Jackson

January-April 2009

About three weeks before I had Jackson I was put on bed rest. Brent and I felt that it would be easiest for everyone if I went to Cedar for the two weeks of bed rest. Dixie (our midwife) felt it was best because his head was very low and I was at 5cm.
Erica was really good the whole time we were in Cedar. She loved when Grandpa Kenney would come home and play with her before bed time. She also loved playing with Ethan and Kayla.
Brent came down on the weekend. Erica and I were very sad to see him leave on Sunday.
After two weeks my mom drove Erica and I back to Beaver were Brent picked us up. On the Monday after we got home I went into see Dixie to find out if I was progressing. I was only 5 1/2 cm, but 90% effaced. I was kind of sad. I was ready to be done. At the end of the appointment Dixie told me that if by the next appointment I was dilated to a 7 she would strip me.
On Monday February 2, 2009 Brent and I went to my appointment. Katie Thalman, our neighbor who lived upstairs watched Erica for us. When Dixie checked me I was about 7 to 7 1/2 cm. She stripped me and I started having contractions right away. Brent and I went home to get things ready to go to the hospital. I called my Mom to tell her that my labor had started. Katie said that she would watch Erica until my Mom got to Richfield. I made Erica some lunch and then we put her down for her nap. At 1:00pm Brent and I went to the hospital. I was starting to feet the contractions more. Once I got there they started my IV and then gave me the epidural. I was so nervous. I thought the IV was more painful that the epidural though.
The nurse, Brent, Dixie, and I guessed what we thought Jackson wold weigh. Brent quessed 6lbs 9oz and I guessed 7lbs 1oz. Everyone else was under 7lbs.
At around 6:30pm I started pushing. Jackson was born at 6:59pm on 2/2/09. He was over 19ines in length.
After he come out they put him on me. Then they took him to clean him and check his vitals. While they did that Dixie did some stitching. I won the weight guess. He was 7lbs 10oz and 2 weeks early.
Fir about 5 hours after he was born Jackson had trouble breathing. He was grunting really hard. It was so sad to see him like that. When I went to see him in the nursery Brent was there with him. They had him under a hood to help him breath better.
Around 1:00am they life flighted from Provo arrived. They put Jackson on a ventilator to let his little body rest. Before they left they brought Jackson down so I could say good bye. Brent was able to fly with him. It made me feel better that Brent was going with him.
I spent the night at the hospital and my Mom and Janet stayed at our house with Erica. Brent arrived around 3:45 am and then hours later went and slept at his grandparents house.
My Mom drove Erica and I up to Provo. We arrived there that evening. My Mom and I went to see Jackson while Brent watched Erica and Janet. Then we went to Marie's house in Springville and had dinner. Brent, Erica, and I went and spent the night at grandma and grandpa Farnsworth's. We were there in Provo for 10 days. My Mom and Janet stayed with Marie for the week so they could help with taking care of Erica. Brent would come and go from the hospital. I was there pretty much all day everyday.
We had to drive grandpa Farnsworth's car home. A coupe of weeks before I was in an accident that ripped the bumper off the front of the car. So we left our Truck because we all could not fit. Nancy was going to bring it when she come down and then drive the car back.
We had to take Jackson home on oxygen and a monitor. He was on the O2 for 2 weeks and then on the monitor for 2 months.
He is such a good baby. He never really cries, only when he is hungry. He is the cutest little guy ever. We set up a bassinet next to our bed for him. It's really nice because then I can put his oxygen and monitor in it and wheel him around.
Drew came and stayed with us for a week. He was so nice to help me by watching both Erica and Jackson so that I could sleep-in an extra hour or so. It was the nicest thing he could have done for me.
Brent and Drew worked on a desk that Chuck made for Brent when he was younger. It was fun to have him here with us before he moves to Italy in July for three years.
After Drew left Nancy came and stayed with us for a couple of days. It was really nice to have lots of family around.

May 2009

Jackson started rolling from his back to his tummy.

Jackson has been spitting up so much that I had to start supplementing him with formula to help him gain weight.

June 2009

At 4 months Jackson decided he was done nursing. I had to start pumping so that I would be able to get him to 6 months with one bottle of breast milk a day.

July 2009

Jackson is 5 1/2 months now and is the happiest kid ever. I started diving him rice cereal and apple sauce at 5 months. He was always so hungry. He loves to eat. He is also starting to reach for things that he wants. he also rolls from his tummy to his back. He is also ticklish and has the cutest laugh.

August 2009

A week before Jackson turned 7 months we took him in for his well check. He is in the 10% for weight and the 45% for height. Because his is always spitting up I asked the doctor for something to help. We had been using pervacid for a couple of days. It should be about 2 weeks before we really see any improvement. I really hope so. I'm tired of the spitting up.

September 2009

A few days before Jackson turned 7 months he started to army crawl.

October 5, 2009

Jackson cut his first tooth. He is now 8 months out.

October 8, 2009

Jackson cut tooth #2. They are both bottom teeth.

October 23, 2009

Jackson cut tooth #3 on top.

Jackson is also crawling all over the place, and pulling himself up to a standing position on everything.

Brent was sitting with his back against the couch and Jackson crawled up Brent and on to the couch without any help from Brent. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

February 2, 2010

Jackson turned 1 today. My parents were in town to help celebrate his birthday. When we brought out the cake he would just looked at it. I was pretty sure that he would just dive right into it, but he didn't dare to touch it. He started crying when I tried to help him dig into it, so we all ate the cake instead.

Jackson has also stopped spitting up. It was such a great day when I realized that we were passed all of that. The prevacid never helped so I took him off of that about a month after we started it. I didn't want him taking medication if it wasn't going to help.

Brent's First 5K

Picture #4 above

Picture #3

Picture #2

Picture #1

Picture #5

Toward the end of April Brent ran his first 5K in 29 min (unsure of the actual time). He has joined a team at work called "The Green Team." Those who are on the team need to run so many events this year and they are also donating money per mile they do for the Cancer Center here in Cedar. A few weeks later he ran in another 5K and beat his first time. He is now training for the Summer Games that is coming up in a couple weeks. Way to go Brent! :)

It's a cool, cool, cool trick

Look at Action Jackson's cool trick. Jackson loves to do tricks with spoons. He loves watching Yo Gabba Gabba, because they are always doing cool tricks with spoons.

Our Funny Erica :)

Our cute Derek is 6 months already. I can't believe it. Time flies so fast with 3 kids. He is always such a sweet happy baby. A couple of weeks ago he started sleeping though the night. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Any mother would understand though. Derek wants to eat anything that he can get his hands on. I try not to eat anything while I'm holding him. It makes me feel so guilty because he just looks at the food and tries to eat it. He is eating Rice cereal like a champ. He has also had pears which he loves, and beans which he did not like. His favorite though is when I make him rice cereal with a little formula, apple sauce, and a little cinnamon. He goes crazy for it. We haven't seen any teeth yet, but he chews on anything he can get in his hands. In a couple of weeks I will have his stats. I'm kind of off with his appointment. He will almost be 7 months before he goes in for his well check, but we will get him back on track at 9 months. Derek loves to watch Jackson and Erica. They make him smile. He is making little noises all the time and loves to laugh. He likes to watch and smile at everything he sees. Tonight I was making clicking sounds with my tongue and he started to mimic me. So cute. He also loves looking in the mirror. He will get so excited. A little while a go we put him in the jumper for the first time. He loved it. Erica and Jackson were never that big a fan of the jumper. He has also found his feet. It's so cute to watch him play with his new toys (his feet). He is also rolling everywhere now. I love the ways that his eyes light up every time he sees me. It makes me feel like I'm the most important person in his life. Which right know I am except for Brent. But it sure feels good to see such a small person loving you so much.

Erica

May 11, 2009

Dinner time: Erica decided that she had had enough food. She hopped down from the chair, went to the cupboard, pulled out some tupperware, and then came back to her plate. She then began spooning her food into the tupperware while reapeating over and over, "putting it in there, putting it in there."

June 2, 2009

Brent: I came in from mowing the lawn. Erica was at the kitchen table.
Erica: "Daddy, are you done moaning the lawn?"

June 4, 2009

6:50pm: "Thank you for dinner-time Mom."

June 12, 2009

9:45pm: Carol: I heard Erica crying for her daddy so I decided to go down and help her back into bed. I turned on the light over the stairs so that I could see her with out turning on her light. I could hear her crying but couldn't see her. I thought maybe she had fallen in between her be and the wall. then I saw the blinds moving. She was standing on her window seal between the blinds and her window. She was watching her daddy through the window while he was working in his shed. She is so cute, and loves her daddy. I helped her down and then tucked her back in bed.

July 4, 2009

Brent: We were outside on the back patio ready to light fireworks. Carol, Jackson, Erica, Nana, and I were there. When I lit the first small fountain firework Erica broke in to song: "Happy Birthday to You..."

July 16, 2009

Nancy: All tucked into bed by Daddy, Erica wanted a kiss from mommy. Mommy kissed Erica and then Erica sent mommy upstairs to get the "Nancy Mommy" for a goodnight kiss.

July 22, 2009

Carol: Today I decided that we would do some potty training with Erica. The first part of the morning I wanted to cry because I had cleaned up 2 messes, and felt like I just wasn't getting though to Erica. I called Marie to ask her what I should do, and to also get some support. While we were talking Erica went and sat down on the potty and went peepee like she had been doing it her whole life. Afterwards she picked up the bowl and dumped it in the toilet and flushed. I was in shock. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. We didn't have any other accidents the rest of the day.

Brent put Erica to bed tonight. Erica decided she needed to go potty before bed. Brent went with her and she shut the door in his face. He waited by the door and heard the toilet flush and the lid slam down. She oped the door and she had put the bowl back and pulled up her underwear all by herself. She is also not wearing a diaper to bed.

After dinner Erica went into the half bath and shut the door. A couple minutes later she came out with her bowl to show us that she had gone poppy. She was so proud of herself, and we were too.

July 23, 2009

Carol: Erica woke up this morning with a wet bed. I was hoping that she would be dry, but what can ya do.

Erica: "My hear is growing up." (getting longer)

September 23, 2009

Brent: 8:15pm Erica and I were outside laying on the grass looking at the stars. She said, "I want to get 'em, grab'em, and eat'em." Then she went inside adn flipped on the patio light so she could "see the stars better."

January 20, 2010

Brent: Erica grabbed a comb and wanted to comb my hair. After a few strokes I asked her, "Am I beautiful now?" She replied, "No, you're not beautiful, you're a boy." After a few more brush strokes she said, "Okay, now you look like a grandpa."

February 2, 2010

Carol: I started a my little pony DVD for Erica down stairs. She started getting excited and told me that, "when Erica's a pony I'm going to have a tail on my bum." Too cute!

February 14, 2010

Brent: Erica wanted "pears" and ham before going to bed. Carol put actual pears on her plate. Erica responded, "No, I want the red pears." Carol exchanged the real pears with strawberries or as Erica calls them "red pears." I guess that they are about the same shape.

March 2, 2010

Erica: "Mommy paint my nails."
Mom: "I will when I get him from Walmart."
Erica in a sad voice: "But mommy you are home!"

Erica is just to smart for me. I was hoping to hold off on the mail painting, but she was just to darn cute.

Erica is getting married

Today the kids and I went over to my parents house with my sister Cheryl and her kids. All of the son-in-laws and my Dad went golfing in Richfield. Anyway we had pizza and the kids played together. When it was time to go Erica cried and cried. She wanted to stay and play with Kayla. Cheryl said that she would take her home with her and the kids could play. A little while ago I got some texts from her:

Text #1: Erica is running around after Ethan outside in a white dress-up with a hand full of dandelions. She is trying to get him to marry her.

Text #2: Appereantly it is ok for Erica to throw leaves at Kayla because she is stroying (destroying) her wedding.

Lately Erica has been all about weddings. She tells me all the time that when she is big Jackson is going to marry her. I haven't told her yet that she can't marry her brother. I think that she will grow over this phase long before we would have to talk to her about it.

Mother's Day Weekend

On Friday night my Dad took Cheryl and I on a Daddy Daughter Date. We went bowling. Derek came with us. We ate dinner and then bowled 2 games. It was so much fun. My Dad had I think 3 strikes and Cheryl and I didn't get one. Derek was passed around a lot and had big smiles for Grandpa and Aunt Cheryl. Later as I was pulling into the drive way Erica and Jackson's blinds were up and I could see a brand new ceiling fan in their room. I was so excited. When I turned the car off I called Brent and told him thank so much for the fan. It was such a good early Mother's Day gift. I have been wanting one in their room for a while. Jackson likes to turn the light on at night so I started tapping down the light switch, but knowing Jackson our little problem solver he figured out how to take the tap off pretty quick. Now with the ceiling fan I can pull a cord and the light stays off. Wouldn't that just make any mothers so happy. Now I don't have to go in every second to turn the light off. It's also nice because it's starting to get warmer and the fan can cool their room down at night. Thanks so much Brent. I love you!