Lot of Tubes Around Here

Yesterday we had Nolan's follow for his tubes and he is doing terrific. His ear drums are clear and look extremely healthy and his hearing tested normal. However, while we were there doing diagnostic tests on his hearing one of the doctor's that was playing with Rylee asked me how old she was and if she had hearing problems. I explained her newborn hearing situation and how we had not had it tested since about six months, so he wanted to do further examination on her too. The doctor was so nice and just squeezed her into his schedule right then versus us setting a different appointment for her. He put head phones on her and put her in a sound room to do a few tests. He would ask her questions like where is her nose and record at what decibel she could hear at. It was really cute because he tested each ear individually, so when he first started talked she pulled the headphones off to let him know that the right one was not working! After the testing it showed that she had between a 30 - 35 decibel hearing loss in each ear. They then tested the pressure on her ear drums, and said that she has two times the pressure that Nolan had so she too will be getting tubes. The tubes should improve her hearing, we are not sure by how much but it could completely fix the problem and that is what we are hoping for. It will also help correct her speech delay, so we are excited to see all the changes in our sweet girl soon.

Preschool Graduation

Rylee's preschool graduation was today, and she was so excited to show everything they have been working on. The class sang about 7 songs for the parents, said their letters, numbers, shapes and colors, and then they all had a speaking part.


Here is Rylee prior to us leaving the house this morning. She wore a cute new dress and asked me to do her "hot iron" on her hair, i.e. her straightener.

She was a super wiggle worm and I could hardly get her to stand still and look at me, but we go this cute picture and the one below before she took off to find her friends.

Looking cute!

Her first official Graduation Hat. This picture is the only picture you will see her wearing it, because she immediately took it off and did not want to put it back on.

Saying her part of the program. She said, "We learned our colors red, yellow and blue."

Here she is during her spotlight. The teacher asked the kids questions and she read their answers. Rylee's favorite color (that day) is green, her favorite food is Mac N Cheese, she likes to learn her letters, her favorite thing to do is ride her bike, and when she grows up she wants to be Tinkerbell.

Picture with Miss Marie

Sleepy Boy

Yesterday Nolan fell asleep for about ten minutes before we got out of the car and then he refused to go to sleep at home for the next three hours. We then went to Target and he fell asleep as we pulled in the parking lot, so I decided he needed his nap and I let him nap. I successfully moved him from the car into the shopping cart and back into the car again without him waking! He was one sleepy boy.

Nolan's Surgery

This morning Nolan had tubes put in his ears and he did great with the procedure. We had to be there bright and early, but it was nice because we were in and out of the hospital in less than an hour and a half. While we waited for our turn Nolan wanted nothing to do with sitting on my lap and waiting, so he roamed the halls until they took him back. Once we got home he watched about 5 minutes of TV before he started acting like himself again. We are excited for him to start feeling better, his ears have been such an issue for awhile. The doctor says he should be even more active, more balanced and start talking much more in the next few days. Once he told me this I started questioning my decision to do it, Nolan is already plenty active!

On the run

Resting and Recovering

2 Minutes later back to his old self

Playing Peek-A-Boo

Look What I Can Do

Nolan is growing like a weed, and discovering lots of fun things he can do now that he is growing. At Church we battle with the drinking fountain every Sunday, so today I let him get a few drinks and yes he did soak his shirt. Once we got home today he learned he could climb on the cooler (out from a baby shower yesterday and another party to watch the playoff games) and turn the lights on and off. He is so proud of himself every time he accomplishes something new. His doctor tells us once he gets his tubes in his ears he is going to have better balance, and that scares me quite a bit because he is already very balanced and stable!!

Getting a drink

Turning the lights on and off

The Drive to Soccer

The last few weeks we have had a lot of soccer practices and games, and these kids are the best troopers ever to tag along with Mom to everything. Yesterday we had a game all the way in Logan, a little over 2 hours away, and the kids were so good both ways in the car. Rylee luckily napped 90% of the way there, and Nolan was just completely bored. I could have sworn Nolan was asleep because he was so quiet, so I peeked at him and he just looked so bored I had to take a picture of him. Once we got to the game they played and played until we had to leave and drive all the way home again, but we made it and the kids were really good.

Once Rylee woke up she said a few funny things:

Immediately after waking up in the canyon going to Logan -

Rye "Mommy, are we going to Park City?"

Mom - "No Sweetie, we are going to Logan."

Rye - "That does not sound as fun as Park City" (oh I love my kid)

While driving past the Temple in Logan

Rye "Mommy, I want to go in there on day and get married, just like Princess and the Frog!"

Rylee asleep

Nolan extremely bored

Dinner with the Thorleys

Last week we went out to dinner with the Thorleys a few times, but this evening we went to the Cheesecake Factory. Dinner was great, and we had a great time talking and watching the kids be crazy. Matt and I were joking the other night that we go out with them more than any other couple that we know--kind of funny considering they live in Mexico, and soon Panama! Maybe one day we can get them back to the States, until then we are excited to see them when we can. We will see them again this Summer before they move, and then we are hoping to get to Panama to see them while they are there.

Daddy and Nolan

Me and Rylee

Rylee and Lauren

Cute Nolan

Yard Work Helpers

The other night the kids helped Daddy pull some weeds and water the grass. Nolan had more fun splashing in the water then really helping, but he was outside so he was happy. Rylee was actually a really good helper. She was in charge of watering wherever Daddy had pulled a weed from. After Daddy would pull the weed, he would put some grass seed in the hole and then Rylee would water it. I believe the two of them have yard work on the calendar to do again this evening.

Aquarium

Last week we planned a picnic at the park with Maddi, but the weather had a different idea so we went to the aquarium. The aquarium recently opened up a new penguin exhibit and it was the hit of the day for everyone, but especially Nolan. Every time we tried to move to a different exhibit he would head back to the penguins. The girls were in constant motion and I could barely keep an eye on them let alone get a picture. I was able to get one of all three of the kids making faces in the mirror at themselves. The girls were ecstatic to see each other because it had been over a month since we had gotten together.

Trying to get the penguins

Making silly faces together

Checking out the fish

Happy 5th Birthday Bryson

Byrson is Rylee's best buddy. There is not a day that goes by in our house that we do not talk/hear about Bryson. Lately the best way for us to get Rylee to eat is telling her if she takes more bites she will be big like Bryson. Bryson is such a good buddy to Rylee and we wish we could live closer and play with him more often. We hope you have a great birthday and we are excited to see you soon at Rylee's party!

Uncle Jeff

Uncle Jeff was in town for a wedding and we were so lucky that he had enough time to stop by and see the us yesterday. Matt and I were both running a little late, but when I got home this is how I found Rylee and Uncle Jeff. These two have always been reading buddies, and you can tell by the pile of books in front of them they still are. We had a lot of fun talking to Uncle Jeff about his baby girl that is going to here soon. We also got a few baby clothes out for the baby, and Rylee found a way to make a fun game out of it for her and Jeff. We are hoping to see Uncle Jeff soon, sometime after his little girl is here.

Fun Day With Caity

For part of my birthday present from Caity, she took the kids for the day and it sure looks like everybody had a great time. They went to the park and played, they fed the ducks, and they went on a drive up the canyon. After their fun day they came back to the house and hung out until I got home. I am so lucky to have Caity around, because honestly we don't trust many people with the kids, and it is so nice to not have to worry at all while the kids are with her. Thanks for a fun pre-birthday!

Hanging out at the park

Nolan chasing bubbles

Rylee blowing bubbles

Rye feeding the ducks

Such a pretty girl

Nolan is always climbing on something

Worn out

And another one that is worn out

16 Months Old

That's right he is 16 Months old and he has learned how to turn the locks on all the doors. I have to be extremely careful when I leave the house that I have a way back in, just in case Nolan shuts the door behind me and locks it. He is getting bigger and bigger every day and more and more adventurous. Yesterday he learned how to climb onto the couch, we have big couches so this really is quite a feat. He keeps trying to slide down the stairs head first on his tummy like Rylee, but does not understand how to use his hands to slow himself down. Luckily, I am watching him as he normally tries to do this and Rylee won't let him either she grabs him by his pants and won't let him go. He can scale the crib, but after getting stuck straddling the railing last week he has not tried it again. Nolan loves, and I mean loves the park. It is a place where he finds many different kinds of dirt and lots of fun things to climb, it is a perfect setting for him. The silly boy has decided about a month ago, all by himself, that he is done with two naps a day, and that Mom must be crazy for even trying still; however, he is still a terrific sleeper at night! He can dribble a ball as well as most 4 year olds, and it does not have to be a soccer ball, he dribbles any kid of ball. Today alone I saw him dribbling, with his feet, a basketball, a football, a golf ball, a soccer ball and a large bouncy ball. He will either hate soccer by the time he can play or be really good. Needless to say he is a mover!

As far as his speech goes, Nolan is a grunter and I guess Rylee understands grunt because she typically knows what he wants. We are working on his with talking more, but he feels no need to. He has started signing and can sign: eat, more, please, thank you, finished and book. Most of the words he says are grunts too: uh-uh, uh-huh, uh-oh and then Dada, boo, and poop (whenever he goes).

He loves his blankie right now and is starting to get clingy to it, not as much as Rylee is to hers but on his way. He insists on brining it with him when he wakes up each morning and after his nap. He has a few stuffed animals, but has not attached to any of them, just the blankie.

The last few days he has been making himself a little bed at the bottom of the stairs while Rylee is taking her nap. He grabs a pillow off the couch and carries/drags in to the entry way and will lay there and just wait for her to wake up. The minute he hears her start to fuss he takes off straight up the stairs to go see her. While he was resting there today he decided to play peek-a-boo with his shirt. He was most proud of himself.

Lasly, he has the silliest teeth I have ever seen in the world. He has three on the bottom and three on top, but he is missing on of the front middle on the top. So, we have been calling him snaggle tooth lately, and there is no sign of that missing tooth yet. As of right now at 16 months he only has six teeth, but he can eat anything out there and that is all that matters to our boy.

We are so lucky to have him and his sweet smile as a part of our family. Nothing can turn my day around then sweet kisses and smiles from this little guy.