June - Week 1

I had great hopes of updating this blog weekly, but sometimes life gets in the way!

Here is the first week of June. 

Can't get enough of Brock and Cooper.  This picture isn't clear, so I can't see the scar to verify ;) but I think this is Brock.

Had to keep this picture because it illustrates that these boys are ON THE MOVE!

Alright, someone more knowledgeable than me: how on earth do I get these videos to work on the blog?  They work on my phone and jump drive fine.

Video #1: Brocky making a video of himself.

#2 Tiny blowing on Brocky's tummy while Cooper looks out the window.

#3 Tiny blowing on both their tummies.  Oh, their giggles!

#4 This one about brings me to tears.  :)  When Tiny yells that she's leaving the babies (at least Cooper, Brock on a good day!) come running to give her kisses and say "I luh you."

I feel really, truly lucky that we have the MacKays in our life: we couldn't ask for better friends.  I've been grateful to have some evenings free when I can go help Jenni in some small way while her husband (newly called Stake President) is at meetings.  I had to sneak this picture - while Jenni was putting the girls to bed Evan and I were reading.  After a few minutes he asked me to rub his back.  It was a tender moment for me.  So grateful for the time I get with them.

On Thursday, June 4, Tiny graduated high school.  She is such a delight.  I'm not sure my parents could have had a more perfect last child.  It sometimes seems to me that goodness just oozes out of her.  She works so hard, is a great student, is a gorgeous dancer, and is kind, loving, and plain old fun.  I have been so impressed to see her get together with her friends every Sunday night to go on a walk and discuss their testimonies.  I don't know too many teenagers that are so down-to-the-core good. 

We celebrated her graduation with dinner to Five Alls.  At this point in the game Mary and Jeff were heading to the hospital to have Mary and Elle monitored overnight, so we missed having them there.

Handsome, handsome TJ.  I married such a good-looking man.

Beautiful Tiny. 

These two cling to each other as "the last two."  :)  It sounds so ominous, but I know they've been extra close as the last two that are single.  So sweet of Paige to come up (she was the only sibling to go to the graduation.  I guess that's one downside of being the last of eleven!)  Paige left right after dinner to stay with the Petersons for the weekend - lucky timing!

These are poor quality, but I'm putting them up anyway!

Danny and Tara, Tiny and Mama

Other side of the table: TJ, Rachel, Paige, Sara and Adam (who is being a total cheeseball).

My parents' gift to Tiny is a trip to New York.  She is a little excited.  ;)   She and Paige go with my parents next week: they're doing a great mix of church history sites and New York City.  I'm excited for them.

I really wanted a picture after and...this awkward thing is all I got.  Haha!  It is very, very funny.  We were just really struggling with how short Paige and Tiny are and where to stand them in the picture.  Paige decided to just crouch, so we all just came down to their level.

Laughing at the result.  :)

Ta da!  I remembered that June is pie sale month at Marie Callenders, so after all five courses at Five Alls, I bought us a pie.  Each.  And of course we jumped right in when we got home!

One thing I really love about TJ is that he loves trying new foods with me.  I really want our home to be centered around the kitchen table and he is so open to new recipes and restaurants and kinds of foods.  We met up for dinner (the day after Five Alls) at an Indian restaurant downtown.  It was so, so delicious.  We love Indian food!  We are working on being better cooks of it ourselves, but we are nowhere near this yet!

Right after that dinner, I drove out to Tooele for TJ's cousin's baby shower.  Lindsey and Abe were married last summer and are expecting twin boys. 

The shower was really cute (again, extra appreciated because it's not one of my strengths!)  and it was so fun to talk with relatives.  I have said it before, but I feel truly lucky to have married into such a wonderful family.  TJ's extended family is SO supportive and I love how often they get together to show love.

Mom and me.  I think she is so beautiful.  I am one lucky girl.

I am borderline obsessed with TJ's cousin, Becky.  She is the highlight of every family gathering for me.  :)  I am not sure what it is, but I feel like we just CLICK.  I can sit and talk with her for hours: at family functions I typically do.  She is so good and loving and funny.  I loved talking with her about her kids at the shower and seeing how deeply and completely she loves them.  Such a fun treat to spend time with her.

In the middle of all this hoopla, Holly and Dusty had their gender ultrasound.  Baby boy is on his way!

Saturday morning I decided to do my long run outdoors: I ran from home down to Redwood and watched the South Jordan Days parade with Cassie and her kids, Danny and Tara and their kids and Robert and Julie and their kids.  It broke up my 7 mile run quite nicely and it was a blast to see everyone!

With Kiki and Bud.

(I have to write this because I want to remember it!  Wyatt simply goes by "Bud" and has for as long as I can remember.  He could never remember my name [so many aunts!] so I finally just told him "I'm The Girl Bud."  It worked!  For probably a year now all Danny's kids have called me "The Girl Bud."  I thought it was hilarious when a few months ago Wyatt ran up to me and said, "I know your name!  Your name is WYATT!"  So funny.  So now, his siblings call me The Girl Bud and Bud calls me Wyatt.)

Violet and Lainee.  I am just realizing Violet's shirt has a pig with a crown on it.  Wish I had gotten a better picture of that.

Kate!

A baby.  I'm thinking Cooper (SORRY, SASSO!)  I just had to take this picture to show the candy all over him.  Julie's thought is to let them have all the candy they want during "candy times" (parades, Halloween, etc.) and they'll get their fill and be done!

Sisters!  Two weeks ago she got me through my 9 mile run.  Lucky to have her.

"Funny faces!"

Babies with lots of candy.

That night (after we met Elle!) we went to the fair to meet up with family.  And...it started POURING when we got there.  Here we are huddled under a tent (hello, Robert.)

After about five minutes, we ran for the cars and met at Dairy Queen for ice cream instead.

Love my baby boy.

Tanner is always cold and Paige didn't think to grab him something (it's June!) so here he is wearing one of Tiffany's sweaters.  :)

Love this baby knocking on the window for someone outside to see him.

While there we got a phone call from Sara and Adam (who just went home after the fair) that the house was flooding.  Papa was on the road within 20 seconds of hanging up.  We followed shortly after.

A few of the gutters were clogged and the pouring rain was just coming over the side of the house.  The guys were doing a bucket brigade and using the shop vac to empty out this window well (the water was up to the window when they got there, but the window held and no water got in!)

Parker really wanted to help - here he is in Grandma's coat, carrying buckets to the grass.

TJ climbed up (in that rain!) and cleaned out the gutter.

I think my parents had so many kids because they knew big projects could be done so easily with so many helping hands.  ;)  Everything was fixed in less than an hour!

Paige had the Peterson sleep over.  Here is Lex, delighted with a mattress just her size.

Lexi (in the middle) is 6, Kate (on the left) is 4 and Stacey (on the right) is 4.

We did scriptures and prayer and sang a couple primary songs before bed.  I had to take this video of "Families Can Be Together Forever."  Warmed my heart. 

All that in just one week! 

Elliana Ava Peterson

On Christmas morning we were gathered at Mama and Papa's house, gleefully opening presents.  As usual, we were delighted to have the Petersons arrive: it seems they always bring such a fun spirit with them.  After they opened their gifts Jeff said that Tanner had something to say: I assumed he was going to tell everyone about his favorite present or an exciting trip they were going to go on.  Instead he grinned and announced "My mom has a baby in her tummy!"  And then there was screaming -  oh, so much screaming.  Mary and Jeff are such fabulous parents that I have been delighted another child will be blessed by their guidance and love.  Her due date?  July 1.  My birthday.

On Tuesday, June 2, Mary's sweet friends threw her a lovely shower in Alpine.  Because I am not so great at decorating and presentation, I was especially impressed with how cute everything was!  The tablecloths, the napkins, the fresh flowers on the tables, the beautiful quilts hanging on a clothesline: it was really gorgeous.  And do you see those individual pies? They were one of the best things I've ever eaten.  Really, truly delightful!

The tables:

Beautiful Anna and Emma (Anna is 14 and Emma is 12).

Anna's phone is linked to her parents' phones, so when Mary downloaded a pregnancy app in October, Anna could see it.  Bless her soul, she didn't say a word.  Emma was getting so worried about Mary being sick and one day said to Anna, "Anna, do you think Mom's okay?"  Anna responded (this is so sweet), "Yes.  Emma, don't tell, but Mom's pregnant!"  Those cute little girls waited for Mary and Jeff to tell them, knowing the secret all along!

Tiny - isn't she beautiful?

Emma is trying so hard to open her eyes.  Those darn allergies. 

Ah, sunglasses - that's much better.  :)

And here is Mary, looking barely pregnant. 

The Mama Hen!

Lexi was so darn excited for every single gift.  She tore it open, held it up, grinned, said "ooooh!" and put it on the table.  Those gifts never got old for her.

 

Mary's shower was on Tuesday morning, 4 weeks before her due date.

However, when she went to her check-up that week, the doctor told her that he was worried her amniotic fluid was low and the placenta was breaking down.  He sent her home with the terrible instructions, "If anything changes in how the baby is moving, come immediately to the hospital.  You're at high risk of a stillborn."  What do you do with news like that?!?  Well, she didn't sleep all Wednesday night, worried about her little baby.  On Thursday, her regular doctor was back in town and called her in to see her.  He too was worried about the baby, so told her, "You can go home to pack a bag but I want you to go right to the hospital to monitor the baby.  If anything changes, we'll take her c-section, but if you do okay overnight, we'll induce you in the morning."  Oh, how many prayers we prayed over that day and night and the following day.

There were lots of worries about the baby being too small and lungs not developed.  So many things can go wrong during pregnancy and delivery, it makes me feel extra grateful for all those that go smoothly.

Friday morning they induced Mary and she and Elle held up like champs.  Late Friday afternoon Elliana made her appearance, tipping the scale at just exactly five pounds.  As yet another miracle, her lungs were fully developed and they were able to go home Sunday without any stay in the NICU.

Paige was watching the other five Petersons and begged Mary and Jeff right after delivery "The kids won't stop screaming - can we please come see her??"  Here she is with Tanner and beautiful, perfect, tiny little Elle.

 

It felt like all I could do to wait a day to go visit.  We went down on Saturday.  I can't get over how TINY she is.  Jeff had to do some emergency shopping for premie diapers and clothes since none of the newborn would fit!

(As a darling sidenote here, Lexi asked me last week, "Wachel, have you seen Elle's dipows?  They awe teensy!!"  :)  She held up her little hands to show how tiny Elle's bum is.  I about died of cuteness.)

 

Trying so hard to open her eyes. 

Poor TJ gets so nervous holding babies, but he does a great job!  I think with all these nieces and nephews he's starting to get used to it.  :)

Check out those tiny, tiny feet.  My heavens.

My beautiful sister after several sleepless nights.  Isn't she gorgeous?

Tiny - completely in love.

I have loved sneaking down to their house a few times to see them.  Don't they look happy?

I hope to someday be even a fraction of the mother Mary is.  I'm so grateful for her incredible example: she truly LOVES being a mom, and I love that about her.  She is fabulous with all her kids - so grateful she has another one to love.