toys at our house.

#2 - I decided to take the kids to get their picture during the day right after Noah got home from school, thinking the line wouldn't be very long. Lexie wouldn't keep one of her shoes on, she's figured out the velcro and loves to play with it. Anyway, I took the shoe off to make sure I didn't lose it. So we walk all the way through the dang forever long festival and get to Santa. They tell me I have to have a number and the wait is 30-40 minutes. I didn't know how I was going to entertain the kids for that long, so I debated just coming back later. As I'm debating, I realize Lexie has lost her other shoe. Holy crap!(as Cutler would say - which I'm pretty sure he did) So Janet takes Cutler and walks all the way back through to try and find it. While they're gone, the photographer tells me I can get my pictures because nobody else was waiting. Wull...Now I don't have all my kids!! Twice, they tell me. Finally, they come back, no shoe. Sad. So Lexie got her picture with no shoes . On our way back out, I just had to keep looking for it. That was the first time she had even worn them. I kept looking under the tables, and behind into the booths thinking someone had kicked it, not knowing. It finally hit me to look up on things, and as we came around a corner, it was sitting on a table. HALLELUJAH! 

This happened at the Jubilee of Trees, too. We looked and looked and finally found it on an easel. Someone had put it up there for us to find, thankfully!

11 months

Our baby girl is almost a year old. I totally canNOT believe it.

Things I want to remember:

~She finally started waving. But it has to be on her terms~

~About 2 days ago she finally started clapping on her own, too~

~Her 4th tooth, top right, finally broke through on Nov. 17th~

~She's getting 2 more top teeth right now~

~She is the worst eater. I'm hoping it's because of the teeth, and she grows out of it~

~She'll stand all by herself for about 10 seconds, until she realizes noone is helping her, then she v.e.r.y.s.l.o.w.l.y lowers herself to the floor~

~She walks along things, and when someone is holding her hands~
~She points with all 4 long skinny fingers together~
~We are very slowly weaning from formula. I just bought 3 giant cans, we're down to 1 1/2 so we're taking our time.~
~I don't know how to get rid of the bottle. Or the bink. Not sure I'm ready to get rid of the bink. I know she's not!~

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Colby told me I couldn't put very many on here cause then you'd know what your Christmas card will look like. So here's a teeny tiny sneak peek.

Thanks Tiff!! We absolutely LOVE what we've seen tonight!! You're the best!

Oh, my! I can't wait to see the rest of them.

Go here or here to check out more of her amazing photos.

I think it's safe!!?

It's been about a month now, so I think it's pretty safe to say...

 Miracles really do Happen! Dreams really do come True!!

Cutler is potty trained!

Someone once told me that one day he would just start going all by himself. There was no way in the world, after all the time it was taking, I believed it. But...one day I was running some errands, and the kids were home with Colby. When I got back he told me that while he was doing whatever it was he was doing, Cutler left and he couldn't find him. He was looking all over, and he finally found him in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet. And he's never looked back! He still wears a pull-up at night, but we still let him have his sippy to go to sleep (super bad habit - don't ever do it!) He's only had 2 accidents.

I just can't believe it's finally happened. I thought the kid would go to Kindergarten in a diaper. Honestly. What I think has helped though is him being in school and watching the other kids go on their own. And, the day before Colby found him on the toilet I took Cutler to the dollar store and bought a package of beads. When we got home I got out 2 jars - one empty, one full of beads. I told him that each time he went pee in the toilet he could put a bead in the jar, and 2 beads for pooping. If he had an accident he had to take the same amount of beads out for whatever accident it was. Also, because he likes to watch so much t.v., I made it so that he had to pay for a show with a bead. If he had too many accidents and there weren't any beads, then there was no t.v. And once he got 20 beads he got a new toy, his choice.

I don't really know what actually did the trick, but whatever it was it worked!!

10 months + a week

In all our craziness this little beauty turned 10 months old. She seriously brings so much joy to us - all of us. The boys are still just as crazy about her as Colby & I are.

*She has her dad wrapped right around her little finger - bad!
*She is standing up to everything. Not taking steps, but lets go for just a second.
*On Nov. 2 (in the middle of the night) her 3rd tooth broke through. Top left.
*She won't wave, clap, or do any of those tricks. And she points with all of her fingers.
*She dances (bounces up and down) when she hears music.
*She's suffering from some separation anxiety right now. Whenever she sees me or Colby walk out of a room, she cries. Funny, sad, annoying - all together.
*She always sits like this when she's playing

I love it!!

*She hates being strapped in to things: car seat, stroller, high chair, etc...
*Besides the teething, and a little cold she's dealing with right now, she's still a fairly happy little girl.

We love you Lexie Lu!!

Colby's deer

Opening morning was the biggest joke ever! I've hunted most of my life, not always the rifle hunt, but still...I have never seen so many hunters in one place on the first day. I bet in just the little area we were in, there were at least 50 hunters that came through in the first 3 hours of the hunt. Unbelievable. No kill for any of us that morning. That night, Kent, Colby & I went to a different area and didn't see one deer. Colby, Kent and Dave went another night and that's when Colby got his.

I probably hunted more this year than almost any other year. It's hard when you're the mom, and there's kids at home. My mom was super helpful and watched the kids on opening day - morning & night. One night we took the kids, and I think Makayla took them one night. I can't even remember. Needless to say, I didn't get one. But, I wasn't going to shoot a spike, and that's all I saw. I told Colby I'm done for a few years, I need my kids to be a little older and not so dependant on others. So it's 'points only' for me for a while. We'll just let the men be the hunters.

Happy Halloween!

From our home to yours...

There's no place like it!

Labrum Halloween party

We've been doing this for a few years, and it's so much fun. We all go up to Doug & Janet's place in Pine Valley and just have a great time. When we first get there, we carve the pumpkins, then we usually eat yummy homemade chili and hot cider. This year we were all suppose to bring up a game...Brett brought bowling -

and the winner was...Cutler! He won silly string and he's never seen it before. He got the biggest kick out of it.

Kristen's family always does funny things. But she read a scary story! It was great. (I know the picture stinks...sorry)

There's alwasy a 'Guess how many?' game. The winner...Cutler!

And of course the donut on a string. My kids love this one.

Noah's got it down. Hey, no hands!

Cutler will do whatever it takes

And even I got in on this one. And I won!!

And finally, before we all leave, we have to see the pumpkins all lit up!

Thanks for the great party!

Noah's party

Since Noah's birthday was on a Saturday this year, we got up and had a yummy breakfast, then let him open his presents from us. The kid is always trying to do magic tricks, so I found this magic kit so he can learn lots of new ones. He was so excited!

For his party we took 9 kids bowling. It was fun for the kids, and stressful for us. But they had a good time, and that's what matters.

After bowling we came back to the house for pizza, presents and cake.

I don't have the pictures of presents, but he got some great ones from all his friends, and grandparents.

In the back of my head I keep telling myself I was a lazy, boring party mom this year for Noah. I have this guilty feeling because it wasn't all great and glorious like I try to do...but this year I just wasn't feeling it. But, the reality of it is this...the party is for the kids and they don't care whether it's a huge glamorous thing or not, they just want presents and treats. So that's what they got.

Happy 7th, Noah McKay

This dude's birthday was today, and boy was it HIS birthday! Noah has turned into such the young man. Sounds kinda funny to say that about a 7 year old, but big boy just doesn't cut it for him anymore. He is the best big brother, always looking out for Lexie and such a good sport with Cutler. He has started reading to Cutler every night and Cutler thinks that's just the greatest. I'm pretty sure Noah thinks it's kinda cool, too. Whenever he can, he likes being his dad's sidekick. And he is the biggest help around the house for me.
Noah, it's so sad for all of us to watch you grow up, but at the same time fun seeing you learn all kinds of new things. We love you buddy, and hope you had a fun birthday!

9 months...& photo shoot sneak peak

stats:

15 lb. 3 oz. (3%)  

27 inches (31%)

• You still only have 2 teeth, and no sign of any new ones coming anytime soon.
• You think you're too big for baby food. And since you only have 2 teeth, it makes meal time very hard.
• And since you're not eating as good, you're not sleeping as good either. Up sometimes 4 or 5 times a night.
• You're into everything, and standing up to everything.
• You love seeing pictures of your brothers and yourself.
• You l-o-v-e being outside.
• Right now you are loving all the fall and especially the Halloween decorations.

Now, for the sneak peak...

we tried and tried to get some super cute pictures, and we got a few, but we have to do re-takes on the outside photos. It was so windy, Lexie could barely keep her balance, and her hair was all over the place. And the inside ones, she just didn't really cooperate. I swear she knows when we're doing a photo shoot. She gets so serious, and will smile for almost nothing. Frustrating. But she's still the cutest ever!