Handprint

Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small
And always leave my fingerprints
on furniture and walls

But everyday I'm growing
I'll be grown someday.
And all those tiny handprints
Will surely fade away.

So here's a little handprint
Just so you can recall
Exactly how my fingers looked
When I was very small.

It was a Sunday morning.  I was trying to get all the children dressed for church.  And, oh yeah, me too.  Mama can't go in her pajamas!

Seth has responsibilites on Sunday that takes him away early.
So that just leaves me to get us all to church.
I thought things were going pretty smoothly, it being my first time to get my new family of 4 ready and presentable for church.
That was until I found Landon with a bowl of oatmeal all over him and the table.
Big, big mess.
We had to walk out the door right then if we wanted to be on time.
I hurried and cleaned him up.  But left the mess in the kitchen.
We made it.
Church was great.
Very peaceful.
On the way home, I remembered the mess.
I started to wipe the table and then I saw this perfectly formed oatmeal handprint.
Tears came to my eyes.
These little hands make messes like I have never seen before.
I find myself saying, "he is a mess!"  "I don't know how to handle boys!"  "Boys are so different!" 
And, they are.
But on this day, this little handprint melted my heart.
And on this day I decided to enjoy the ride, and the messes, with these boys.

Thanksgiving 2011

If I could have a wish, it would be that both sides of mine and seth's family could spend every holiday together.  I loved having mom and dad here for Thanksgiving.  I have not had one of mom's Thanksgiving meals in years!  My siblings have not been without mom, EVER!  I just couldn't help but giggle everytime the phone rang on Thanksgiving morning.  Every sibling called mom asking her a cooking question.  I would answer the phone with a hee, hee, hee, instead of "hello."  They were all in Utah trying to make mom's Thanksgiving recipes.  We usually go to Seth's dad's for Thanksgiving.  This year everyone was so kind to come to our house.  We  had a feast and it was just a great day!  Here are some highlights.

Laurel, Savannah, Landon with cousin Luke.  Isn't he just the cutest little boy.  He is always so happy and my girls just love him.

Jamie, Kimball and one tired Luke

Granny and Papa

Roger, Jennifer (expecting their first baby in a few weeks) acting her silly self.
We were glad that Jennifer's parents and her aunt could come for Thanksgiving.

Eating some yummy food!

Laurel and savannah wearing their Thanksgiving shirts.

Mom and Dad

Mom and dad came to visit for a whole entire month after Sawyer's birth.  I was in heaven.  I was so excited to have help while I was adjusting to going from 3 to 4 children.  We had such a great visit.  These are just some of the things that topped the grateful list.

Mom was downstairs every morning at 7:15 to watch Landon and Sawyer while I took the girls to school.
Mom held Sawyer.  Sometimes all day long.  He is so spoiled.  But that is okay.  He knows his grandmother.
Mom made sure dinner was on the table every night.  There is just nothing better than my mom's cooking.
She bought me some much needed kitchen utensils.
A visit with mom is not complete until some room is decorated.
She made a duvet cover and pillows for mine and Seth's bed.  She made curtains for our bathroom. 
I feel like my girls when they tell me to draw a heart in the palm of their hands so they "can feel my love all day."  I feel her love when I walk into our room.  I have also made the bed every day since that duvet cover went on!  Funny how that works with me.
Mom turned on Curious George every time Landon said, "George pease!"
She did not judge me for letting George babysit Landon.
She ironed Seth's shirts and folded our clothes.
She made dressing and cornbread muffins for 125 students at Laurel's school for their Thanksgiving party.
She went grocery shopping for our family Thanksgiving dinner.  I dropped her off at Wal-mart and I went to help at Laurel's school with the Thanksgiving party.  She stayed in Wal-mart for four hours until I came back to get her.  Now, that was some service.  If you need to know what aisle something is on at Wal-mart, just give mom a call!
With her here, it allowed me to go to Laurel and Savannah's holiday parties.  She said, take full advantage of me while I'm here.  I did.

Mom related a story to me about how she always looked forward to her parents coming to visit after she
 had a baby.  She said that they would have their car packed with groceries and goodies for her.  She always felt so spoiled.  Well, thanks for spoiling me mom!

Now, I can not leave out my dad! 
Dad first and foremost provided us with humor.  That is what he does best.  This is what dad would look like with blonde hair!  He kind of looks like Donald Trump, don't you think?

He entertained and played with my children.  Landon became his shadow.
He was a babysitter.
He stayed in the car with Landon and Sawyer while mom and I went into stores shopping.
He bought me lunch, filled up our gas tank numerous times and would say, "Merry Christmas" when I would offer to pay him back.
He hung pictures on the wall.
He helped Seth outside.
He took Laurel and Savannah to McDonalds and let them play and eat anything they wanted.
He took Laurel and Savannah to school the last week they were here.  He was so cute.  He would come downstairs and say, "your driver is reporting to duty."  "I will be waiting by the van when you girls are ready."  They just thought this was great.  He sang silly songs with them all the way to school. 
He was determined to find a shorter route to school.  We now go straight at the 4-way stop, instead of right.  It saves about 3 minutes!
He helped Laurel with handstands and cartwheels.
He threw balls with Landon.

One word. GRATEFUL!

It almost makes me want to have another baby.
So we can do this all over again.
I love you, mom and dad.

Blessing Day

Scenes from Sawyer's blessing day....

Beautiful day.
Beautiful blessing.

Dear Sawyer,

So, they tell me you are my brother. 

And mommy says that I am going to love having a brother.  She says that we will be able to play together one day.  But right now, all I hear is, "Landon, be soft with your brother!"  She sure is protective of you!  I will be glad when you can wrestle with me!

I can't wait to show you all the tricks I have learned.  I love to swing.  On Everything!

You see, this lap use to be just mine.  All mine.  I don't really know how I feel about sharing it with you.

I do anything to get attention these days.  I'm so scared mommy is going to forget about me.  She tells me all the time that she loves me and that I'm still her baby.  Then you start crying and she has to feed you.  You sure do take alot of her time.

I got a really bad cold about 3 weeks after you were born.  Mommy had you on one shoulder and me on the other.  We rocked for hours in the middle of the night.  When you cried, I cried even louder.  You are not going to out do me!!  Finally, mommy took me to daddy and I got to sleep with him.  I think these two are just trying to survive!  I guess you are an okay brother.  I will just be happy when you can play, for real, with me!

Love,
Landon

Halloween 2011

A daddy, two witches and a dragon.

Seth took Laurel, Savannah and Landon to a friend's neighborhood for a hayride and trick-or-treating.  This was Landon's first time to run from house to house saying, "trick-or-treat!" Seth said everytime he got a treat he would stick them to his nose and smell them. 

I stayed home with this cute pumpkin.....

Sawyer Reaves Clayton



Sawyer Reaves Clayton
Born on October 17, 2011
Weight 7lbs. 13oz.
Length 20 inches

The Birth Story
The 10 month gestation period was coming to an end.  And by george, I was going to be prepared this time.  You see, I was not prepared at all when Landon surprised us by coming two weeks early.  So this was the plan.  I was to go into the hospital at 4:00 Monday, October 17th, for the induction process to begin.  I was going to be induced Tuesday morning.  I worked and worked, nested and nested over the weekend.  I got caught up on all the clothes and cleaned the house.  Sunday night, the girls and I picked out all their clothes for the next few days, since I would be in the hospital and daddy would be getting them dressed and to school. 

Monday morning came.  I took the girls to school.  There was so much excitement.  We knew that this little baby was going to be here the next day!  Landon and I went into Wal-mart to pick up some items.  I was enjoying my last day with it being just Landon and I.  We came home and I unloaded the groceries.  It was around 9:00a.m.  I was defrosting some meat to make a vegetable beef soup.  And then it happened.  My water broke! 

I called Seth!  I said, "Seth, my water just broke!"  He said, "Really! I will be right there!"  I was so excited!  We were going to have a baby today.  I called a friend.  She came over to stay with Landon. 

Seth and I got to the hospital around 10:30.  I got all settled in.  I was dilated to a 2.  They told me I could get my epidural when I was  a 3 or 4.  I was in no pain.  The nurse told me she was going to step out to discharge a patient and would be right back.  In a matter of minutes, the contractions started coming!  I was breathing through them.  They were getting worse and worse.  I was REALLY breathing.  Then, I started sqeazing Seth's hand harder and harder.  These were some of the things I remember saying, "Seth, you need to get the nurse."  "I'm about to cry.  I'm about to throw up!"  "I was planning on getting an epidural!"   "I can't do this without drugs!"  "How do women do this without drugs!"  "I need to find a happy place!"  "Seth, go get the nurse, NOW!"

Seth did as he was told.  The nurse checked me and told me that I had dilated to an EIGHT!  Uh, huh just like that I had gone from a 2 to an 8!  And, I felt every bit of that transition.  That epidural was heaven!  My hats off to you women who go without drugs. 

Our sweet baby was born at 4:34 that afternoon.  They cleaned him up a little and then handed him back to me.  For 30 minutes, he laid on my chest and Seth and I were in our own little world just staring at this little miracle.  I am so overwhelmed with love.  I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for sending this baby to our family.