Camping Photos and Pool Time!

So when I finally got around to unpacking the boys' suitcase from last weekend's camping trip, I saw Grandma's camera in there...with photos from their weekend!  Looks like they had a super fun time!



Mason enjoying a lunchable

SMORES!

Nate, Zane, and Marcy tubing

Mason just enjoys watching from inside the boat

Hanging out in the camper.  Zane, Keeta, Marcy, Mason, Nate, Brent

You can take the boy away from the farm...

We've moved on from cereal with Bryce.  We found out he likes oatmeal more than rice cereal.  He loves green beans and the jury is still out on peas.  The older two are always excited when it's time to feed Bryce.  They like to watch his face to see if he likes what we are feeding him!!!

Mason feeding Bryce (even kids open their mouth when they feed a baby)!

We've been spending a lot of time at the pool this summer.  We've gotten our money's worth out of our pool pass!  This week we also went to a program at the library.  It was a lady with some birds that she's trained to do tricks.  They were pretty cool!!  After the program was over we picked out some new books.  Mason got his right away and wanted to go sit down and read them.  He sat in this chair, with his feet up, and read.  Naturally, as soon as I tried to get a picture, he quit!  But I took it anyway!

"Don't take my picture!"

Tuckered out at the pool.

Smiley boy!

Zane and Bryce ready for some pool time!

As I'm typing this, Matt's mom is having surgery on her arm.  She visited the specialist last week and it was broken worse than they thought.  She is getting a plate in her arm so it can heal correctly.  We are praying all goes well, quickly, and she'll be on the road to recovery soon!!!

Mason's Marvels

• At the pool the other day, we were taking a little snack break, when Mason said, "Mom, you take good care of me!"

Surgery Success!

I plugged my memory card in to upload pictures from the week...and realized I'd missed some from last week!  I did better than I thought!  We've really been enjoying summer at our house...trying to make the most of every day!  Here are some of the things we have been up to (a mix of last week and this week)!

Painting tractors!

Mason picking out a stencil to use on his tractor

Picky picky!

Bryce watching his brothers!

Tractor time!



Buzz Lightyear (a.k.a. Mason)

Luigi (a.k.a. Zane)

Masers playing with his tractors

And Bryce watching them play!

Thursday Zane and Mason had their yearly checkups at the pediatrician.  They both did great!  Both are healthy and growing as they should be!  At every checkup we hear a heart murmur in Zane.  We've discussed having it checked out to be sure it's innocent...and just haven't.  This time we went to a new doctor's office...and this doctor said he'd really like us to check it out to be sure...so we will be going on to make sure his murmur is innocent, as we believe it is.

Reading the ads...

I ADORE these hands!

Such a serious face!  (Ignore the booger)

Mason playing hide and seek with me!

Sprinkler time!  LOVE the looks on their faces!  Priceless!

Mason trying to sneak through without getting wet!

LOVE the pose I captured here...

Friday was the "big day."  The day I'd been dreading.  The day I'd been praying about.  Bryce had surgery.  My parents came down Thursday evening so they could be here to stay with the boys.  We reported to the hospital at 6:30 a.m.  We weren't allowed to feed him from 2:00 until after surgery.  So I woke him up at 1:00 and fed him.  He ate...while still sleeping...but it made me feel a little better to know he had some food in him.

Isn't he adorable in his hospital gown?

And the obligatory...view from behind!  :o)

So from 6:30 until 8:00, lots of doctors, nurses, etc, came in to prep Bryce for his surgery.  He was so good.  He smiled at everyone.  He talked to us.  He only got a little bit fussy right before they took him back...but he just fell asleep in my arms!  When they came to take him into surgery, they took him out of my arms and told us they'd take good care of him.  It was SO hard to walk away from him...knowing what was going to happen!  We went to the waiting room and man time just about FROZE at that point!

He was very intrigued by the bracelet they put on his ankle!

About an hour later, they told us the surgery was over, and the surgeon came to talk to us.  He told us everything went well.  Bryce not only had a hernia on his left side, he also had one on his right side.  So he had to have two fixed!  So next we headed back upstairs to get him.  That also seemed to take forever.  All of a sudden I heard his cry...and it broke my heart.  The nurse came out carrying him wrapped up in a blanket.  His eyes were closed and he was MAD!  She was trying to feed him glucose water and he was not interested in it at all!  She took us to the recovery room and I got my hands on him.  He seemed to settle down once he heard my voice and we got him a bottle!

My sweet, sweet baby!

For the rest of the day he was a little "out of it" and just not quite himself.  By that night he was really back to normal!  For the rest of the weekend...you wouldn't have known anything had happened!

The older two boys were surprised when we told them they were going to leave with my parents to go to Iowa for the weekend!  Matt's parents took the camper and boat to the lake!  So they got to go camping/boating all weekend!  Big news of the camping trip...Matt's mom fell when getting off of the boat and broke her arm!  She now has a cast up to her elbow!

Zane-isms

• Zane seems to say "huh" or "what" quite often...and we have to repeat what he said.  The other morning he said, "huh" after I said something to him.  When I asked him why he always has to ask "huh," he said, "Well, Mom, I like the sound of your voice so much that I want to hear you say everything again..."  Wow!

Fun in the Sun!

I'm happy to say we don't have much to report this week!  Happy because we've just been relaxing and enjoying summer!!!  Mason keeps asking every day, "Mom, is it a stay home day?"  He is always excited to find out it is!  Unfortunately Matt's been super busy at work so we haven't seen lots of him.  So this weekend Mason was his little shadow...following him around, always wanting to know where he was...asking "is Daddy staying home too?"  We were able to go to the pool today.  The water really needs to warm up!!!  Here are a few pictures from today:



"Mom, count for me..."

Matt & Bryce...staying warm by NOT getting in the water!

Precious!

Little Brycers

I said "Zane, smile!"  and this is what I got...



Zane with his goggles



This weekend my mom and her sister were in town so I was able to go out to lunch with them.  That was fun!  And today Matt's sister was in town for the Kenny Chesney concert, so she stopped to see us for a bit.  We love visitors!

This week Bryce has his hernia surgery on Friday.  I know that it's the most common infant surgery.  I know it's a quick one.  I know he will do fine.  But he's my baby.  And he has to go under.  But I'm scared.  He's my baby.  Please help us pray that everything will go well.  I know I'll be a mess.  Thanks!

5 Months Old and 2 Lost Teeth!

Ahhh...summer!  I've been a tad busy organizing...and getting made fun of by my husband for labeling everything in the boys' room...but hey...now they can put things away in the RIGHT place and get things for themselves because the "I don't know where it's at" excuse can no longer work!

Bryce had his 4 month checkup on Tuesday morning.  It was actually supposed to be the day of his hernia surgery...it's the first one we had scheduled but had to re-schedule.  Anyway...when the doctor walked in the room one of his first comments was "he has great head control!"  He also commented on how cute he was...his checkup was good.  He weighed a little over 15 pounds, which is in the 56%ile.  We're not used to that...the other two were always in about the 90%!  As he was examining Bryce, he noticed that his hip was popping.  He felt bad for having to tell me, since at the last appointment he told me Bryce needed surgery...but went on to say that the reason that could be a problem is that if his hip bone isn't growing into his femur correctly, he could have problems walking.  It's also uncommon in boys.  So to figure out if this is a problem, we need to have an ultrasound done.  Other than that, he looked great, got his shots, and was given the "go" to start cereal.  So of course I headed to the store for cereal that day, cause I love feeding my babies food, and we tried it that night.  What do you think, does he like it?

Big boy in his high chair!

What are you doing to me?

Torture!

So far, he's not fond of eating cereal, but I am confident he will learn to love it!  Hopefully!?!

Mason's been funny lately...every morning he says "Mom, where am I going today?"  When I tell him we're staying home he says, "Is Jo's closed?  Is church closed?  Is Zane's school closed?"  Then when I tell him "yes" to all of those, he says "Yea, we get to stay home again!"

Grumpy Mason who wanted to be left alone...

Give me privacy!

Zane lost TWO TEETH this week!  On Thursday we went to open gym at a local gymnastics place.  He came running over to me crying and handed over a tooth.  As soon as I saw it I said, "Zane!  You lost a tooth!"  He grinned, then giggled, and couldn't stop giggling!  He told me that he was running and it feel out of his mouth onto the floor!  Then, on Friday, we were all downstairs and Zane went upstairs to get something.  I heard him fall down and start crying.  He came running back down to me with another tooth hanging out of his mouth and blood all over.  He went into the bathroom, and when he came out, he had his tooth in his hand!  That poor tooth fairy was busy this week!  And she's broke!

Bryce turned 5 months on Friday!  To celebrate, we had his ultrasound appointment!  Okay, not really a celebration, but at least we'll soon know if he's okay!  My friend Maggie was sweet enough to come over and watch the older two so I could take him there.  We had a heck of a time getting the images.  He's a mover...and strong...and he had to sit still for them to do it.  We had to call in reinforcements...and it worked!  A sweet lady came in who just talked and talked to him, and had a light up toy he was mesmerized by.  We were there about a half hour.  They didn't tell me anything that day...so now we wait...the worst part...

Sweet baby Bryce...5 months old!

At five months, Bryce:

• Weighs a little over 15 pounds
• Eats 6-7 ounces every 3-4 hours
• Sleeps through the night!  Usually about 11-13 hours
• Loves to play with his feet...and put them in his mouth!
• Rolls right to his tummy as soon as you lay him down
• Can put his paci in his mouth
• Plays with toys
• Turns himself in a complete circle while on the floor
• Is starting to "scoot" on the floor
• Has gotten up on all 4's a couple of times
• Smiles.a.lot!
• Only cries when he's hungry, tired, or wants held
• Love his jumparoo and exersaucer
• Loves to watch his brothers
• Makes us so happy
• Is amazing! 

Growing!!!  (And notice Big Bird's pose...ha!)

Please pray with us that we hear good news from Bryce's doctor.  The poor little guy can't get a break.  First tongue-tied, then a hernia, and now possible bone issues.  Ugh.

Zane-isms

• Zane's been saying "no fair" a lot!  "No fair.  Mason got 2 snacks.  No fair.  Mason got to color a picture..."  The other night I said, "Zane, I'm tired of you saying 'no fair' all the time."  To which he said, "Well, it works on you!"  Cough...cough...um...WHAT?  "Why do you say that Zane?"  "Well, when I say 'no fair' you usually say 'fine, have another snack.'"  Oh me oh my he just called my bluff didn't he?  Guess I'll have to watch myself better!

Mason's Marvels

• We got our pool passes and went swimming for the first time last week!  While we were cleaning everything up and getting ready to go, Mason said, "Oh, dat burd almost cwapped on me!"  I couldn't help it, I started laughing!