Do They Look Alike, Or What?!

This first picture is a picture of my mom . . . she and Owen look so much alike!

Don't you think?!

Owen Is Four Months

Our cute little Owen is 4 months old! These four months have flown by. I know I say it over and over - but he isn't a newborn anymore! He is a BABY! UGH - where has the time gone?! Owen is the sweetest, happiest, cuddliest baby and I absolutley ADORE him. A lot of the time I sit at night and hold him while he sleeps because he brings sanity back to me after a busy and chaotic day. He helps me refocus on the important things and feel that peace that so often babies bring to this earth.

This month Owen:

weighs 15 lbs. 9 oz (61%)

is 25 3/5 inches tall (89%)

sleep from 10pm to about 5:30am

rolls over from tummy to back

has rolled over from back to tummy once

loves to sit up in his Bumbo seat

loves to nap in his swing

will fall asleep almost instantly when he is swaddled

smiles ALL the time

giggles when we play patty-cake and wiggles his arms

loves the swimming pool

is wearing 6 month clothes already
is a total Momma's boy!

Beautiful Chaos

Let me give you an idea about my past week:

To start the week off on Monday, I went into the garage to load stuff into the car to find that Jack locked me out. No keys. No cell phone. Nothing. I literally ran from house to house trying to find someone home to let me use their phone to call Jason to come home. I could see Owen on the floor in the living room through the front door and I could see Jack panicking as well. He "somehow" got my keys off the counter and kept trying to use them from the inside out. He was crying, Owen was crying, I was crying. It was, ya know, the stuff your nightmares are made of. Not being able to get to your kids. I was finally able to get a hold of my mom who brought a key over and let me in after about 30 minutes of being locked outside. When I opened the door I found Jack in his room, curled up with his blanket and sobbing, "Where's my mommy?" It broke my heart.
As if that weren't enough, our car air conditioning went out, I received an insane bill for Owen's hospital stay and got Jury Duty.

And that was just Monday.

The rest of the week pretty much went down hill from there.

It was a rough one.

On Friday Jack was bouncing off the walls and driving me nuts. He was teasing Owen and making him cry. I had a list a mile long of things to do and kept having to "redirect" Jack.

It was chaos.

I was super discouraged thinking, "This is it?! This is the glory of family life?"

Then I had a thought.

It was beautiful chaos.

One of the wonderful blessings that has come out of our experience with Gavin is a sense of what is truly important. When I complain to Jason about being smothered by my boys and not having any "me" space, he reminds me of how badly I wanted little hands and hugs after Gavin had passed away. I was so lonely and wanted to have that chaos.

And so, even though the house is a disaster, the children are crying, there are dishes in the sink, dinner sucks, I am over loaded with work and chores and other responsibilities - I am grateful for this beautiful chaos around me.

Ask Jack About Swimming Lessons . . . I Dare You.

After two weeks of swimming lessons, we are finished. I can't say Jack is a little fish yet . . . he will still need some more practice. At least he now knows to swim to the wall of the pool if he were to fall in.

However, if you ask Jack about his swimming lessons this is what he will say . . .

"I barfed in the pool! Two times!"

Yup, that's right. Jack barfed in the pool two times because he swallowed too much water and cried too much.

I love that I paid all that money and that is what stands out in his mind.

Oh well. I guess we always have next year!

Some "Bathroom" Talk

Today Jack had to have a G.I. test done. Jack has some serious (I am gonna say THAT word) poop issues. We just can't get him to go. It is pretty much a control issue. Shocking, right? Jack have control issues? Nooo! heh heh heh

Anyway, due to the fact that he doesn't "go" often he has very little appetite which has bumped him off the growth chart . . . on the smaller end. He is two years old and weighs only 24 pounds. So, after much consideration and months of the power struggle to make him "go" we decided to take him to a G.I. specialist who suggested this test to locate any potential structural abnormalities. The test came back normal which was a relief, but now we know it is a power-issue for Jack.

It broke my heart to see him in this little hospital gown so afraid. Poor guy! The test was quick and fairly painless, but I made sure to give him lots of hugs and kisses the rest of the day.

Happy Father's Day

President N. Eldon Tanner explained, "It is a joyous privilege and blessing and a heavy responsibility, to be the father and the patriarchal head of a family, with the challenge to teach and prepare its members to go back into the presence of their Heavenly Father, where the family can continue to enjoy eternal life together." (Jason and Gavin)

(Jack, Jason and Owen)

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing fathers, grandpas, uncles, friends and fathers to be. I have been blessed in my life to be surrounded by wonderful fathers!

I knew when I married Jason he would be a wonderful father.

He has proven that over and over.

He loves all three of his boys so much and I am so grateful my boys have a father blessed with so much kindness, patience and love.

I have watched him make incredible sacrifices for his boys.

I have watched him do things that no father should have to do.

I have seen him give baby blessings and blessings of comfort and healing.

I have seen him have the faith to release his son's spirit to return to our Heavenly Father.

And then continue in life with faith.

I have seen him work hard everyday to provide a living for our family in this difficult economy.

I have seen him serve faithfully in busy church callings and provide service to others.

Most of all, I have seen him show unconditional love to our children.

They all adore him.

And so do I.

Friday Fun

Today was a fun Friday!

We stayed in our pj's all day, played with puzzles, colored and made banana bread.

Jack's Swim Lessons

We are back at swim lessons! Jack HATED swim lessons last year and screamed through every lesson. The first three lessons this year were the same and I was starting to lost hope. Then today Jack surprised me and did SO well! Apparently he just wants to be able to play with his instructor's hat and swim rings! Easy enough bribe!

Tummy Time With Owen

Don't you just love the furrowed brow he gets?

Brothers

Since Jason's new church calling has come along, I have been trying to think of fun things to do to occupy the boys' time. It has been more than a little intense a few of these evenings trying to keep up with a two year old and a baby . . . but Jack is learning to be such a help! He sure loves his "Baby Owah."

Owen's First Hair Cut

We finally gave Owen a haircut.

He needed it.

BAD!

Poor kiddo is losing hair on the sides and back but the hair on top keeps growing!

We didn't want him to start looking like Gollum (you know . . . from Lord of the Rings?)

Bonnie Springs

Last Saturday we took Jack and Owen to Bonnie Spring up Red Rock Canyon.

Lucky Jack got to be a train conductor AND a cowboy in the VERY SAME DAY!

He is still talking about it . . .