Another Baby and Other Changes

One of these days I might start getting better at this blog stuff.  It seems that I allow more and more time to pass between my posts.  I guess I figure there aren't many people "following" me so there isn't much concern about my posting habits.  Maybe if I were better at posting I'd get a better following...

So here is what has transpired since my last post LAST  YEAR.  Sheesh.

We had another baby - Evan Andrew.  He was born on April 7th, 2011.  He is just about 6 months old.  Andrew and I enjoyed the few days we were in the hospital - just the two of us with a brand-new little baby.  We got fed 3 times a day, didn't have to do laundry or dishes...it was great.  My mom and sisters were wonderful enough to watch our other 3 kids for us.  It was so fun to see the kids' response to meeting their new baby brother...especially Sara.  She just loves Evan to death.  She is so good with him.  She walks up to him all the time and says, "Hiiii!!!!".  I love how well all my children get a long with each other.  I have been lucky to have children that love each other so much.  none of them have been jealous or clingy.  They are all very independent and therefore get along with each other very well - and don't fight for my attention.

A few months back we had to get rid of our dog, Buddy.  Sara had been having breathing issues for a while and after a few trips to the doctors and a few allergy tests, we found out that she is very allergic to dogs.  So...off he went.  My cousin took him and apparently he is doing well.  Tyler had a really hard time at first with Buddy being gone.  He was so attached to him - they were best buddies.  But it didn't take long for him to get over that and he only occasionally speaks of Buddy.

Andy was laid off a few months back, as well.  A new company came and took over the hotel and casino at Lake Las Vegas.  They actually offered Andy a position but it didn't make sense for him to take it.  He is now going to school full-time, which will allow him to finish school sooner than if he was working and going to school.  We decided that he should just focus on school and get that completed and I would work as needed.  Luckily, I don't need to work 40 hours a week.  I am just doing the same work I was doing before - just a little more.  I have a few wonderful people in our ward that babysit the two little ones a few days a week while I see clients.  Now that Natalie and Tyler are both at school all day, it makes it a little easier finding someone to watch just Sara and Evan.  I love working, I just hate toting the kids off to a babysitters house every day.  Luckily they are both very good kids so I have many offers to watch them.  Sara loves going to people's house and playing with their children.

Natalie, Tyler, and Andy are all back in school.  Andy is taking a full load and that is keeping him busy (though right now he is watching a baseball game on TV - I guess it isn't keeping him busy enough!).  Natalie is in 2nd grade - how on earth do I have a 2nd grader already??  Tyler is in 1st grade and doing...ok.  He is so smart and his grades are excellent...he just struggles with paying attention and keeping quiet during instruction.  He is so ADD that it is difficult for him to sit still.  I work with him every day - hopefully he will learn to behave in school so I don't have to put him on medication.  The last few days  have been very good - looks like he is starting to improve. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Natalie is doing great, as usual.  She is a wonderful student and also very smart.  She struggles a little with writing, so we are working on that.

Sara is 20 months old and is such a cute little bug.  I love her so much!  She is such a show-off and loves making us laugh.  We have moved her to a toddler bed and so far she is doing very well in it.  She occasionally wanders around in the middle of the night so we have to be sure to keep the door closed to her room.  Evan is in the crib and sleeps through the night just about every night.  His second tooth JUST poked through today - he got his first one a few weeks ago.  He is eating baby food now and loving it.  He is such a beautiful, sweet baby - ALWAYS smiling!!  He loves laying on the floor and rolls all over the place.  He isn't quite crawling yet but that doesn't stop him from getting where he wants to go.  He rolls and turns and rolls and turns - and before we know it, he's all the way across the room.  Sara loves to roll him over and shove his binky in his mouth - whether or not he wants it.  And he smiles EVERY time he sees one of the kids walk by him.  I just can't get enough of him.

Andy is still the assistant Ward Clerk in our ward and they just recently called me to be the Music Leader in the Nursery.  We currently have 3 nurseries in our ward and I get to visit each one every Sunday and sing music with the little ones.  I love being in the Nursery - this is the second time I have been here.  There are so many little ones in our nurseries and they are all so cute.  I am also still helping out with the Ward Choir.  I never realized just how much I liked that calling until I was released.

I'm gonna stop for now and I'll add more later.