Playing "Homeless"

I'd like to hope it's the Boxcar Children books and movie that are making my kids want to pretend to be homeless and live in the wooden boxes in our backyard. I'm not sure what Jonelle used them for - the kids call them the chicken coop but I think her dogs slept in them to be up off the ground... anyway, the kids were playing in them the other day when it was raining. They put blankets and pillows in the boxes and covered the open fourth wall with a large blanket. Beats playing on the iPad anyday!

Marvel Comics Live!

An advertising contact at the Las Vegas Review Journal called me yesterday and asked if I wanted four tickets to the Marvel Comics live action show at the Thomas & Mack. Well, maybe not for me - but for Matt and the kids, heck yes!

We had seen commercials for the show and thought the kids would like them, but tickets were kind of expensive and I didn't want to go that badly (I just like staying close to home right now). Anyway, when I got the call I was excited to get the tickets. And that was before we even knew they were box seats! Score! With four tickets, Matt took Claire, Miles and Genevieve along. The box seats came with a fully stocked fridge with sodas plus chicken fingers, corn dogs, cookies, brownies, fruit and popcorn. I looked up the VIP box tickets and they were $98 each! Thank you LVRJ!

The kids were in heaven! Claire came home and described all the yummy treats and how they had nice comfy seats with CUP HOLDERS! She said it was a Palace! :) I think they all felt fancy in their box seats!

Smitten

Grandpa Johnson's Visit

Grandpa Johnson recently came to Las Vegas for a visit - in part to see Aunt Cindy and her crew, but also to see "Henry Lee, of course!" he said. Grandma couldn't come this time - her health has not been great, and she needs to stay close to home.

We got a photo of the three of us - here is Grandpa with his first Grandchild and his 40th Great-Grandchild. And he remembers all of our birthdays and sends us, and our spouses and children, birthday cards every year. I am so impressed by this - I have a hard time getting a card in the mail on time for my immediate family! I hope to be this organized, and generous.

Lashes!

Why do the boys always get the long lashes?! 

Las Vegas Temple

We went as a family up to the Las Vegas temple while my mom was visiting - we wanted a family picture in front of the temple to remind us of our goal to be an eternal family. Our bishop had asked every family to do this as our ward focuses on the temple this year. Mom got some great pictures of our trip - we didn't stay too long what with the Vegas wind and a needy newborn, but it was nice to be on the temple grounds and see the beautiful flowers and the temple itself.

I want to print and frame the pictures of the kids so they can have a photo in their room of the temple.

Grandma May's Visit

My mom came to stay with us for about 6 days after Henry was a week old. I told her that keeping the older kids occupied and busy was what I needed most - it seems like the baby is easy, except the no sleeping part. It's the big kids who want you keep up with the same schedule, the same activities and energy level that they are used to. I am afraid I've been really boring since Henry was born - I just want to catch up on sleep with any spare time I have, and that's not so fun for three active kids.

Mom walked the kids to school every day - something they ask me to do all the time, but we are never all ready in time to make it. They loved it! She also helped get them ready in the morning so I could sleep in, and helped them with their homework too. I didn't do any laundry or dishes either. It was nice to just focus on Henry. We also were blessed to have several meals dropped off from friends at church, so we didn't really need to cook much either. Thanks for coming Mom! We should have taken way more pictures!

I found this cutest shirt in the window at H and M before Henry was born - Hello May! for Penelope to wear when Mom was here - she refused to let me take a good photo, but I thought it was the perfect shirt to wear for Mom's visit.

Bubba

Matt has decided that Henry's nickname will be Bubba... and he wants to only call him Bubba. I'm ok with nicknames, but not sure if this one is going to stick.

Henry's eyes are a slate blue color still - they could still turn brown or blue, or maybe even green this time. He is a good baby - cries when he is supposed to: tired, hungry or needs his diaper changed. He doesn't like having a soiled diaper - even a tiny bit. He waits for a clean diaper to poop in, and then poops in small amounts like three times in a row - so we have changed a record number of diapers around here. He also enjoys peeing without a diaper on - so we have done a record number of loads of laundry too.

I am starting to see a bit of a pattern with his sleeping times - so hopefully that means we can get a schedule down in the next month or so. Usually I don't really try to set a sleep schedule until they are about four months - by that time I have gone to work exhausted for 2 months and I have no choice but to do some sleep training for baby. For now, he can sleep and eat whenever he wants and we don't mind. I am LOVING being at home and having a break. I don't feel stir crazy yet, but I do like to get out of the house for a bit - even just to run down the street for an item or two at the grocery store. Then it's back to this precious face!

First Bath

Henry's umbilical cord fell off just in time for my mom to be here for his first bath - she has been here for all the other kids' first baths too. 

He was very calm for most of the bath - just a few cries. I love this Puj Tub - and am happy that we get to use it again. It was a splurge buy with Penelope - it makes baths for itty bitty babies so much easier, they sit right in the little pocket that the tub makes. 

What's in a Name? Becky Lee Meets Henry Lee

Becky came to visit the same weekend my mom came - it was very cool to introduce her to Henry Lee. Her middle name is Lee also - named after our relative and prominent leader in the LDS Church, Harold B. Lee. I always feel a lot of pressure when it comes to naming our children - I want them to have strong, classic names. Henry has been a favorite name for a while now - it was a name on the list for Penelope, had she been a boy. When Matt first mentioned having one more baby, he said we will have a boy and you can name him Henry. Now I didn't want to have another baby just to name him Henry, but after much prayer and time, we both decided to add a fourth child to our family. And to get to name him Henry Lee is a bonus!

We were pretty set on Henry early on, but here is a list of the possible name combinations we considered:

• Henry James
• Henry Beck
• Henry Beckett
• Henry Hugh
• Henry Wilson
• Henry John
• Jack Henry
• John Henry
• Henry Blake

Love Notes

These are the cards Claire and Miles brought for me, Matt and Henry at the hospital. Miles kept propping the notes up on Henry's tummy so he could read them. I find notes in his swing or infant seat too, now that we are at home. I hope this brother love lasts!

Hiller Easter Egg Hunt

I stayed home this year with Henry, but Matt and the kids went to the Hillers for Easter Sunday dinner and egg hunt. I think we need to start a savings account with their Easter egg money haul - college fund!