AJ's surgery

So AJ had his 3rd surgery last week and came through with flying colors. He had his 3rd set of tubes put in and his adenoids taken out. He is such a trooper. The anesthesiologist carried him back and he never even cried or anything. The nurses said he was great and the anesth. said he sat on the bed and took the gas mask and went right to sleep and was the best kid ever. He woke up well, thanks to his first postop nurse for taking this pic for me so I could put it on my blog although I'm sure he thought I was a weirdo, plus I wanted to send it to Ryan who couldn't come back and as we had Levi and he couldn't come back to the postop area. I wanted to reassure Ryan and my mom who was at my house with the older boys. Anyway, when it was time for us to go he sat up and got dressed and never complained and said he was ready. When he stood up to get in the truck he was still wobbly and I had to catch him but after that he was mellow for a few hours and then back to normal, I had to keep him from getting too rambunctious. Now he still has to have ear drops and wear ear plugs in the bath and stuff and he is so good at reminding me if I forget to put them in before he gets in. I hope this is his last surgery but I'm grateful that the doctors did a great job and he came through it well. I'm thankful it wasn't anything more serious and he is so much healthier than he could be.

AJ is so serious

So, AJ is finally at the age that he can comprehend some manners and etiquette. As most any mother can attest, it's difficult to go to the bathroom without an audience and you can only hold it for so long. Our bathroom is jack and jill style so when I lock one door he runs around through our bedroom to the other one. There's nothing quite as exasperating as a kid crying at each door because they can't get in. Poking toes under the door can only entertain them for awhile. He finally gets that mommy needs privacy. Anyway AJ's vocabulary is expanding quickly but not always politically correct. So he locked me out of the bathroom then bellowed for me to "wipe my butt". I said, "I can't the door is locked, why did you lock the door?" He said, " I need my privates" I think that is my favorite AJ quote. He is also a great listener/mimic. My mom's line when the boys are misbehaving is "look at my face, I'm not smiling, I'm not laughing." Last week Levi was doing something AJ didn't want him to do, I missed what since I was making lunch in the kitchen at the time. I walked into the room in time to hear AJ say to Levi, "no no Levi, look at me face, I no smiling, I no laughing." After I managed to not laugh at his completely serious chastisement I thought to be ecstatic that he wasn't beating him up like usual. He is such a joy and I love them all so much. I make sure to comment on his loving behavior to his brother and tell him what a good brother he is, yesterday he told Levi, " your such a good brother Levi". At least when he is reminding me of what I do wrong he still reminds me what I do right. Besides his darling personality, how do you not love his fashion sense?

Easter Flashback

Easter so fun. Not just Sunday but the days leading up to it also. On Thursday we went to the Easter Pagaent at the Mesa Temple. We made an afternoon of it and picked up the boys early from school. We headed out to Mesa and had lunch at Organ Stop Pizza. I had never been there but Ryan took the boys last year for Caleb's b-day and they loved it so I was excited to go. It was awesome. That guy, the organ player, is amazingly talented. I don't covet things but I think I am guilty of coveting talents and his is incredible and awe inspiring. We got to the temple at about 5:30 and got great seats, the best I've ever had. I was super prepared and brought snacks, games, blankets, sweatshirts, drinks the whole smash. That kept everyone happy until the pagaent started at 8. Levi got fussy at bedtime but went to sleep and slept through the whole thing. AJ went to sleep soon after it started and stayed that way. Luke went with us and enjoyed it. There didn't seem to be as many protesters as there has been in years past. Friday the boys were off school and we hung out and went to bagels and Carson spent the night Friday night. They stayed up until way too late but I expected them to and as long as they weren't too loud in the room I didn't get upset which surprised Ryan. Saturday morning was the town Spring celebration and of course Easter Egg hunt, which the rain stopped just in time for. They got balloon animals and a ton of candy. I saw the cutest Easter basket bunny made from Milk jugs at Darice's house on Friday and so I copied it since there is never a shortage of milk jugs at our house. To give due credit, Lucy Watson made them for her primary class and since Morgan is in her class, I saw it at Darice's house. I got so many compliments on them and wanted to post the picture but, MOM HAS MY CAMERA!I will definitely do them again next year. I'm not a big fan of the cheapey baskets at Walmart that cost $20 dollars with toys that break the same day so I try to personalize them. I remember getting Easter baskets with clothes and a chocolate bunny every year when we were little so I try to do something similar. Anyway we did this before Ryan had to go to work and then after church we went to Mary's house for Easter Luncheon which is always great food and friends and laughs. After we left there we came home for the boys to hunt easter eggs but... the Easter bunny set off the alarm and didn't hide the eggs we left for him.ARRGHHH!!! So... Jake and Nana threw all of the eggs out for the little ones to find. Levi had a great time finding them. AJ went on a special hunt because he fell asleep on the way home from Mary and Dan's. So either way, we all had a great
Resurection Day!!!

busy

I know it's been a long time since I've been on but with so much going on and everything with Ricky, I didn't feel like it to be honest. We finally put him to sleep yesterday and it was the hardest thing to do. I felt like I didn't have the right to play God but at the same time he was in so much pain and the pain medicine wasn't helping anymore. We got to keep him with us for an extra month on tramadol but even giving him double the dose the vet prescribed, because seriously what was it going to do, kill him? Anyway the double dose wasn't cutting it anymore and I couldn't justify keeping him just to make me and the boys feel better. I kept praying he would fall asleep and not wake up but he kept waking up. I miss him and AJ keeps asking when we are going to go back and get him from the vet. He is too young to understand. Neptune and Jazzmin won't eat. I'm sad but what do I do? I guess I should catch up on my blogging and since this is sort of my journal, talk about all of the things we've been doing, so I'll take a page from Darice and do it as a flash back. I don't have many pictures since I loaned my camera to mom and she isn't done with it yet and I hate doing it with the camcorder, it takes alot more effort and time, which I am short on.