Eliza

I never wrote a blog when Eliza turned 1.. Her birthday was way back in July. On the 5th. She is now 17 Months old. I thought I would write a little about her.
*she is 23 lbs, which at 12 months was 50% tile.  I can't remember her height but I know it was 30% tile. She is in the 95%tile for head.
*Eliza has hypotonia which is low muscle tone. http://www.pediastaff.com/blog/what-does-low-tone-mean-7943  the site I posted will help explain what hypotonia is.  Eliza always had a hard time rolling over, and she still has a hard time. It takes all her strength. At about 14 months old she was able to sit herself up from a laying position. She still has a hard time and sometimes needs our assistance. She scoots on her bum to get around. she is pretty fast at that. At 16 months she learned to crawl. She can only crawl a short distances, But she loves to show off her crawling.  Eliza just learned to pull herself up to a standing position. She has only done it a handful of times because it's really hard for her to do. She can't stand unsupported and isn't able to walk yet.  She does physical therapy every other week. Her physical therapist says she is coming along slowly but surely. She has week ankles that turn in, and may need braces or special inserts. Hopefully (fingers crossed) she will be able to walk by age 2. She had MRI done a few weeks ago. Her brain function is good. We still need to meet with a neurologist soon.
*she is not a picky eater, but she eats very little.
*Her favorite food is a avocado. she can eat the whole thing in one sitting.
*She loves animals! her favorite  is our Cat Tootsie. that was her first word
*could take baths all day long if I let her.
*she knows so many words! and can put some words together. She says: mama, daddy, Tootsie, Abbey, puppy, (she tries to say Jaden and Brigham) grandma, grandpa, Hannah, Banana, eat, drink, night night, outside, bath, no, yes, bye, hi, pee pee, mine, baby, hat, my, I want....., My......, that, this, done, and eye. She probably knows more that I can't think of. she jabbers a lot.
*she loves books, singing, babies (baby dolls)  she caries babies all over . she loves to wear hats, likes to color, play with blocks, and looking at pictures. She always wants my phone and likes to  talk on it.
*She doesn't sleep through the night yet. She takes forever to fall asleep at night and doesn't take good naps. I don't know how she survives with so little sleep. I don't know how I survive!?
*She still nurses. I am anxious to wean her. She wants to nurse so badly and has no desire to stop.
*she is really shy, and has separation anxiety from her parents.
* she unfortunately still has acid reflux and it can make it hard to sleep.
* she  doesn't want anyone feeding her, she has to feed herself and she does really well working with utensil's.
*she has a deep raspy voice. haha
*she is a smiley and happy toddler
*she hates to be covered up. she freaks out if we put a blanket on her.  Even if it's cold or she has a fever, she does not want a blanket. she doesn't like to wear coats, socks or even clothes. She would rather be naked.
*But she does like to be held and cuddled.
*she has most of her teeth, and likes to have her teeth brushed.
*she also likes having her nose suctioned out with a bulb syringe.
We are so blessed to have little Eliza in our lives and we love her so much!!

Blessings come in ways you don't expect

My Mom had a colonoscopy 4 years ago.  Everything looked good. Because everything looked good, they told her that she didn't need another one for 10 years.
A few months ago, my mom started having unusual bowl problems. She didn't want to go to the doctor for them, because it was embarrassing. Then things in her bowls got worse. forcing her to see a doctor. They did a colonoscopy (6 years sooner then what was instructed) and found inflammation and a polyp.
They did a biopsy and she got the results back today. she has stage 1 colon cancer.
The blessing in all of this is, Colon cancer is considered the silent killer. You don't have symptoms until it becomes too late..  If she didn't not have the bowl symptoms she was experiencing, she would not have had a colonoscopy  until it was too late. The nurse said that they didn't know what caused her bowl problems, it was a mystery. Because this early in colon cancer, there isn't symptoms. So because they caught it early, they will do surgery on the area that had the polyp and remove more of that area to hopefully take it all out.
Keep my Mom in your prayers. Thank you.

my story of sticks and stones

Last night after coming home from Parent teacher conference and being upset about how Abbey is doing in school. It took me back to my school days and the way they described Abbey, sounded a awful lot like me. It scared me! I decided to write about my childhood and how I had to deal with Bullies and how it affected my life.  Not sure if Abbey was being bullied, or maybe it's because she doesn't have many friends. But I was feeling sad.
Not only for her, but her friend, who I know is picked on, and for any child who maybe dealing with the pain I went through. School is hard, and it's extra hard when you are teased, or kids are mean, or you are alone. I thought it could educate parents.
I wrote my whole story! After I wrote it, I was feeling embarrassed that I shared such a story, that was really hard to share.  My insecurities started coming back. I deleted it, because I was too embarrassed to let anymore people read something that was so personal.
Right after I deleted it, I thought "why should you care Kaycee? you should share your experience because it could help someone." Then my cousin texted me and asked why I deleted it and she was wanting to share it with her boys and she thought it was inspired. which It probably was.
I don't know how to bring my story back, But I can rewrite my story.

I had titled it "STICK AND STONES"
Because as a child I felt and had heard this saying many times: "Stick and Stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you".
Growing up I knew that was a lie! Words can hurt people more then you will know! Even the smallest hurtful words can have a snow ball effect that can cause a lot of pain. Even just one hurtful  word to a child or adult can cause their self-esteem to go down the drain. I know, because I lived it first hand.  I had not shared this story with anyone until just Yesterday. (except Robby knew my story, and my parents knew most, but probably never knew all of it or how It REALLY made me feel)
My first time I could remember being bullied was in 2nd grade. That's when it really started.
I know every child will experience being teased, or left out, or encounters the  "mean child". It happens.
I had to experience it every day! It started with "you are ugly" "your clothes are ugly" "you look like a boy" "you have a boy name".
How does hearing those things affect a child? They start  to believe it. Then they loose their self worth, self esteem and confidence. Pretty soon "The bullies" see you are week and a easy target and the bullying gets worse and more frequent. It can be one bully, but in my case it was a group of kids. "The popular kids"  Soon it became un cool to be friends with Kaycee. So not even the non bullies wanted to play with me.
I was teased every day! I spent many recesses alone.  during PE when team captains would chose teams, I was always chosen last.
For Valentines when kids passed out Valentines to all the kids, I didn't get a single card. I went home crying. I spent many times in the bathroom crying. I would pretend to be sick, so I wouldn't have to go to school. I begged my mom to homeschool me. I finally started eating lunch at home.
I didn't feel like the teachers cared. They could see things going on, and they didn't do anything. They had the moto of "names cant hurt you"
My favorite teacher, the only one I liked was my 3rd grade teacher. She was the only one who took bullying, name calling and teasing serious. I will never forget her and her own saying: " Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will break your heart".  Wow, someone who understood how I felt. someone who took me feelings seriously.
I started Failing school. Yes. F's in Elm School. Because I became too timid to ask questions,  answer questions, get up in front of the class or work in groups. I didn't want to add any fuel to be made fun of.
After leaving Elm school, and heading to the dreaded JR high. The worst 3 yrs a child can go through, my self esteem was at a all time low.
I wanted friends so badly! That I was friends with kids that I should have never been friends with. But they excepted me. or so I thought.
I became friends with people that were in gangs or their family members were in gangs.  That is a formula for disaster. Especially for someone who doesn't have self worth or confidence. A timid abused mouse. My boy friend was in a gang. "but hey, I had friends, right"? well when you realize these people/friends are not who you should be with, what you do? nothing cause your too scared. I was tormented by this family and their friends. I could not get away from them. The bullying "mobbing" was 10 times worse then ever. I was tormented in class, on the bus, walking home from school, at my house, and at church. to get away from the bullying, I sluffed every day. I failed at school.
if I had any self esteem left, I didn't know where to find it. I was miserable. It got to the point that we had to get the school involved. I was scared for my safety and my families safety. My dad had to walk me to my classes.
once I got to 10th grade, I had a knew group of friends. But I let people still treat me like crap and bully me. I still had to deal with it.  I think I was an easy target. One day my so called friend (a guy) hit me. I tried to stick up for my self and I hit him back. that made him mad. he got all his friends to torment me. Day in and day out. Again! I could not get away from the bullying. I learned that, once you let someone/s tear you down, it's hard to get back up and you will continue to be a target for those who are looking for someone to pick on.  Every day I would come home crying. day after day of his friends pushing me, making fun of me. One day his friend got a coat that was sprayed by a skunk (I lived in the country) and through it on me,  while on the bus and everyone laughed. That day, I snapped. I literally snapped and said to myself I can not take this anymore. My mom couldn't take it anymore either, and she said Kaycee I want you to go over and beat that guy. She turned her car around and I jumped out and ran over and pushed him to the ground and beat the crap out of him. I tell you this, because It was the first time, I had the strength to stick up for myself. I was not messed with after that. It helped regain my confidence that I am strong, and I don't need to take the crap.
The school, the bus driver, the parents weren't going to stop the bullying. I had to myself.
Luckily,  nowadays, hopefully people are taking bullying seriously. It is serious. WORDS do hurt! Words can change a person! I am lucky because some kids who are bullied do harm to themselves or others. That is why bullying needs to stop.
to all those people who have told me and still do tell me "your too sensitive"  "don't let what others say hurt you"  "words don't hurt"  your wrong! that is the worst advice to give.
Please talk to your kids. Really talk and teach them to be nice. Teach them how to treat others and to be friends with the nerd even if others don't. teach them to stick up for others. And if they are being bullied. listen to them. don't brush it off or make them feel stupid for having hurt feelings.  talk to the school and parents if your having trouble.
praise your kids and make them feel loved and important. I really don't have too much advice on how to stop bullies other then parents need to do more. they need to understand that their child could be the mean one, even if they don't think so. or want to believe it. be examples to your kids.

Jaden!

I have been so busy, that I haven't been able to keep up with blogging.
 I wanted to write about Jaden for his 5th Birthday.
 I am late. But better late then never.
His birthday was June 24th.
Jaden has been a difficult child.
From about 1 years old, until age 4.
I would think, "will things ever get easier with Jaden"?
He would throw HUGE tantrums, He was destructive.
 He was the type that would not want any attention on him. If I wanted to practice counting, alphabet, or anything with him, he would have a melt down. he wouldn't sing, or want us to sing. He was rough and mean. he didn't want much to do with me, he didn't listen worth a darn, he always cried, and screamed about everything, he wasn't very affectionate (except with Robby) and he didn't want to do anything for himself. It wore me out, he was so hard!
BOY OH BOY has he come along way! He has changed so much!  He has grown up, matured and just completely done a 360.
He has become this happy, fun little man within a years time. He has just blossomed.
you will find him singing all the time. (he even wants me to sing now)
He wants to cuddle and hug.
He listens so well, and is a huge helper!
He has learned to talk when he is mad, instead of screaming, crying and throwing tantrums
his fighting and mean ways, are very rare now.
He is kind and loving
He is willing to learn
obedient
fun and funny

I am so happy with the New Jaden!

Jaden's likes:                                                                Jaden's dislikes:
transformers                                                                 potatoes
super heroes                                                                  most veggies and meats
red and black                                                                brushing his teeth
bugs                                                                              water slides
hot dogs                                                                        baths
pizza
marshmallows
bread
broccoli
bikes
wrestling
school
Houston (his cousin)
Max and Ruby
Martha speaks
Daniel tigers neighborhood
many more kid shows
speaking Spanish
the nook
soccer

Jaden cant wait to be a dad and be JUST like Robby, he is a lot like Robby and has a lot of the same interests
He loves that his middle name is Robby.
He wants to be a firefighter
Jaden travels in a car really well. Best traveler there is
He wants to build a cabin by bear lake and "huse a crew diver"  (use a screw driver)
He is REALLY good at soccer and plays hard!
he has big muscles for a little guy
love his dimple
is my best sleeper by far
he thinks Eliza is the cutest thing ever and he doesn't want her to grow up
loves church and loves primary songs and singings them every day
wants to get married in the temple
he cant wait to have a hairy chest, legs and arms like his dad
he wants bread when he gets tired. hahaha.

I just love my little man! I can't believe he is in kindergarten. where has the time gone?

Eliza's pictures

https://viewimages.targetportraits.com/myalbum

check out Eliza's 1 year old pictures. password is wyatts.

The Plan of Happiness

I wanted to share our story.
I will need to back up and give a brief introduction. When Robby and I got Married, we had a plan. Our plan was to have 4 kids. We thought it would be GREAT if we could have 2 girls and 2 boys.
After Baby #3 we planned on one more, and hoped it would be a girl. That would be a perfect ending. I got pregnant with baby #4 and low and behold, it was a girl! just like we had hoped! We were done. Robby wanted to go get a vasectomy right away. I said ok, even though in the back of my mind, I was feeling sad about actually being done, and wasn't sure if we should or if I wanted to be done. "BUT
 Of course, we are done", I would tell myself. I would tell my self the following: We would be absolutely CRAZY to have more then 4! This day and age, NO ONE has more than 4!  Plus it would mess up the perfect number of 2 boys and 2 girls. Oh and don't forget Kids are hard! oh and if we have more kids, it means: less sleep, less money to do fun things or go on more vacations, less money for them to be able to dance or play sports. Oh and Kaycee Don't forget we live in a tiny house. It's only 1300 sqr ft.  Kaycee you are thinking crazy! think about all you could do, if you didn't have more kids, think about what you will be giving up if you had more. Kaycee you aren't a good mom, you don't know how to be a good parent. you are too impatient, your not a good house wife, your not creative and not a Susie homemaker.  Robby works two jobs. you want more sleep.  AND the list goes on! I basically talked my self out of the feeling of wanting more. PLUS there was no way in heck Robby would even want to ponder the idea of anymore kids.
Months went by and the feeling kept coming back to me. I told Robby to hold off on a vasectomy. I said I didn't feel right about him getting it. He agreed, but also thought I was nuts!
Eliza was born and I had Post pardum depression, and part of the depression was knowing we were done, and I didn't want to be. But I thought it was my PP depression and that feeling would go away with the depression within a couple months.
My depression ended, but my feelings of another baby got stronger. My doctor wanted me to be on a birth control of some sort. I didn't know which one to choose. I've never been on any birth control and I didn't know which one would be best. I prayed about it, and felt I shouldn't be on any.
I had talked to a few family members about the idea of having another baby. Basically they all thought it was a crazy idea, and they all told me not to. In a nut shell told me that we live in a small house, that kids were too hard, and I couldn't handle it, and we didn't make enough money. So again like numerous times before, I talked myself out of my feelings of another baby.

Feelings hit me again, that we are not done.
I was so torn and frustrated not knowing what I needed to do. I asked Robby to fast and pray with me. He was no way going to do that. He was done and there was NO changing his mind!
I prayed on my own and in my prayers I prayed that Robby would pray too.
after months of my doing my own searching, pondering and praying, Robby decided to pray and fast about it. We both felt like we needed to have another baby.
I still did not get happy or encouraging feed back from family. actually it was negative. It was hard for me to feel happy about my answer with no support from loved ones.
When we had Eliza, we had lots and lots of negativity about bringing an other child into this "over populated, horrible world"  we were burdening society, we were bring children into the last days of destruction, famine and unkown. so I knew we would hear the same things, if not more. Those things  made me question if I was doing the  right thing.
I started to pray even more and searching in the ensign for talks. and again I felt peace with our decision.

quotes from the Ensign talks that helped me feel at peace and gave me the answers I was looking for. This is from Neil L. Anderson

 

Last April, President Thomas S. Monson declared:

“Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider. …

“The Savior of mankind described Himself as being in the world but not of the world. We also can be in the world but not of the world as we reject false concepts and false teachings and remain true to that which God has commanded.”⁶

Many voices in the world today marginalize the importance of having children or suggest delaying or limiting children in a family. My daughters recently referred me to a blog written by a Christian mother (not of our faith) with five children. She commented: “[Growing] up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood. … Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get.” She then adds: “Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.”⁷

Having young children is not easy. Many days are just difficult. A young mother got on a bus with seven children. The bus driver asked, “Are these all yours, lady? Or is it a picnic?”

“They’re all mine,” she replied. “And it’s no picnic!”⁸

As the world increasingly asks, “Are these all yours?” we thank you for creating within the Church a sanctuary for families, where we honor and help mothers with children.

To a righteous father, there are no words sufficient to express the gratitude and love he feels for his wife’s incalculable gift of bearing and caring for their children.

 

Across the world, this is a time of economic instability and financial uncertainty. In April general conference, President Thomas S. Monson said: “If you are concerned about providing financially for a wife and family, may I assure you that there is no shame in a couple having to scrimp and save. It is generally during these challenging times that you will grow closer together as you learn to sacrifice and to make difficult decisions.”¹⁰

Elder Kimball’s piercing question, “Where is your faith?” turns us to the holy scriptures.

 

In “the best of times [and] … the worst of times,”¹⁵ the true Saints of God, acting in faith, have never forgotten, dismissed, or neglected “God’s commandment … to multiply and replenish the earth.”¹⁶ We go forward in faith—realizing the decision of how many children to have and when to have them is between a husband and wife and the Lord. We should not judge one another on this matter.

(I liked this, and felt it was important)

 

 

Brothers and sisters, we should not be judgmental with one another in this sacred and private responsibility.

“And [Jesus] took a child … in his arms [and] said …

“Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth … him that sent me.”¹⁹

What a wonderful blessing we have to receive sons and daughters of God into our home.

Let us humbly and prayerfully seek to understand and accept God’s commandments, reverently listening for the voice of His Holy Spirit.

Families are central to God’s eternal plan. I testify of the great blessing of children and of the happiness they will bring us in this life and in the eternities, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

A talk given by Dallin H Oaks

The plan of Happiness

that we shoulThe Savior taught d not lay up treasures on earth but should lay up treasures in heaven (see Matt. 6:19–21). In light of the ultimate purpose of the great plan of happiness, I believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.

President Kimball said, “It is an act of extreme selfishness for a married couple to refuse to have children when they are able to do so” (Ensign, May 1979, p. 6). When married couples postpone childbearing until after they have satisfied their material goals, the mere passage of time assures that they seriously reduce their potential to participate in furthering our Heavenly Father’s plan for all of his spirit children. faithful Latter-dayF Saints cannot afford to look upon children as an interference with what the world calls “self-fulfillment.” Our covenants with God and the ultimate purpose of life are tied up in those little ones who reach for our time, our love, and our sacrifices.

How many children should a couple have? All they can care for! Of course, to care for children means more than simply giving them life. Children must be loved, nurtured, taught, fed, clothed, housed, and well started in their capacities to be good parents themselves. Exercising faith in God’s promises to bless them when they are keeping his commandments.

 

I was laying in bed a few nights ago, and I was worrying again. I prayed asking "are you sure we can handle and afford more children? what if times get tough"?

Then Robby and I had our nightly scripture study and Robby read this scripture to me. literally

10 min after my prayer, and he didn't know I had prayed about my concerns

 

1st Nephi chapter 3:7

And it came to pass that I Nephi said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord has commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

 

Today I was told that a close family member didn't think I was cut out to have more kids, and hoped I was making the right decision. I was feeling crummy and wondering if I am cut out as a mom, and maybe this person was right, maybe I shouldn't have more kids, because I am not great at it.

Again I prayed and I asked am I cut out for more kids? 3o minutes after my prayer I got on FB and my grandma posted a video clip From Elder Holland and this is what it was.(posted link below. highlighted in blue) I believe it was another answer to my many prayers. I am sure Heavenly father is getting tired of reassuring me. please watch the video, it's great!

 

 

http://youtu.be/WbYLKVgwztY

 

I think Satan is using family, friends and the world to discourage me, and make me feel like I am wrong, and not fit, or capable. I need to hold to my many feelings, and answers and do what I know we should and go in faith.

 

I am not pregnant. But I wanted to share our story. So that when we do decided to have another, I can hopefully have support instead of Negativity 

 

Thanks for reading I know it is long.

 

 

 

3rd stop! The Amish!

 

My Grandpa is friends with this Amish family, so we went to meet them, and learn about the Amish culture/religion. we also got to go on a buggy ride. it was really interesting and cool. Not many people get to do this.
The Amish don't believe in Modern conveniences. This lady in this picture was plowing the fields like they did in the 1800's.

 My grandpa helped them hitch up the buggy. This is your typical Amish buggy. This is how they travel, unless they have to go to the big city or out of state, then they hire someone to drive them.

 They live a few miles away from my grandparents house, in the middle of nowhere, in farm land communities.

 In the buggy

 This is what Amish boys wear. these hats and type of clothes. girls always wear long dresses and bonnets. They wear plain clothing and usually darker colors. they don't have buttons on their clothing.

 The Amish don't take pictures, but they said we could, if we didn't take a picture of their faces.

 The kids played together, but didn't understand a single word of what each other was saying, because Amish speak German, and don't learn English until school. which the Amish only go to school until the 8th grade.

It was such a cool experience because the Amish live such a foreign life to any of us. It's like going back in time.

I posted a few post below about our family vacation.