Frederick turns 2!

Oh, this boy. He's such a joy. A major handful, but such a joy.  He's soooo enthusiastic with life. If he thinks he hears a dog he'll look super serious and start chanting "doggy!" If he spies pictures of one of his siblings on the computer or our phone he'll get really excited and shout their name over and over again, pointing to the screen. One of his favorite games is to run back and forth across the largest room available.. but he can't do this alone, he wants someone to run with him and Gwen is usually a willing partner. He loves to play with cars, marbles, duplos, playdo, shovel dirt, throw balls, wack stuff on the walls, and read books.  (I'm very happy that he's outgrown his love for playing in the toilet, but his fascination continues a little bit as he loves to accompany ME to the bathroom.) When he's hurt he needs to come to Chris or I and babble about what happened for a full minute usually using the words "Bonk or Fall down" before getting a hug or kisses and then he scampers off like nothing happened. Its like he just needs to tell someone about it, maybe even cuddle for a moment. 

He has a soft spot for his Daddy. Just the other day he woke up from his nap and looked around and then shaking his head sadly but matter-of-factly said, "Daddy not here. Daddy not here. Work." Or  if he see Chris' car come down the driveway after work and he practically jumps up and says, "Dayay" (He often drops off the second consonant of his words).  He'll then either run to the door, open it and practically run into Chris' car door as he's trying to get out, or he might instead start saying "Go hide, go hide" as he runs onto the couch and hides under a blanket to 'surprise' Chris when he walks in.  He loves getting super close to our faces as he tells us something about what he wants to do or what he saw. His independent streak is growing as he wants to decide what chair to sit in during meals, or what food to eat (chucking across the room anything that doesn't fit the bill ...ie: he doesn't want water from the faucet, he wants water from the pitcher on the table so he flings the offending sippy cup over the counter). He's been getting ear infections and colds a lot this winter and while it makes him fussier, he's still up for some good play time and might even snuggle a bit as he's going to bed.  Its hard to not write all day about how much we all love him. (Yes, the kids still occasionally fight about who gets to get him up from naps, but thankfully those battles are happening less and less.) 

This birthday boy got to sit in a car for 27 and 1/2 hours on his birthday.  Sure made giving him his birthday 'breakfast in bed' easy. The kids wanted to do something special for him so they picked out some toy cars at gas station. 

As soon as we arrived in Utah, they all wanted to play outside. This is Freddy's first experience with snow that he remembers. He never complained about wearing all the snow gear except the gloves bothered him at first until he caught on to the fact that snow is cold and then he would bring them to me with icicle fingers wanting me to put them on again. The kids made snow angels since it was too dry for snowballs or snowmen. 

As dusk hit, we all went inside to warm up, open presents and eat cake the Grandma Dixie had made for our Frederick.  He needed no help with the concept of opening presents and as soon as he could peel away the wrapping, he would jump up with excitement "oh!!"  run to the nearest adult and hold up his present, then before they could really respond he would be off running to the next adult showing it off. 

He loves cake and ice cream but probably prefers ice cream.  He got the concept about blowing out candles but didn't quite have aiming down yet so Chris helped him out. 

I tried to get a cute picture of him looking at the camera in front of his came but he could hardly spare a breath for me. I just got the classic, I'm-saying-Cheeese-what-else-do-you-want-from-me face ..sans smile.  I have the HARDEST time getting a clear photo of this kid. He's constantly moving. But no matter, we love him anyway. 

More haircuts, friend bdays, and secret Santas

I love Freddy's hair long, but it was getting in his eyes a lot and after cutting Chris' and liking it so much I decided to cut Freddy's. I had to do it while he was playing outside because I just mopped my floors and knew Frederick wouldn't sit still anyway. It was fairly difficult and I think I cut it too short up front, but oh well... at least it will last longer that way.  

Before:

After: 

We had a play date with some of Gwen's friends from her class at school on Friday (which was PJ day at school) to celebrate one of the friend's birthdays since we couldn't make it to her party later that weekend. The weather has been SO WARM for December... hence the short sleeves and flip flops.  I loved how the two friends both said, "wow, you guys have the best playground in your backyard." We're really loving the play space. 

Another bday party for a good friend from Gwen's school. 

I was fasting in December for Alec's and Gwen's relationship. They are really similar and were SUCH good buddies when Gwen was 18 months. I know they love each other and can be really good friends but lately they've taken such a dislike to one another, automatically assume the worst intentions from the other, and just like to tease and pick on each other. It escalates to big displays of anger and hurtful physical blows. But there was one afternoon recently where Alec was in his room for a time out and Gwen was needing to write him an apology letter and they (all on their own) turned it into a beautiful evening. Alec liked the note so much he wanted to write one back on a little door sign he made out of K'nex. Then he wanted to make a gift for Gwen (so I suggested a homemade paper Ariel doll) and he spend the next hour make it for her. She caught on and wanted to draw a poster sized picture of a boy playing soccer for him. They exchanged surprises and Gwen slept with that doll for a week and Alec STILL has that poster hanging up on the walls of his room.  It was such a needed and appreciated reminder that they really do love each other and can get along.  The next day they were back at it with the negativity but that afternoon (and an answer from my fast, I'm sure)  gave me an idea. We could do Secret Santas for each other.. Alec serving Gwen and Gwen serving Alec for a whole week! We kicked it off with a Family Home Evening lesson about why we give gifts, referencing Santa's favorite scripture (Mosiah 2:17) and about giving gifts that don't cost money. Then we "randomly" got our assignments. ;)  We recorded on special papers the service or gifts we gave and put them in a small wrapped up box on the piano. I had Chris, Chris had Charlie, Charlie had me and Alec and Gwen had each other.  Here is a sample of the papers we filled out. 

At the end of the week had a little party were we exchanged an actual (< $5) gifts and read out loud the papers from the week. We didn't include Freddy in this, but he still needed a present to open so we wrapped up a banana for him.  He was happy.

Branch Christmas party and hair cuts

Its the most wonderful time of the year! Our branch party was pretty low key but its always nice to gather with friends and eat good food. The kids sang some Christmas songs while eating ice cream cones. :) 

The above picture illustrates how over due Chris and Freddy are for hair cuts (and all the rest of us to be honest... my most recent hair cut was last Christmas!). I've been begging Chris to let me cut his hair for a while now, but he just winces and keeps pulling the "after-two-years-of-baldness-I-just-want-to-enjoy-having-hair-again" card. Come on, the only response to that is, "Well, ok... just let me know when you're ready to cut it." But the time has come, people! He even let me have free reign. I wanted to try a more modern, short sides and long top look. 

The obligatory mid-cut photo of the mullet:

I'm terrible at before and after pictures, I always forget at least one of them! The only 'after' picture I have is one I took two nights ago during family home evening since the long top hair stood straight up after he took off his hat.... only its hard to see in this picture because of our lovely brown walls. Isn't he handsome? *sigh*

Yard work phase 1: bball court and playground

Before we left for Thanksgiving, we had been working with a landscape guy to do a half basketball court and define a playground area and move over the existing playground equipment that came with the house into the new area. They originally were along the back tree line of the woods and totally not visible from anywhere inside the house and pretty much during the winter/spring/fall (pretty much the only times you'd WANT to be outside here in Mississippi) we'd have to cross a muddy swamp to get there.  

When we got back from Texas the cement had been poured and the play area outlined. Then we got hit with tons and tons of rain. It was perfect to check out how the drainage was working. 

(BTW, you can kind of see where the playground used to be in the picture above ...see the yellow slide along the back trees?)

After just 2 more days of work, the playground was moved over and a nice pine mulch put in. Also they moved over the existing old basketball standard for us too. We just have to put a little more cement in over the top and I want to attach some kind of plaque that gives credit for the basketball court to the person who made it all possible: Joel! Chris' awesome, kind and generous old office mate from Canada apparently struck it big when he got hired at a just-about-to-go-public tech company in London. He and Chris met up at a conference sometime later and he said he wanted to give us some money for something we'd need/like. He watched Chris go through the first year of Chemo treatment and I think wanted to help/support him somehow.  At that point, Chris and I just had bought this house and Chris was talking about all the fun projects we were looking forward to doing. Joel loves sports, especially cricket since he's from Australia and him and Chris enjoyed talking about that so when Chris mentioned a basketball court, it seemed a fitting gift! Chris wasn't sure how serious Joel was and obviously didn't push it, but later Joel gmail chatted him asking how much we were thinking the bball court would cost.  Practically the next day, Chris tells me to look into our bank account and it is $10,000 deeper!  We were blown away.  I think we should have some type of ceremony dedicating this court to Joel.  It has already provided almost 24 hours a day entertainment for my kids and we've had it for only 2 days.  The presence of a non-muddy/ fire-ant-hill-free place to play outside will transform our lives here in Mississippi. A million thanks to Joel and his sweet wife for being so generous. 

Many reasons to give thanks!

The week before Thanksgiving all the kids got sick. Charlie started throwing up on our drive back home from Memphis picking Freddy and I up from the airport. Then Freddy got it and threw up all over my at the end of church. Then Alec got it and stayed home from school for 3 days. Then Gwen got it and finally I got it. Two days before we were supposed to leave for Thanksgiving, I threw up 8 times and thought I was going to die. I have new found appreciation for Christ's atonement and for what Chris went through during all his chemo treatments and stem cell transplant. We postponed our departure for a day and a half and left right after school the Friday before Thanksgiving break. We wanted to make sure we were all healthy and wouldn't be bringing any bugs with us to Thom and Brittany's house in Texas full of cute kids and a 10 day old newborn! 

Baby Bennett was is so pure and perfect. I cried as I held him for the first time. Sheesh, I'm a wreck when it comes to newborns. 

It was really great to overlap with Grandma Dixie and see her for a few days before she left on Sunday. She sure stocked the house and freezer up with yummy food before she left. It ended up being really useful as Thom and Brittany had to take the little Mr. Bennett back to the hospital. He was still losing weight, about an ounce a day! - and had really high/ dangerous jaundice levels. Chris and I held the fort down at their house with our 4 kids and their 3 other kids it was like having 7 kids: an 8yr old, a 7 yr old, twin 5 year olds, a 4yr old, and twin 2 year olds. Freddy and Jane were quite the combination and were SO CUTE playing together. Everyone really behaved pretty well. 

We hosted Thanksgiving Dinner at their house in their behalf, for all of Brittany's family. Brittany's mom, "MoMo" was really great and came put the kids to bed for us a couple of nights and took a spell at the house so Chris and I could run some errands and visit Thom and Brittany at the hospital.  The doctors weren't taking any chances and started talking about and preparing for the worst case scenario of Meningitis. But our prayers were answered and all the cultures came back negative and slowly Little Mister started gaining weight and jaundice levels went down. He came home from the hospital the night before Chris and I were leaving town.  Diagnosis? Probably a viral infection that overloaded his little immune system so it couldn't fight off it and jaundice very quickly.  This whole hospital-over-Thanksgiving totally reminded me of the stem cell transplant two years ago. I am thankful beyond words that Chris is recovered and that God granted us this second chance at normal life together. We truly have many reasons to give thanks!

Before Bennett had to go to the hospital and before the rain storm that hung around the whole second half of our trip, we did manage to get out and see some lights at a local mall, and played a fun soccer game at their nearby park. I love Thanksgiving and I love that when its over, it means we get to focus on Christmas!