Kaya's birthday party!

Kaya lucked out this year. She basically got two birthdays. Monday morning, she woke up early and opened a few presents. 

Trying out her new scooter!

After breakfast was her pirate birthday party! We had so much fun at her party. And, since Lucy had a pirate party when she was three too, this party was super easy to plan! :)

Jake, Izzy, and Cubby!

Fun with her mateys!

I let the kids decorate their own treat bags while we were waiting for everyone to arrive. Kaya immediately made her's into a cat puppet!

Not pictured is the tickle shark game, ice cream sundaes, pin the eye patch on the pirate, and the treasure hunt! Sorry second child, way less pictures for you. ;)

After the party, and lunch at Wendy's we went to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa!

Then, after Lucy's soccer game, and a yummy dinner, we had ice cream cones and presents! What a wonderful day!

 On Kaya's actual birthday, we were in Vernal, visiting Dinosaur National Monument! We were so lucky to be there with Marmie, Papa, Caleb, and Grammy. Kaya LOVED being the center of attention, and was a great sport during our super long day of hiking.

 She was even cheerful when we didn't have dinner until 8PM. Here she is with her nutella and strawberry pizza for dessert. The owner even put a candle on it. So nice! We had a wonderful week celebrating our three year old!

Oh, and it's worth mentioning that a couple of weeks after turning three, Kaya got her first haircut! We may have had to bribe her by letting her watch a show, but yay for no more straggly hairs! :) Thanks, Grandma!

Lucy is FIVE!

Favorite food: Two things -- mashed potatoes and rice

Least favorite food: Avocado
Favorite color: Pink
Favorite TV show: Peg + Cat 
Favorite movie: The Lego Movie
Favorite book: The hide and seek penguin book
Favorite song: Everything Is Awesome

Favorite Toy: Legos!

Favorite church song: Reverently Quietly 
What do you like best about church? The songs!

What is your favorite thing to do with Kaya? Play games

What is your favorite thing to do with River? Play with her with River's toys
What do you like to do? Play with legos and playmobil
What do you want to be when you grow up? An astronaut!

Lucy is such a sweetheart. Although seemingly less interested in River than Kaya, Lucy will run and help River if she hears her crying, and often tells me that she loves River so much. Lucy is so imaginative -- I love eavesdropping on her when she's playing. She loves to build, plus she's analytical and a literalist -- she's a future engineer! She is doing Upstart preschool (online), and loves telling people she is learning to read. On Sunday we asked her what she talked about in Primary, she said, "I don't know. But I sure do listen!" :)

And per Lucy's request there are NO pictures with Kaya, and NO silly faces. :) We love our opinionated little girl. 

River's Four Month Stats

(Lucy's, Kaya's)

Weight: 14 pounds (40%)
Length: 25 inches (65%)

Favorite Song: The Owl and the Tanager (by Sufjan Stevens)
Favorite Book: "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" (mostly she just likes when I recite it to her)
Likes: Lucy, Kaya, sitting up, sucking on her fingers, kisses, books, being tickled, when I throw her into the air
Dislikes: Being ignored, church, her carseat, missing her nap

River is a great baby! We love her big big smiles and crazy hair. She is much quieter than her sisters were, but is starting to coo more and more! She started laughing much earlier than Lucy or Kaya (just after two months) and giggles when we change her outfit.

Proof that she occasionally gets upset. :)

This picture just cracks me up!

Kaya's Birthday Interview

Can you believe Kaya is THREE years old?

These are her answers:

Favorite food: Chicken pot pie (she always says this, but doesn't really eat it when I make it. Go figure. She still loves avocado!)

Least favorite food: Pie (she really isn't a dessert girl -- something she definitely didn't get from me!) 
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite TV show: Jake and the Neverland Pirates
Favorite movie: Penguins of Madagascar
Favorite book: The big Jesus Book, that has a handle on it. 
Favorite song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Favorite Toy: My toy frog that we have -- the purple one! 

Favorite church song: I Like to Look for Rainbows 
What do you like best about church? I love to play with my nursery friends at church!

What is your favorite thing to do with Lucy?  Play bingo

What is your favorite thing to do with River? Play with her, with toys! I like to do frog jumps with River!

What don't you like to do? I do not like to do...hit with somebody else. I do not like to fight! It's probably not good to fight. 
What do you want to be when you grow up? Astronaut

Kaya is such a sweetheart. Often during the day she comes up to me, gives me a big hug, and says, "I love you so much, Mommy!" She is so sweet with River and is happy to help me with her. She loves to give River hugs and kisses, and always says, "River loves me so much. And I love her so much!" 

I took her into the cemetery behind our house to take her pictures. She was very excited and kept saying, "take another picture of me, Mommy!" :)

I told her to make a "mad" face. 

Dancing!

River's two month stats

(Two month stats for Lucy and Kaya for comparison)

Weight: 11 pounds 8 ounces (75%)
Length: 23 inches (75%)

Favorite song: "All God's Critters" "There was a little house in the middle of the woods"
Favorite book: Who knows? Sorry, third kid, I just read whatever books your sisters want me to read!
Likes: When I make funny faces, watching her sisters, breast milk, sitting up, baths, her mobile
Dislikes: Being held all the time, getting poked/sat on/squished by her sisters
Nicknames: Riv, that one (poor third child!)

River is such an easy going baby! She is content to hang out on her blanket while I help Lucy and Kaya. She sleeps about 9 hours a night (amazing, I know!), although she doesn't sleep very well on the go. She is a lot quieter than her sisters were, but is finally started to coo at us! Her smiles are also finally getting less elusive. We love our little River Elizabeth!

Guys, this is seriously the story of my life right now! I love it!

She is so loved by her sisters!

Silly faces!

The perks of having a summer baby!

Happy wedding day, Matthias!

River was such a little trooper!

River's Birth

I know some people love to hear details about labor and delivery, so here you go! If you don't care, feel free to just scroll down and see the pictures. :)

I had an appointment on my due date, and was still only dilated to a 3. I was not a very happy camper. I woke up that night with painful contractions around 1:30AM. I decided to labor at home until my contractions were 5 minutes apart, and then call mom, who lives 1/2 hour away. I wanted to stay home longer, where I could labor more comfortably, but decided I was going to get an epidural as soon as I got to the hospital! :) Around 3:30AM my contractions abruptly went from being 7 minutes apart to being 3.5 minutes apart. After 15 minutes of them staying at 3.5 minutes apart, I hurried and called mom. Mom got to my house around 4:30AM and Logan and I hurried to the hospital (about 2 minutes away). When I got to the hospital, they quickly admitted me (they didn't even make me go to triage -- I was obviously in active labor!). They checked me, and I was dilated to a 7! Yay! They were a little worried the anesthesiologist wouldn't have time to put in an epidural, but fortunately, she was willing to do it!

My doctor came in around 6:30AM and broke my water. I was then dilated to a 5. Yes, a 5! I didn't even know it was possible to go backwards! They sat me up, hoping that baby's head would lower, and that I would quickly dilate. Again. At 7:30 I was dilated to an 8! At 8AM I was fully dilated. My doctor came back in around 8:10AM and after pushing for two contractions, River was born at 8:19AM! My gigantic 9 pound 9 ounce, 20.5" long baby girl! Only 8 hours overdue. :)

Obligatory scale picture. I promise 4345 grams converts to 9lbs 9oz. :)

Marmie brought Lucy and Kaya just in time to see River getting cleaned up!

So happy to have Mom in Utah this time around. :)

 I was a little sad that not very many people visited us in the hospital when Kaya was born (mostly since my parents and ALL of my siblings were out of the state), so I was VERY happy that so many people visited us! I definitely felt the love! :)

Yess wins the prize for coming to the hospital both times!

Tice and Shelby get bonus points for bringing us Nielson's!

Not pictured was Shamus, one of our friends from the ward who brought as a Marie Calendar's pie! It was so nice! And delicious. Our nurse appreciated it too! :)

I'm so happy that Cali and Hannah and their families were visiting when River was born! It was such a treat to have them here. It was especially fun for Lucy and Kaya, who loved playing with their cousins when they stayed at Marmie's house!

Cali and Josh basically drove straight to the hospital!

Hannah came over as soon as she could!

Also great timing, was that Logan's parents got home from their mission the day after River was born! Logan picked them up from the airport, and they (and JD and Kate!) came right over to meet River! We are SO happy to have them home! I'm so so sad we didn't take any pictures though. Here's one taken a few days later:

I'm so so grateful that River arrived safely and healthy. It's crazy that we are now a family of five! But so far we are loving it! I am also grateful for so many friends and family that have helped us these last four weeks! I love you all!!!!

Happy to be a family of five!

Ready to go home!