6 Weeks

Ahhhhh!  I can breathe a sigh of relief….we made it to 6 weeks!  I always feel better.  This time I actually felt better a bit earlier but I continue to feel more like myself every day.  Timberlyn is also doing well.  She has started smiling for us.  I can almost guarantee a smile right after she eats in the morning.  She will smile for almost anyone she makes eye contact with at that time.  She is starting to seem more content.  She loves to be outside and will kick and look around when we are out.  The kids still fight over who’s turn it is to hold her.  She is definitely a loved little girl!

Here’s a few random pictures of her at 6-weeks old.

We borrowed this bassinet from the Pluids – he was our contractor.  I think it is beautiful and it works perfect in our bedroom.  She looks so tiny in it still!

A Happy Girl!!

Kaydra’s Birthday

If anyone talked to Kaydra on the phone on her birthday you probably got a pretty sad story of a girl that had to “clean the house” all morning!  It’s true that I made the kids help me clean up the house the morning of her birthday but only because we spent the day before at the fair and we had to get ready for her party that night!

We decided to invite a few families over for Kaydra’s birthday and have a barbeque.  Of the four friends that she invited, only two of the families were able to come but we still had about 17 people there and we had a good time.  One of her friends that couldn’t come was able to come over the day before and help Kaydra make her cake and come to the fair with us.   We left for the fair about 3:30 and picked up Leonard as he was getting off work.  It was 90 degrees that day.  We let the kids ride the rides.  We had purchased all-you-can-stand passes in advance so they would cost less. 

Here’s Kaydra, Isabelle, and Kanyon

They rode for about 2 hours before they were so hot and thirsty we had to stop!  We headed to the Mica Burger Booth and enjoyed dinner before we headed to the animal exhibits.

Here’s Miranda in the beaver dam.

About 8:30 we headed back to the rides and let them ride again.  It was much cooler then and more enjoyable to watch them ride.  We let them play a couple games and then we picked up a couple elephant ears on our way out.  We had a great time.

The barbeque was also successful and the food was yummy. 

Kaydra got lots of fun presents and food.  We decided to let her pick out her own bike this year.  She had been asking for a new one.  That’s what the last two pictures are showing – her reading the card that says she can pick a new bike.  She and Leonard went on a date on Saturday night to pick out her new bike and get a treat.  I’ll post pictures of the new bike later.

I can’t believe that Kaydra is 10 years old.  It doesn’t seem that long ago that I held her for the first time.  She is growing into a beautiful and caring girl.  She is so helpful and sweet with Timberlyn.  I am grateful to have her.  She will hold Timberlyn and sing to her when she is fussy and she will often help her fall asleep.  Miranda loves Kaydra and would follow her anywhere.  Kanyon also love to play with Kaydra and he loves to make her laugh.  I am grateful for the good choices that Kaydra makes.  I know she is setting examples for the younger children and that I can trust that she will make the right decisions.  I feel blessed to have her as my daughter.

We love you Kaydra!  Happy Birthday!

Timberlyn – one month old

Timberlyn is one month old today.
I can’t believe it…The last month has been really busy but it doesn’t really seem like she’s been here for a month already.  I am feeling much better than I ever have at one month post partum.   It’s nice to feel almost normal!  Timberlyn seems to be having a hard time right now.  It seems like she is either eating, sleeping, or crying.  She is having a hard time knowing what she should do while she is awake.  So she cries.  If she was my first baby, I would be a little stressed….but she is my fourth so we just do our best to help her be happy and find things that she likes. 

So far we have discovered that she likes being outside.  She loves the warm water in her bath.  She loves the stroller and being in the car.  She stopped crying for the blender the other day.  She likes to be held and she likes to look at different faces – I think she gets bored of mine unless she is hungry!  She doesn’t really like her pacifier but we are still trying (for my sanity, not hers!).  She doesn’t like getting OUT of the bath and she doesn’t like it if I put lotion on her.  She doesn’t like her swing and she doesn’t like it if I make her wait a little bit before she eats! 

She does sleep well at night and about three times a week I can get her to sleep for 6 hours!  Love that!  Most the time she eats and then goes right back to sleep in her bassinet but if she doesn’t then I just have to hold her for a little while and she will doze off again.  
The kids are still infatuated with her and fight over who gets to hold her “next”.  Her eyes are still grey/blue but we are pretty sure they will be brown.  We have also discovered that she looks a lot like Miranda did at this age.  Miranda had a bit more hair but you can tell they both belong to us!  See for yourself!

Miranda 1-month

 Timberlyn 1-month

We think she’s pretty great.  I still can’t believe I am the mother of four kids but I feel blessed to have these four spirits in my life!

For those that haven’t met her (and for those that have if they want!) here is a quick video of Timberlyn.  Sorry about the lighting….it wasn’t very good.  I call her my pterodactyl sometimes because of her squeaky cry!  I hope that goes away soon

Baby Blessing

It’s been a few weeks and definitely time for an update.  Leonard took Kaydra, Kanyon, and Miranda to Idaho Falls to visit with my parents for a week.  He went on a hike with Reid, Thomas, and Kelly to the top of Mount Borah (on his birthday) and then came back home.  

What this all meant for me was a house to myself and the baby for about four days and then it was just me and Leonard for about three more.  It was a much needed time for me to catch up on some rest and get to know Timberlyn a little more.  My mom and Courtney brought the kids back the following week (August 3).  They brought Kalli and Tarek with them and Markell came over from Moscow with Archimedes.  We all had a good time.  We made it to Carver Farms to pick cucumbers and strawberries, went to the lake a few times, and made it to Art on the Green.  The weather was perfect.  It was fun to have them here.  On August 5, my dad, Jake and Riley, and Paul arrived.  Dan and Dreyken were supposed to come too but Dreyken was sick :(  Maybe next time.  Since we had quite a few family members in town we decided it would be a good time to bless Timberlyn.  We were able to do it at home, which was nice, especially because she is so little still.  It was a beautiful blessing and I feel so blessed to have her in our home.  She is starting to wake up a little more now and she LOVES to be held.  She often cries until she is aware that someone is going to pick her up and then she stops.  Sometimes, if I pick her up when she has been crying, she looks at me and her eyes seem to say, “Where were you?  Did you know that you left me here all alone?”  It’s pretty sad!  Anyway, here are some pictures of her blessing.  Thanks to everyone that was able to be here and also to those of you who would have been there if we lived a little closer!  There are a few things I miss about being in Idaho Falls!

The men that stood in the circle :  Jacob Fuller, Neil FitzSimmons, Leonard FitzSimmons, Paul Fuller, Toby Reynolds, Mark Fuller

And now for some of the pretty girl herself.  For those that don’t know, her dress was made from the train of my wedding dress by my cousin, Debie.  All three of my girls have been blessed in it – isn’t she precious?!!

 

I even caught half a smile!  She likes to get all dressed up!

We all think she looks like a Fuller here.  Must be the eyebrows!  She is looking more and more like Miranda every day!

Love you Timberlyn!

Leonard’s Birthday

We celebrated Len’s birthday a little early this year because he and the kids would be out of town on his actual birthday.  We had a nice little party with his parents at our house.  I am so lucky to be married to Leonard.  I think he is awesome.  We celebrated our 13th anniversary yesterday and I can’t believe we have been married that long.  As Leonard says, “Thirteen years, three houses, four kids, two boats, and five cars later – here we are!”  I couldn’t be happier with my choice of husband.  He makes me laugh, comforts me, teases me, and loves me in all the right ways.  I love it when he is home, playing with the kids or helping me fix dinner.  It drives me crazy when he cleans up after me, although sometimes, I admit, I need the help!  He is a great husband, father, and son and I feel so blessed to be his wife. 

I love you Lenny!

Hunter’s Safety

Last week Kaydra was able to take Hunter’s safety.  In Idaho, you can hunt small game (birds, ducks, turkeys) when you are ten years old.  You can take the hunter’s safety class when you are nine so that when you turn 10 you can go to Fish and Game and get your license.  Leonard has a friend that knows an instructor in town and they invited several people over to their house for dinner and to do the testing needed to pass hunter’s safety.  I don’t know who was more excited – Leonard or Kaydra!

They worked together studying for the test for a few days before the class.  I was surprised at how excited Kaydra was to learn about hunting and guns.  She took a written test and then had to shoot a gun (a 22-gauge) in several different positions to show she knows how to handle a gun. 

Her mom still thinks she needs a little more practice, but for the record….She passed!  She was pretty excited and can’t wait until her birthday.  She is growing up so fast!  I remember when I turned 10…It doesn’t seem that long ago……..

First Bath

Ten days into her life, Timberlyn got her first bath.  My awesome kitchen sink was the perfect place to bathe a newborn.  I put a hand towel in the bottom of the sink so it wouldn’t be so slippery and we had the perfect baby tub! 

Kaydra was the photographer and I had lots of help from Kanyon and Miranda!  Timberlyn loved her bath.  She didn’t cry until I took her out.  We had to snuggle her up in her towel to get her to stop crying. 

Looks like we just might be raising another fish!