Keeping Up With the Joneses

When we moved, one of my biggest worries was finding a neighborhood as great as our old one, where the kids had friends all around us and could just walk outside and find someone to play with. While we miss those old friends, I can't even begin to express how amazed I am at how things worked out in our new neighborhood. This picture is of Mason's two best (non-cousin) friends, Merann and Daniel, who both happen to live right next to us. They spend hours at each other's houses, but mostly just playing in the backyard where all of the moms can keep an eye on them from our windows. And sometimes they let Myles tag along. . .for a while. Fortunately they both also have siblings right in between Myles and Max's age, so in a year or two I think Myles will have his own playmates. One of my other huge worries was finding a pre-school that would work out so that he could car-pool or walk while I was at work so it wouldn't be too hard on the babysitter. Well, he goes to a wo...

The BYU Semester is winding down which is always a great but stressful time as I have to rush to turn in my Spring/Summer work schedule. I've spent the last two weeks crazily trying to arange all my summer travel plans and finally have it worked out to include: * Long Weekend in Washington for Scott's graduation (May) * 4 days in Maine to visit my friend Holly (May) * 10 days in Waterton with my family when Marshall can come (June) * 4 days in some mystery location for Marshall's President's Club vacation (July) * 10 more days in Waterton without Marshall but with the kiddos (August) * 4 or 5 days in San Diego for APA (August) I'd still like to work in a camping trip and something fun for the 4th of July, but it is shaping up well. The kids are already talking about Waterton pretty much every day and can't wait to get up there. And I just have to add. . . I love NOT being pregnant this summer! So much more fun.

Mason got a hair cut today and I think he looks adorable!

We got an early start decorating Easter eggs this year so that Mason wouldn't burst with anticipation.

Mason had his doctor's appointment today and it went mostly well. Here are the stats for my own record: * Weight 33 lbs (4th percentile--up 3 lbs in a year), Height 41.25 inches (18th percentile, up 3 inches in a year), BMI 2nd percentile. * Hematocrit was finally where it should be which means NO MORE IRON DROPS! We are all thrilled--those things are nasty. His remaining fatigue could just be normal 5 year old stuff, or it could just be that he is still recovering from the trauma to his brain and body from last summer (he reminded me that this stuff takes time) * Otherwise healthy except needing a mole biopsied and a small surgery that can most likely be done outpatient in a few minutes after we see the specialist. We are also going to see a neuro-psychologist in a month or so and get a thorough neuro-cognitive assessment and follow-up MRI just to check his progress since the accident. * He got 6 shots and was NOT HAPPY about it but is excited to start kindergarten. So happy to ha...

On Sundays we don't have church until 1 and so we have to find creative ways to keep the kids busy. This includes bubbles, books, computer, and. . . pictures! Max enjoying being a mess after eating a banana all by himself (in the mesh feeder thing). All the boys playing the "penguin game" they are now obsessed with. Like father, like sons! Bubbles Loving it!

St. Patrick's Day Dinner--green pancakes, green hashbrowns, and green eggs and ham. Mason was so excited about St. Patrick's Day this year--he wouldn't get out of bed until I brought him something green to wear! Recently the boys have been begging for a "popcorn party" with William. So last week when we picked up William from school we had an early party with a movie and popcorn. Max is getting so great at crawling. Not long until we will have to keep the baby gates up all the time!

Mason will probably kill me for posting this when he is older, but since I don't scrapbook this is how I'm going to remember it! When Mason was in Delta this last weekend he made this heart for his cousin Megan. He cut a notch out of it to show that is is a broken heart and had his grandma write the following on it: "I have a broken heart because you aren't with me. Mason" He also drew another picture to show how beautiful she is to him. This boy has it bad!

www.drmelissajonesphd.com My cousin-in-law Sarah made the website for me and I'm thrilled with how it turned out. I still have a few small edits to make, but I'm so excited to have it up and running.

Last Saturday Marshall took the boys and met his dad, brothers, and most of their cousins at Home Depot where they built rain gauges. Chaos! After they all went on a "hike" to the duck ponds in Provo. I sent Marshall with the camera hoping he could get some cute shots of all the kids. He came back with--I kid you not--30 pictures that all look almost exactly like this: Think he likes his camera?