Happy Easter!!

I should have known that Easter baskets would mean I couldn't sleep in but somehow that didn't occur to me until I had children bounding in my room at 7am. At least they liked what was in them.

Brendan got race cars for his wall track (which promptly ran out of batteries today).

I got Eva a sticker book with reusable animal stickers. I didn't see her for over an hour.

Darby received a royal family set for her castle. She gave them silly names like Princess Willy Jilly and such.

Paige got a set of shape sorting eggs that squeaked. The funny thing is that the eggs got played with the most today . . . by the BIG kids. I don't get it but baby toys seem to be the ultimate. Silly children.

After lunch everyone dressed up in their new Easter dresses or their Easter tie. It was too cute. I love my kiddos.

The musical numbers during sacrament were excellent and really helped me to feel the spirit of this Easter day. I am glad I had the opportunity to reflect on the Savior's resurrection and all it means to me. Happy Easter to all (and here's one more picture to make you smile)!

First steps

I was so hoping that Paige would walk before Jason left. And she did! After a little coaxing (promise of getting to hold the iPhone), she took four steps to Daddy. It made him happy and she was so proud.

Daddy and the girls

These pictures were taken the Sunday before Jason left. I have a group of Daddy's girls, that's for sure.

And he even agreed to read The Giving Tree to them, even though it gets him all choked up. What a nice daddy.

Sports Box

Jason has a friend here whose practice has box seats to the FireAntz hockey games. His family invited ours last Friday. I have never been to a hockey game much less have box seats. Let me tell you that it is the only way to see a game with 4 young kids.

There was a living room type part of the area with food. That was where my kids meandered in and out and back to watch to game in the stadium. And where I was able to hang out with Paige who wanted to crawl everywhere.
Eva and Darby loved the cheerleaders' dancing and the show between periods. Brendan loved that the team came in to the Star Wars theme and that Star Wars characters were part of the show. At one point a mascot of some sort (not the Fire Ant) came into the box to say hi to the kids. I thought he looked weird but the kids liked it. Well, except Paige who felt that same way I did.

Since the game was so late we left midway through (at 9pm) but I totally could've stayed longer. I wish I'd gotten to watch more hockey but such is life with little kids. I did enjoy watching them have fun.

Leaving

Jason is leaving for two months for some training in San Antonio. Today he was packing. Darby came into the room with her suitcase.
"I go with you, Daddy?"

Round two

For a while now I have noticed a change in Eva's speech and hearing. At first is was slurred words or unclear consonants. Then it was that I could sneak up on her every time I walked into a room and her back was turned. Lately I have noticed her singing the wrong words to songs we have recently learned and her asking me to turn on the radio when it's already on in the car.
Her appointment with an ENT was today. It is the same doctor who did her surgery two years ago. The hearing test was first and then we saw him. He showed me her results. Her hearing was 45 decibels off from where it should be and her ears are filled with fluid. He called the stuff in her ears "glue fluid" and said its hard to suction out. He wanted to put new tubes in and soon. So her surgery is on Tuesday.
It won't be as bad as that time because its just tubes, not tubes and adenoids and tonsils. She should be back to normal within the day and her hearing and speech should improve immediately.
I'm so grateful for modern medicine but I do feel bad for my little girl. She's been walking around hearing the world with plugs in her ears. It's pretty amazing that she's doing as well in school as she is. Sounding out words must be hard when you can't hear.

Hats and hoods

My kids LOVE to put things on their heads - hats, hoods, crowns, beanies, bowls . . .