The boys meeting their new brother for the first time. Due to the swine flu, Utah hospitals changed their visiting rules. No kids under 14 are allowed into the hospital (unless they are the patients) so the boys had to wait until we came home to see Dylan.
He is so cute!!!
On Thursday, Dylan Eddie Mayne was born! He was 7 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great! Here a a few pics of the new guy. More to come later!
So I haven’t been so good at posting lately, but that is because life fell into a routine for us this month, and I haven’t been so good at taking pictures. I have officially become the mom that drives her kids to and from school, does homework, makes meals etc. Jackson has been doing really well in kindergarten. He loves it, and is always so happy to tell me about his days when he gets home. Eli has also been enjoying preschool. He runs up to the door every single class, and always has the biggest wave for me when I pull up to pick him up. The boys and I have been enjoying homework and reading time together. It is fun to watch them grow up and learn new things. The boys have also been enjoying lego time with their dad. They have been building many lego star wars ships, and other lego sets. The boys are getting very creative with legos, and it is fun to see what they build. Paul really enjoys this activity with the boys, and it is warming to go downstairs and see all my boys building legos together!
We are greatly anticipating the arrival of baby this month. Another reason for not updating the blog. We have a few weeks left and I am definitely getting uncomfortable, and have been putting my feet up quite a bit to calm down the swelling. Baby is doing well and we can’t wait to meet him.
Today was Eli’s first day of preschool. I don’t think he was too sure of what to expect. He had the open house last week, but that included myself and Jackson, and cookies. However, after we put his show ‘n’ tell together (mostly all batman toys) and put that in his batman backpack he was pretty excited. He didn’t take his backpack off until we got in the car to go. Jackson of course was so excited for Eli since Eli is going to preschool where Jackson went last year. He kept on telling Eli on the drive over how much he was going to love school and Miss Denise. When we pulled up Eli asked Jackson to walk him up to the door, and so away they went. Once Eli got to the door he walked right on in without a second glance at me. At pick up time, Eli was the first one out the door, and told me, “Mom, I love school!” I am so happy things went well and that he loves school.
Jackson and I spent our time together shopping. About 20 min after dropping Eli off Jackson says to me, “Mom I miss Eli”. I had to smile since that is the first thing Eli said to me when Jackson went to Kindergarten. I love that my boys get a long and have such a great relationship!!
Getting ready to go!
Showing me his Batman backpack
Jackson walking Eli up to the door. This picture chokes me up every time I look at it. I love their relationship!
Love his happy face coming out of class!
A week ago Friday, we were able to stay the night up at Snowbird Utah. Paul and I took the boys up in the early afternoon so that we could enjoy all the activities that were offered. We were able to ride the Alpine Slide a few times, Paul got to ride the mechanical bull, the kids played in the bounce house, and we rode the tram up to the top of the mountain. It was fun to get out of the city for the day and to spend some time together as a family.
From the top of the mountain
Yes that is Eli as the girl!
Go Paul!!
Yes I rode the Alpine slide at 7 months pregnant. It was fun and we went slow
Waiting to go down the slide
This past week we spent some time in Sun Valley Idaho with Paul’s family. It was such a wonderful vacation. This is where Paul’s family grew up vacationing, but we haven’t been able to go for the past 9 years, and last year we decided to make it happen for sure. We had such a fabulous time! We spent our days bike riding, swimming, ice skating, playing games, golfing and hanging out in town. The kids had such a good time. We have decided we need to try to go every year if we can. Here are quite a few pictures from our vacation.
All of us getting ready to ride the chair lift up Baldy Mountain
Riding the chair lift up the mountain
At the top of the mountain
Ice Skating with Dad
With Dad
It is exhausting teaching 2 kids to ice skate!!!!
Paul, Karen and I went to the Sun Valley Ice Show. The star of the night was Evan Lysacek. He is the current World Champion. The show was awesome!
Swimming. That pool was 90 degrees. It was so nice!
Well I knew it had to happen. Especially since it has to happen to all moms. Today marked the first day of Kindergarten for Jackson! I can’t believe this day is here. I feel like it was just yesterday that the Dr. was placing that little 6 pound 5 oz baby in my arms, and now he goes to the big kid school. He has been so excited for the past few weeks to start Kindergarten. We really enjoyed meeting his teacher last week, and that got Jackson even more excited for school. So bright and early this morning I took Jackson to school. After staying with him for the first 30 min of class, and helping him get oriented with his class, it was time for me to leave. It was easier than I thought, but I was still a little emotional. That school just seems so big! Poor Eli though, the whole morning all he said was, ” Where is Jack? Can we go get him?” He sure missed his brother, but I think he will get over that pretty soon. When Eli and I picked up Jackson, Jackson ran to the car and said, “I love school mom!!”
I am so excited for Jackson to begin this new phase in his life!
Right before leaving for school (love the pose, silly boy)
Jackson with his friends that are actually in his class!
Jackson all settled into his seat. Smiling at me as I am getting ready to leave. I think he likes school!
My sister in law and I have a weekly date with the kids to go swimming in Paul’s cousin’s pool. It has been so much fun. All 4 of the kids are little fish and I love that they get to spend time together as cousins. It also has been good in allowing us to teach the kids to swim. They are constantly bugging us to take off their water wings and practice swimming. Well after about 6 weeks I am happy to say that Jackson was able to jump off of the diving board and swim to the side of the pool all by himself! Paul and I sure were proud of him, but not as proud as he was of himself. I am thinking next summer he should be ready to swim without the wings. Eli is actually get the technique down really well of swimming also. I sure have loved the time I have been able to spend with the boys swimming. These are memories I am sure I will always remember!
Eli the fish
Jackson
cruising on the jet ski
These past week Jackson had his 4th outpatient surgery. He had to get his tonsils taken out. About a year and a half ago, Jackson got tubes put in his ears and his adenoids taken out and after that happened he started to snore really loud at night. So loud at night that it would wake me up. The snoring has gotten worse over the past year and half. This has been causing some really bad sleep habits for Jackson, and we didn’t think he was getting good sleep at night. So Paul and I decided that before the baby came, we needed to fix this problem of Jack’s. So off we go to the Ear, Nose and Throat Dr, who has now done 3 of the surgeries for Jackson. Sure enough the Dr. tells us that Jackson’s tonsils are 4 times the normal size that they should be and that they are overlapping eachother, and he definitely isn’t getting 100% oxygen when we breathes. The Dr actually made room in his surgery schedule to fit Jackson in as soon as he could since this was a problem.
So this past Tuesday, Paul and I took Jackson to the hospital for his tonsillectomy. Jackson did so well! I was so proud of him. I have to say it was quite funny to watch Jackson after he took the medicine they gave him before wheeling him off to surgery. It sure made him loopy and hilarious to watch. The surgery part itself only lasted a half hour, and we were told all went well. Then Paul and I waited in recovery and Jackson seemed really well. He didn’t cry at all and we took him home after about another half hour or so. This past week Jackson has been great. He has hardly complained of any pain, and other than this high chipmunk on helium sounding voice he has, you would never guess he had the surgery. He hasn’t snored since the surgery, and things seem to be healing nicely.
he kept on showing us his mouth while in recovery
