Two Thumbs Up

Guess who decided he didn't want to suck his thumb anymore?!  Yep, this guy...

The other day we were reading scriptures before bed, and Trevor was sitting next to me and laying his head on me. He started nodding off, and I thought it was strange that he wasn't sucking his thumb. I pointed it out to Rob and he said he noticed one time that he wasn't sucking his thumb at a time that he normally would be. When Rob put him to bed the next day, Trevor just snuggled up in his covers and didn't suck his thumb. It's been a few days so I wanted to see if it was just a fluke that he hasn't been doing it. This morning I asked him if he sucks his thumb. "Nope," was his reply. I asked him why not and he said, "I just don't want to anymore." Okay, we'll roll with that.

Nine years ago...

this sweet, beautiful, little (only 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 18 inches) red-headed baby joined our family...

 Yep, still sweet, beautiful, and red-headed!

(but not so little...in fact, she is about a head taller than most of her friends!)

I am so thankful for Brynlee.  She is my little mommy.  She is the first to get Olivia when she is crying, loves to play with and entertain Trevor, and loves her dolls.  She really is sweet and very thoughtful (and also very stubborn...let's not forget the color of her hair!).  Last night when I asked her if she wanted me to bring in a treat for her class for her birthday at lunch or at the end of school, she said at lunch so she could play with Trevor at recess.  When we walked in the cafeteria, she ran up to Trevor and scooped him up in a big hug.  How cute is that?!  And it's also pretty normal for her.  Those two have a special bond.  She loves to play school with him and teaches him letter sounds and addition.  Then they come to me to show me what Trevor has learned and she is so excited that he is so smart!  When we are with extended family, you can usually find Brynlee playing with the little ones.  It's no wonder that the two things she wants to be when she grows up are a teacher and a mom.

Happy 9th Birthday, Brynlee!

Christmas in AZ: A Stop in Kingman, AZ

On our way home, one of our stops was in Kingman.  It was time for Olivia to eat and the kids needed to get out and play after a 3 hour stretch of driving.  We've stopped here before when going the "Vegas way" to Phoenix and remembered this fun train and Historic Route 66 museum.

 

While I was in the car feeding Olivia, a few other families also stopped and took pictures and went on their way. Trevor decided to make friends with one of the families.  It was hilarious watching him talk to them.  His body language is very expressive.  I can only imagine what he was telling them, one hand on his hip and the other waving around in the air.   Pretty sure it involved animals. The conversation probably started on the topic of pigeons since there was one walking around the train. When Olivia was fed, I got out to rescue the family from Trevor's non-stop, one-sided conversation. All they said was, "Wow, he is fascinating."

Olivia's New Trick

When we were at Jeremy & Clytie's house, I went to check on Olivia during one of her naps.  Is there a thumbsucking gene?   If there is, 4 of the 5 kids have it.  Do you notice where her binkie is?

Yes, that thumb was quickly replaced by a binkie.

And yet again during a nap at Grandma's.

Guess what Santa put in her stocking?  They're even pink and purple to distinguish from all the other "hospital" binkies belonging to the cousins her age.

I still find her every once in a while with her thumb in her mouth while she is sleeping.  Maybe that's why she's been sleeping for 10 hours straight during the night the last couple of nights.  Having dealt with breaking that habit with two children (and still working on the third), you better believe I will be putting that binkie back in every time.

Christmas in AZ: A Day at the Park

The day after Christmas we went to play at the park and enjoy the gorgeous weather.  We're talking highs in the upper 60s/low 70s!  And look at that beautiful sky!

The kids played on the playground for a few minutes and then played 500 with Landon's new football. Brynlee soon gravitated toward the trees. I shouldn't be surprised.

The rest of the kids soon followed...yes, even Ashlee.

Little monkeys.

Moving on to the big guns and feeling at home in the giant pine tree. Ashlee got really brave and said she made it "within like a yard of the top!"  I just smiled.

Can you spot her?

Christmas in AZ: Christmas Morning

Santa definitely worked his magic this year.  He brought just what the kids wanted. 

Bet you can't guess who all those animals are for.

Brynlee has been asking for a baby doll for the last few years.  I've always thought she was getting a little old for them but she REALLY wanted one.  Santa finally decided to fulfill her wish and even brought twins!

Landon = Legos.

Ashlee wanted a hammock-type swing that hangs from ceiling (she calls it a Hugglepod but this one is actually from IKEA) so she can curl up with a good book in her room.  Sure hope Santa checked to make sure there was an accessible beam in the ceiling in her room to hang it from!

Mirror mirror on the wall.  Who's the cutest baby of all?  Olivia is starting to become more aware of things around her.  You can tell she really tries to concentrate on things and hopefully this will encourage her to lift her head while doing tummy time and see that pretty little face.

The girls checking out the songs on Just Dance for Kids 2. 

Here's a little review....do not buy it!  The kids really like the first one so I thought we'd get the second one.  The song list had some good songs, but after trying it out on the Wii, I wish I hadn't bought it...errr, I wish Santa hadn't brought it.

Landon will have to wait to use this snowboard...even Utah didn't get snow for Christmas. 

His panda can try it out first.

Mary Anne made this fleece blanket for Grandpa.  Perfect for the dedicated scouter he is!

After opening presents and eating sausage egg "McMuffins" made by Grandpa and Grandma, we got ready for church and enjoyed a nice worship service centered on the Savior.  I think I'm going to start a petition to have Christmas always be on Sunday (like Thanksgiving is always on Thursday).  Anyone want to sign it?


Rob's sister, Cheryl, let us borrow this cute outfit for Olivia...so festive!  These days her hands are constantly in her mouth and she is so wiggly so after 19 attempts (trust me, I counted), here are a couple of the best ones. It helps when you hold her hands down and crop your hand out of the photo :)

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a joyous and prosperous new year!

Christmas in AZ: Christmas Eve

My mom had grand plans of making mini gingerbread houses for the grandkids, but a stomach bug found its way to their house the week before Christmas (and luckily was gone by the time we arrived!) so the gingerbread didn't get made.  Hey, graham crackers work just as well!

Ashlee's finished house.  I love Santa and the reindeer.

Brynlee's finished house, complete with bushes made of Reese's Peanut Butter cups and green m&m's.

Landon's finished house.  He's got a flower pattern theme going on.

Little Gingerbread village.  I didn't get an individual shot of Trevor's but his is on the left.

New Christmas Eve jammies (and some not-so-happy little ones)

Canon, Trevor, Olivia, Ashlee, Emmett, Brynlee, Landon and Sadie

The pj's weren't totally matchy-matchy, but after a couple of shopping trips to pretty much every clothing store to find all of the right sizes, I soon realized an unintentional theme of polar bears and penguins.

 

Olivia chillin' with Grandpa after the others had gone to bed.

Looks like the house is ready for Santa to work his magic...

Christmas in AZ: Meeting New Cousins

On our way down to my parents' house for Christmas, we stopped in Phoenix for a couple of days to hang out with my siblings that live there since they weren't going down to SV for Christmas.  We got to meet two of the three new Kovacs cousins: Austin (Jeremy & Clytie's, born in August) and Jace (David & Noel's, born in September).

Then once we got to SV, we met this little guy, Emmett (Mary Anne & Dusty's born in October).

Being with my family sure makes me wish we all lived closer, but they would definitely have to move up here because I'm not too sure I can handle the AZ heat, although the topic of being snowbirds did come up more than once between me and Rob.

Trevor's 4th Birthday

How on earth can my cute little blonde boy be FOUR?!  Time is flying by way too fast, and I often get teary eyed thinking about how fast my kids are growing up.

Trevor can still be summed up with one word...animals! He eats, breathes, and talks animals. Just today after Primary his new teacher came up to me after class and said she has never met someone his age with so much knowledge about animals. Pretty much if you talk to Trevor, you'd better be ready to carry on a conversation about gazelles, bush babies, meerkats, peacocks, Peregrine falcons, red squirrels, or let's face it, pretty much any animal that has ever existed. And if you try to change the subject, he won't allow it. Thank you, Wild Kratts (and Grandma Barton for his animal books that he quizzes me on everyday). Brynlee also feeds his animal addiction by checking out a library book just for him from school every week.

We celebrated on his birthday with a snake cake per his request. He got a new bike (that he will have to wait at least 4 months to ride, unless we have some amazingly, abnormally warm weather in good old Cache Valley before then) and Grandma Barton put together a scrapbook of his first four years.

Yeah, don't ask... (this is what happens when mom is taking pictures and dad is in charge of cutting the cake)

The day was just a little hectic and I had forgotten that his bike still needed to be put together.  Rob wrapped the box up in an animal print blanket...hey, whatever works.

Handy dandy daddy had it put together in no time.

The next morning we left for Arizona to spend Christmas with my family.  Maybe we should have brought his bike with us because it was plenty warm there...oh wait, there was no room.  My sister, Mary Anne, was gracious enough to take fabulous pictures of my kids since my two attempts at getting a good picture of them in Logan for a Christmas card failed miserably (and sadly, it was because of the little stinker of whom this post is all about!)  He was all smiles for Mary Anne, though.  I guess he was more in his element in the grasslands as he pretended he was a cheetah stalking his prey.  Looks like he caught it!