Family of 4

This week we welcomed the newest member of our family into the world, Sydni Nichole Dickens. 

Sydni Nichole

June 24th, 2013, 7:55 pm

7 pounds 7 ounces

20 inches long

Big brother Carson just loves his little sister!

 Sweet picture of my sweet babies

Our little family of 4

1st Roasting 2013

As a family we love to roast hot dogs up the canyon and that is exactly what we decided to do for family home evening this past Monday night. It was a lot of fun, and hot dogs are much more delicious when roasted on an open fire, like many things are.  

On first arrival Daddy fixed up the fire pit to make it better to roast our dinner. While Carson and mom picked up sticks and wood for the fire, Carson enjoyed going back and forth and bringing wood to Daddy. 

When everything was ready and the logs and starters were assembled Robert started the fire. We found out he probably will be just fine camping around the fire this year, because the minute Daddy was going to start the fire, Carson could not get up on my lap fast enough, he was a bit scared because it was "hot!" 

However, as the night progressed he warmed up to the fire and sat in his very own "Lucky Bums" chair that Daddy had earned when he was six months old, this time he could sit in it and reach the ground. 

We for sure are going to have to make this at least a monthly FHE because it is that much fun and enjoyable to be up in the mountains. 

We also took the time to teach Carson about the creation of some of the sites that we saw while up in the mountains. I ask Carson "Who made the trees?" He replied, "Daddy" so cute.

Here is to more roasting in the canyons!

Carson and Daddy!

Daily occurrence of playing in the dirt and this time the ash for a little two year old!

Carson and Mommy!

Love that cheesy grin on his face

And finally the strip down for the car ride home after a very fun night!

Happy Father's Day Honey!

Happy Father's day to one of the best Daddy's in the world! Carson and soon to be Sydni are two very lucky kids to be able to call you Daddy, how did we get so lucky!

To name a few things that I love about you being our children's Daddy, because there are so many!

1. I love to see you interacting and wrestling with Carson because lets face it Moms just don't have the same touch of roughness that is needed for 100% wrestling fun!

2. I love to see you always being willing to help out with Carson when ever help is needed, I know this is expected, but I don't feel like it is expected, but that you enjoy helping our son with anything and everything. 

3. I love to see you two cuddling in the few moments our energetic son will allow relaxation. One way to melt a mother's heart for sure, and mine has been melting quite a few times. 

4. I love that he just absolutely adores is Daddy, and asks thousands of times a day "Daddy?"

5. I love that when Daddy is home, mom is left on the side, because he just loves his Daddy that much!

6. I love that you are always telling him he is your little buddy and that you love him, a kid always needs to hear this and Carson gets this constantly. 

7. You are always there for us, you loved us enough to take on a job that is not the most enjoyable so I could be home and raise them, not all men would be so willing to do that. 

8. Love the fact we get to spend so much time with you each and everyday, it makes the day brighter.

9. Thank you for giving me a wonderful son and daughter that I can raise, they are the apple of my eyes. And I can't wait to have more children call you their Daddy!

10. Most of all thanks for being the best friend and husband anyone could ask for. We all have our faults, I know I do, but with you by my side we can do anything better, because we love each other and I for sure what you in my eternities!

I wished I was able to get a picture of Carson on Father's Day with his shirt that read " My Dad is my Super Hero" Because that is exactly how we see you!

My Superhero, My Dad

My Dad and I have special powers
I bet you didn't know
And when we are together
Our Super powers grow. 

I have the gift of flight
To soar and leap and bound. 
I can hover in the sky
And never tough the ground.

I am growing stronger too
With each passing hour.
I can even save the day
With my super power.

Dad's arms help me reach
The things I cannot touch.
His love and guidance carry me
I look up to him so much.

And Even when I;m all grown up
I know that i'll be glad
That I had my own superhero
My best friend, my Dad!

Happy Father's Day!

Dress Up

Even though we only have a son at the present time, we have our share of times playing dress up and yesterday was one of those days. Carson had to try everything on from shorts, shirts, socks, and much more. I decided I would try to get some action shots of his play time, to bad I could not get him to look up, but have been having too much fun!

Happy 30th Birthday!

Yesterday, was my best friend's 30th birthday, love you Honey!

We had a very low key birthday because that is the way we are, no need for a big party even though it is a big birthday in most people's eyes! I purchased an ice cream cake as well as some balloons and that was the gist of the decorations and extra things for the birthday, I think they turned out great! I invited Mama and Daddy over as a surprise for the birthday dinner picked by the birthday guy himself. For the birthday dinner he chose, something I never make because I am not a huge fan of it, but for special occasion I will make it for him just because I love him dearly! Hope he had a wonderful birthday, because he deserve the best, because he is the best husband and father I could ever ask for, love you through the eternities honey!

I decided to go with just a number 3 and 0, did not want to melt the ice cream cake with 30 candles :)

Carson loves his Daddy, thought this picture was a cute one from yesterday, so relaxed and loving his cuddle time with his Daddy!

Carson apparently was in a cuddly mood yesterday, he loved cuddling with his is Grandma as well while watching Tarzan. Priceless photo for the future for sure!

Happy Birthday Robert, I love you very much!

Art City Days

Art City Carnival

This week we decided to go to a few of the Art City day festivities and have a good time as a family before the baby comes. Last night we visited the carnival and walked through the store and food vendors. We ended up purchasing 12 tickets for Carson to use to ride some of the carnival rides, he was in heaven a train. Unfortunately  he really wanted to ride the small roller coaster that he called a train, but he was a half an inch too short to ride, so we will have to go to Payson's carnival in the fall when he should be tall enough to ride. Luckily for us there was an alternative little train that he just absolutely loved!

First Carson and Daddy went down a giant slide, and lets just say Carson had fun, but the price to go down once was like robbing candy from a baby. I attempted to get a picture at the end before they stood up, when Carson had a giant smile on his face, but the boy manning the attraction stood right in front and I was unable to get a really good picture. The picture I did get is not close, but still got him going down with his Daddy.

Our next ride was the train ride, which he loved, he ended up riding it twice in a row. The second time, he was the conductor and drove the train around the track. After we went another ride, but for his final ride he once again asked to go ride the train and that is how we ended our carnival experience on the little train. This boy absolutely loves trains, for the rest of the time he kept telling us he rode the train, so cute!

Ready for this train to start!

Can you tell you liked the ride and who did not?

Our Conductor having the time of his life!

As Carson would say, "Hi People."

One more cute one, because I can't resist!

The only other ride that he rode was a plane ride that went up and down, he had the cutest smile the entire time, I was surprised he actually like it and did not stand up while on the ride like another kid around his same age. 

Our little pilot

To end family night at the carnival we purchased some cotton candy, yummy! Carson didn't like it at first, but by the time we got home he was asking for a "taste" I guess he got over the texture of the cotton candy and realized it was quite yummy.  

Afterwards Robert and I got talking that and thinking the first child really has some perks that the other children might not have as often and the carnival is one of them. When we have more children we can't just go and spend $12 dollars on tickets for each kid, that could really add up, but I am glad we are able to do so many fun things with Carson at this time, and some in the future with the others, maybe just not as often. 

Children's Art Festival

Today was the children's art festival put on at the Springville museum, with lots of arts and crafts for all ages.  For a short period of time Carson was interested in coloring and making various crafts, but eventually that wore off and he just wanted to be a typical boy and play with the dirt and rocks!

His first project was chalk coloring and he quite enjoyed this booth, I think we probably stayed here for about 20 minutes while he colored all over, a proud mom I was at his beautiful masterpiece. 

Next we headed to make a sand painting. He loved painting with the glue and then dumping sand on his paper, I thought this was a fun project for little ones and apparently Carson agreed :)

While he colored his pirate ship we got to watch a puppet show about pirates and mermaids, it was a pretty cute show and it captured his attention for a little bit, which was nice, I am quickly running out of energy in the last weeks of this pregnancy. 

For his final art project to win a few markers was sidewalk chalk drawings, and like a typical Carson he colored for a few minutes and then decided that all the chalk had to be out of the boxes, so he dumped all the chalk on the sidewalk and lets say there was a lot of them. 

 Our Picasso

 

 

Couldn't see all the colors in they were in the box mom!

Next I decided Carson might enjoy his first face painting so we got in line. Can you guess what he asked for when they asked him what he wanted, you are correct "train, " it turned out pretty cute. 

As any mom with a boy knows arts and crafts can only go so far, what they really want to do is find a rock and dirt, Carson is that typical boy. He made wonderful art in the dirt!

 Dirt Art

We love the arts festival and can't wait for it to return next year, I am sure it will get better and better as he gets older and enjoys the crafts more, this year I pretty much let him go where ever he wanted to go to a point, once he started not listening it was time to go home. 

Finally had to get a couple of pictures with mom!

Aunt Lisa had him say "train" for this picture

Where's Carson?

Where's Carson?

It must be great to be able to fit into such small spaces and have fun in the simple things. That is one great thing about being a kid.! Sometimes I wish I could go back to a day full on no cares in the world, just so I can have similar fun as Carson did in this bedside table. 

Full Term, and Counting

Swollen ankles, sore back, and just plain tired of being pregnant? "I hope this baby comes early, " is something you may have heard or even said yourself. Luckily, only this time around only the sore back, and just plain tired of being pregnant has crossed my mind. Thus fun, no swollen feet and no high blood pressure. They say medically that I have reached full term at my 37 weeks, but the truth of the matter is-the best things are worth the wait right? 

I talked to my Dr. last week about the possibilities of getting out of the hospital within 24 hours of the birth of Sydni, because I honestly didn't like spending as much time in the hospital as I did with Carson, she said as long as I didn't have Strep B and everything went normal that should be fine. But of course as my luck would have it, I have tested positive for Strep B, which means at least a 48 hour stay for me and the baby in the hospital, but I probably should not complain it is for her protection as some babies don't show signs of issues because of Strep B until around 48 hours after birth, but a healthy baby is worth every minute of the hospital that is for sure. 

Little Sydni is measuring 36 and 1/2 weeks, so perfectly normal for 37 weeks gestation, maybe if I am lucky she will be small like Carson when he was born, I am sure it will make for an easier delivery. I was a bit more dilated than last week, I am now 1 cm and 70%, not a lot of progress, but has to start somewhere. With these numbers I am currently exactly where I was with Carson when they induced me at 39 weeks, still not getting my hopes up she will be early, because anyone knows they can hang in there for a long amount of time. :)

Still have not decided if I am going to be induced or not, but with the Strep B and having to coordinate the child care of Carson, the induction at 39 weeks is looking more and more worth it, but as time gets closer we will decide for sure. 

Before we know it our lives will change for the better, with 2 beautiful children to love and take care of, when I become so lucky, my Heavenly Father sure loves me enough to let me take care of 2 of his most precious children and I hope to be able to teach them the things they need in order to return to him. 

24 Days Left!

Last Thursday I hit 36 weeks in my pregnancy with baby Sydni, I still can't believe we are almost done and going to meet this little princess that we have grown to love so much.  I am currently 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced, which is leaps and bounds further than I was with Carson at this time. I have been having more and more Braxton Hicks contractions, and in fact a few contractions that are starting to be a bit uncomfortable, so who knows maybe she will be early, but not getting my hopes up. She will come when she is good and ready, about 3 weeks to go! Not much has changed physically since the last update, I am more tired and uncomfortable, but that is to be expected, I am still most weeks able to make it to Zumba 3 days a week, which I am sure is helping me progress,maybe even a bit faster, at least here is to hoping at least. 

36 weeks and 1 day!

Fire Station/ Splash Pad

Last week we had the privilege of touring the Springville City Fire station and afterwards getting drenched in the new Springville Splash Pad. Carson didn't really care to listen to what the fireman said, but he did enjoy the fire trucks, however, at first he did not want to get in the truck or ambulance without Mommy's help, but he eventually warmed up and enjoyed exploring the trucks. Glad we were able to go and spend some time with friends and enjoy a nice day. Carson loves to say Fire Truck and Firefighters, thanks to one of our favorite shows "Chicago Fire" that we watch on Wednesday nights, so cute when he says it, love this boy!

Sitting in the Fire Truck, scared a bit in this picture. 

Springville is Fire station # 41

Learning about ambulances.

Standing on the back of the fire truck.

Carson and his friend Malie loved playing in the fireman dressing area.

Sitting on the front of the fire truck, pose was not planed, but still cute. 

Carson finally warmed up to the fire trucks, and played around in one them on his own.

 This is my favorite picture of the whole experience, such pure joy!

 Our junior firefighter of the day, ready to be called on the job.

At first I tried to keep Carson away from the splash pad, but then realized it was less stressful to just let him get as wet as he wanted to. He loved walking in the water and climbing on the rocks in their little river, however, he would avoid the water spouts that sprayed water directly up still does not like them.