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Random Cuteness

Levi is getting sooooooo big! He is SIX months old now and ready to crawl any day! I hope everyone gets a Levi - he has been the best baby I could ever imagine! WOW! He is just so much fun and full of never ending love. So, above is a picture of Levi in the toy closet! He was in the playroom with the other boys and backed himself right in! He's been rolling and scooting all over the place and is so much fun to watch!
Here is Isaac being such a cheese! My mom sent the coolest Halloween package in the mail full of treats! She sent dried fruit and pistachios - yum!!! Thank you mom! Isaac LOVED the fruit and was happy to show off a piece for a picture!
Okay, this is one of my favorite pictures ever! Don't you just LOVE his big, blue eyes??? Where did we get a blue eyed baby from? Three dark chocolate brown eyed babies (which I love too) but then a blue! Here he is bundled up ready to go to the park!
1st swing!
Levi loves his toes! It just cracks me up!
So, I was craving pita bread the other day, and was NOT about to go to the store with 4 boys just for that. I went to my most favorite recipe site (www.allrecipes.com) and found the recipe! So easy and they tasted way better than anything I ever get at the store! I filled it with my favorite cabbage salad ..... YUM!
Isaac has some obsessions... running away, spilling water, fingerprinting DVDs, my makeup, and any dairy-based substance. He wants cheese, yogurt, ice cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. every day. Any way a good friend told me that you can make a soft cheese from homemade yogurt. Here it is! I made tons and we ate it with everything and it was gone in like two days! Isaac loved it of course, and here he is with a "cheese mustache"!

I was getting ready for church one morning and came out to this.... Isaac dabbing my lip gloss all over Levi, the carpet and himself!! He was just getting Levi ready for church! Ha!
Isaac's "I'm in trouble again?" face. Such a cutie!

Purity

Another photo by Chelsea.

Busy!


Here is what we have been up to...

I started homeschool with Matthew last month, about 4 weeks ago, and it has been AWESOME! I am using the K12 program and the curriculum is unbelievable! Art is real art (learning about lines and how they create movement and mood) and History is so much fun learning about Nomads and Egypt and mummies that now Matthew wants to be an archeologist (which was my major for 2 semesters in college before changing to Health Science). Science, language arts, phonics, math, music and PE are all awesome too, I could go on and on, but if any of you are interested in it, LET ME KNOW! I'd love to go into more detail!

The coolest thing is that Andrew and Isaac get to join in on art, music, PE and some reading! Here they are doing an art lesson, making a print.

Levi has been such an amazing baby! He loves his baby toys and even though he was getting tired, didn't want to get out of his baby toy! So, he just fell asleep in it! So funny! He has red hair and blue eyes, is super chubby (weighing 20 lbs at 4 mos) and is such a great sleeper! He sleeps from 8pm to 5am, eats and then back to sleep until 8 am! He also takes 2 naps per day and is so happy and smiley! He also sleeps in his crib (my other 3 slept with me and would not sleep in their crib, so I didn't get good sleep)! He is awesome! He is getting his 2 bottom teeth and can roll over from back to stomach.
My sister in law is going into photography and took some AWESOME pictures of my boys! Here is a funny one of Isaac who would not smile for anything! We'll have to try again next time! Don't you just love his rolls?

Family Reunion in Lake Tahoe

We had so much fun at Lake Tahoe with my moms side of the family. It was sad because the first 2 days were freezing cold, with hail even, and we didn't bring anything warm! Ahhhh! There was a huge hot tub that we went to on the cold days that was really fun, though. The third day was warm and we were able to go swimming, hiking, and to the lake. Below are just the formal pictures.
My whole family
Most of my mom's side of the family
You have to have a crazy picture!

You have to read this!

This book has changed my life! If you are a mom, or are ever planning on becoming a mom, this is a book you need to read! My mom gave this book to me and it has changed my views on motherhood and what being a mom really means.
I wish I would have read this book as a teenager, even before getting married. It is wonderful! You can order it through Deseret Book. It's not long, under 100 pages - perfect for a busy mom!"Contentment" by Maria Covey Cole

Fourth of July!

All the Boslers came to So. Utah to spend the July 4th weekend with us! Brooke, Jason and Kaitlin all brought their boy/girl friends and we had so much fun getting to know them! They all picked wonderful people and we hope that they all become a permanent part of our family.

Below: We all hiked Angel's Landing at Zion's National Park. So hot, but worth the views!Kaitlin received her endowment at the St. George Temple that night!

Next day, July 4th! My parents rented a boat and 2 jet skis and we went to Sand Hollow Reservoir, about 45 mins from our house. So much fun! My little sister Karli and brother Tyler are so much fun! My boys loved hanging out with them!

July 4th fireworks - My sister Brooke's boyfriend, Scott A (there are two Scotts in the family, so we have Scott A and Scott G) bought a whole bunch of fireworks and the boys (big and little) had fun lighting them!
Little Levi's Blessing day! Isn't he so cute? He is such a good, mellow baby! He was smiling and cooing at my mom while she took this picture! He is 2 mos old in this picture.All who attended the blessing. Both grandparents, and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins!

Happy 2nd Birthday Isaac!

Happy Birthday Isaac! Yay, you are two!! Here he is opening his present!Cool car and race track!
Isaac's breakfast in bed - What a sweetheart, sharing his ice cream with his big brothers!
"Mmmmmmm....this is going to be good!"
To "Pirate Island Pizza" to celebrate! Here are our servers, dressed as pirates.
Little Pirates Play Area - They had a mini rock climbing wall and Isaac had a blast with that!
Fun at the arcades! - Oops, the ball flew off the track!
All the boys had so much fun at Isaac's birthday dinner. Matthew and Andrew loved it that they had tokens to play games and then tickets came out to cash in for prizes. (Kind of like Chuck E. Cheese's). Tim loved it too, and the boys "talked" him into buying more tokens!

A note about Isaac:
Many of you know what a challenge Isaac has been for me. He has been super driven, stubborn, mischievous and busy for the last 15 months! (I mean, what 1 year old can open any door, unlock any lock and even take the child-safety knob off the door??) However, since the baby has been born, he has really started to grow up. He is much more obedient, and enjoys playing with his brothers now. He talks better now too, which really helps with our communication. Thanks to everyone who has kept Isaac and me in their prayers!

Some of Isaac's Favorite things:
Isaac is a great trampoline jumper
He loves "baby lee-fi"
He loves sharing a room with his big brothers
He loves playing with his "guys" (action figures)
He loves building with legos
He loves running
He is very strong
He loves shoes
He picks out his own clothes (scary!!)
He loves going on rides in the stroller
He loves going on drives in "daddy's truck"
He loves fruit and veggies (this guy is not a picky eater!)
He loves giving hugs and kisses
He loves trying to count things
He loves animals, especially dogs
He loves teasing his brothers
He loves basketball
He loves wearing hats
He is very adventurous and a natural climber
We Love you buddy!!!

Random pics

Levi's first car rideTim's mom visiting us on Mother's day
Our "Golden Boy" - Look at that beautiful hair!
Matt's Kindergarten Graduation - Matt and his best friend McGuyver
Isn't he handsome? (This is a picture of a picture) Congrats Matthew! On to first grade!

Happy Birth Day Levi Dale Clarkson


Levi Dale Clarkson
Born: 05-05-2009
At: 10:10 am
Weighing in at: 9 lbs. 5 oz
Length: 20 3/4 inches long

Natural birth without complications. Mom and baby doing great! Here he is! Less than 2 hours old!
Here is his first smile! (okay, I know it was gas, but I like to think it was because he was so happy to see his mommy!)

Levi was so quiet and alert for 2 hours after he was born! He was just looking around at everybody and he is super strong! He only cried once, right when he was born, and then not again until the middle of last night when he decided he didn't like having a dirty diaper.
Proud Papa! Tim actually delivered the baby and cut the umbilical cord! So, so cool!

Tired, but happy, mom. I am just sooooo glad to not be pregnant! Woo-hoo! I slept on my stomach last night, and it felt awesome! Also, Levi is great at nursing already, and I love nursing, so I got to snuggle him and nurse last night. Ahhhh, life is sweet.

Above is the birth team that brought Levi into this world. From the left is Lisa, a R.N. who works in the NICU here in St. George. She was the birth assistant who was in charge of the baby once he was born and assisting the midwife. And she took some great pics. Next is Tim, who was Superman in doing everything I asked and being the perfect husband, as always. He delivered the baby, moved furniture that was in the way, rubbed my back, got me drinks of water and food to eat afterward, told me how awesome I am, etc, etc. What a great best friend. Next is me, who delivered the baby. :) And then Levi, who turned to exactly the right position at the last minute. We were afraid he was going to be delivered posterior, but he turned and made labor much easier for his momma. On the far right is Cyndi who is the midwife. She is so amazing! She is a certified midwife (CNM) and RN who has delivered over 1000 babies and knew just what to do to make this delivery the best ever for me. What a great team!


So, here are some more details about the birth:

The day before, Monday, my midwife called me and asked if I wanted her to "stretch and sweep" my membranes that day, instead of waiting until Thursday (the day of my 41 week appointment). Of course I said "YES"!! So, she came right over, we had the appointment and all the rest of that day I felt pretty crappy. I had chores I needed to do, but just wanted to lie down and rest all day. So, I did. Tuesday morning, I woke up around 2 in the morning, so tired of being pregnant, and I couldn't get back to sleep. So I took a hot shower, felt much better, went back to bed and suddenly had a contraction! After 2-3 of them, I started timing them, and they became much more regular and stronger. I hurried and cleaned the bathroom and did a few other things, then at 5:30 I woke Tim up and told him to call his mom to come get the kids because it was "time". I also wrote him a list of things to run to the store and get (I was supposed to go grocery shopping on Monday, but felt too tired, so we didn't have any food). I called the midwife and she said to keep timing and call her back in an hour.
Tim and I got the room ready for the delivery (the kids were still sleeping), he ran to the store, and at 7:30am, Tim's mom arrived from Kanab to pick up the kids and watch them for the day. By this time, the Midwife arrived, I was starting to feel more intense contractions, Tim got back with the groceries, we said good-bye to the kids and labor really started.

When the midwife arrived, I was kneeling beside my bed, as that was the most comfortable position during contractions. She started filling out some paperwork, taking my blood pressure, listening to the baby's heart beat, etc. She also set up the room, set out supplies we'd need, and so on. But, the cool thing about her was that each time a contraction would start, she would stop what she was doing and put pressure on my hips or rub down my back to relieve the pain of the contraction!! It was the coolest thing ever, because what would have been painful contractions turned into painless contractions! It was so cool, and I was thinking, "Why has no one ever done this for me before??" I labored like that for probably an hour, and then my legs were getting tired of kneeling. I thought "maybe I should move to the bed and get some rest in between contractions." Tim was Mr. Incredible with his super strength and moved me to the bed, only to have the pain super intensified as I was lying on my back now. I rolled to my side, but it's like I could feel the labor slowing down. So, after about a half an hour of lots of pain (I was trying to rest - yeah, that plan backfired), I stood by the side of the bed and ended up kneeling again. At 9:45, I got the urge to push (Woo-hoo! My favorite part of labor because I can do something instead of just sit around and try to relax during a contraction) and at 10:10 Levi was born! :) Tim really did deliver him, head, shoulders and all, even though the midwife was right there. The baby had the cord wrapped once around his neck, but his heart rate never went down, so that's good. Tim cut the cord and I got to nurse him right away. He was born with a perfectly shaped head and in perfect health and I feel really happy that all went so well. Total labor time was counted from 6:30am-10:10am, so 3 hours and 40 minutes!

I really had a great experience and feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to have this baby at home. Everything exceeded my expectations! I even enjoy the hospital (I actually like the hospital food and people checking in on me to see if I'm doing okay), but having the baby at home was 10 times better. I was never cold, my king-size bed is WAY more comfy than the narrow hospital beds, Tim didn't have to sleep in a chair, I slept so good (no beeps or strange lights or janitors coming in to change the trash), no I.V., no suitcase or forgetting something, I could go on and on. Everything was so great - I actually feel like I'm on vacation!

Here is Levi with his Grandma Clarkson, only a few hours old. We owe a lot to Tim's mom, Patsy, who took our kids away during the labor and after, so we could nap and rest. The kids came to see the baby and they were all super excited and soooo cute! Then Patsy took our boys to Kanab for 2 days so Tim, Levi and I could rest. I love my big boys, but it has been heaven having some alone time with this baby (and my awesome hubby).

I'm recovering well and feel really happy. I know this "high" will end once I get back into real life, but I'm enjoying every moment of the next few days.

Overdue!!!

That's right, no baby yet! I'm doing surprisingly well, mentally and physically, since the two girls due the same week as me have already had their babies. I didn't tell too many people, but 2 1/2 weeks ago, I went into false labor. I was so excited to think that I was going to have my baby early! Tim was supposed to work a shift at the Temple that night, so he got a substitute. I canceled watching my friend's kids and told her I was in labor. And we packed up the kids and took them to my bro-in-law's house to spend the night while I supposedly had a baby.

The contractions were light, but a consistant 9 minutes apart, which shortly moved to 6 minutes apart for about an hour. Then, the contractions were stronger and only 5 minutes apart for longer than an hour (which was as close as they ever got with Matthew, the only pregnancy I wasn't induced until this one).

Then, around 9 pm, everything just stopped! We went for a drive, a walk, called my bro-in-law who decided to keep the kids in case I went back into labor, but nothing happened all night, or the next day or the next. I did get a restful night while my bro and sis-in-law dealt with my kids wandering around the house crying for "mom" and Isaac even threw up on their leather couches (nice! and embarrassing for me!)

The whole next week I was pretty depressed and didn't want to do anything, still hoping the baby would come, contractions would start up again. But now, I've realized that maybe I am one of those lucky few who always go overdue a couple of weeks. So, we'll see what happens! We'll post a picture for sure when the baby arrives!

Every kid has their "make-up" picture...

...here is Isaac's! He thought he was really funny!He's a little more serious after getting in trouble... Maybe switching mom's lip gloss applicator and mascara applicator wasn't such a great idea...

He obviously had no clue where mascara is supposed to go, but he did know what he wanted - to be a man!! Look at that beard! He knew what he was doing!


Isaac often surprises me with what he can do. Here he built this tall tower all by himself! This was a good thing, but he has also figured out how to open doors, unlock doors and even unlock the deadbolt on our front door! He also has figured out how to use a barstool to reach things he wants (all the bandaids, pantry snacks, his brother's special toys, etc.) and even can open the van door all by himself (Andrew just barely figured this out) and lock everyone out so he can push the buttons and laugh at me through the window (when he's finished, he unlocks the door and lets himself out!) Yes, he is super busy but he is so much fun too!

Check out this cowboy below!Here he is just out of the bath! He decided it was his turn to go to Matthew's school, so he put on Matthew's jacket-vest and backpack and tried running out the door! It seems he thinks he is as big as the older boys, but he doesn't turn 2 until next month!

How many licks to the center of a tootsie roll pop?