Three.One Years

 3.1 Years

• Halloween is in full force. We started by going to the Ward Trunk-o-Treat. You dressed up as Red Riding Hood for that activity. You got to go around with the Maggie and your friend Trinley and her big sister Brindy since I needed to stay back at the van. The youth put on carnival games to play afterwards like fishing, musical chairs, and bean bag toss. Ivan invited you over to his house to decorate halloween sugar cookies and then play at the park afterwards. The night before halloween, we carved pumpkins. You were so disgusted by the whole thing and cried when you had you reach your hands inside to pull the guts out. On Halloween, you wore the ghost costume (Millie snagged the Red Riding Hood which after she left, you changed your mind and wanted that costume back). We spent the afternoon at the school doing Maggie's and Sam's party. We caught up with Dad and went through the haunted house for the first time. Dad held you the whole time so you are able to hold on tight to him. It was fun to end the night trick-o-treating through our friend's neighborhood. 
• Wrestling is in full force here. Maggie was bee great about watching you girls during the morning of the ones that are in town. In between the matches, I would sneak you girls off to visit the library or thrift store. You were a good cheerleader for Sam and loved it when you had friends to play with.
• And just like that, fall is over and the snow is here. Millie woke up with a tummy ache that lasted all of five minutes so she stayed home form school. You loved having her home to play with. After lunch, we geared all up and went sledding down the big hill. You are starting to love winter more, now that you can walk around the snow a bit better. After sledding, we headed over to the playground, where we piled all the snow onto the slide and then have you and Millie take turns crashing into it. We finished our day out there by making snow woman. You kept licking the face of your snow girl so much that the head fell off. It was a great day for all of us. 
• Dad and I took the big kids to Boise to watch BYU play so you got to have a sleep over at Annie's house. You were so excited. I would get text throughout the time about how cuddling you were with the parents. You did not want to come home when I came to pick you girls up.

Three Years Old

 3 Years Old

Dear JoJo,

I can't believe that you are three. You have been waiting patiently for your birthday all month long. I made the mistake and bought a few things for you party at the end of September so every day you have asked me how many more days. With one day to go for your party, you were dancing all day, telling everyone that it is only one more day. I woke up early the day of to try to get things finished before all the kid woke up. Well at 6:30 you walked into my room all dressed, shouting "Today's my birthday party!' Since we are having your party two days before your birthday, I am excited to do this all again with the family. For your birthday, we invited your friends over to paint unicorn wooden lights, eat lunch, and end with the hot tub. 

You are such a delight to be with JoJo. This year, is my special year with you. I get to be with all from 8am-4pm Monday-Thursday. You are my little shadow, helping me with all my task. Some of your favorite things to do during the day are playing with friends, swimming in the hot tub, playing the Noah's ark Animal Rescue game, reading funny books (you like Piggie and Elephant books), coloring with markers, playing play dough, and having me push you on the swing. 

On my birthday, me and you went on a birthday day date together. We started by going for a walk with my friend, coming home to go hot tubing, getting pedicures at the salon, eating lunch out at Seasons, playing with friends outside, and ending the night celebrating another friend's birthday at Jungle Gym. It was a great day. I loved talking with you and having you as "my buddy". 

JoJo, I love how you funny you are. You love to tease your siblings, make the funny farting noises in the car to make everyone laugh, and make funny comment like "Do houses bite? Does snow bite?" You also will make all these food creations out of play dough and offer them for me to "eat" them. Every time I take a pretend bite, you tell me it was spicy so then I have to pretend that I have a hot mouth. You laugh and laugh from that. 

JoJo, I love how cuddling you are. You are finally liking reading books with me in the morning. We cuddle on the couch together after getting back from dropping the big kids off and read 3-4 books together. When watching a movie as a family, most of the time, you will sneak into my room, grab a blanket, and cuddle on the small couch with me. You will squeeze my neck so hard after buckling you into yourself, telling me you will never let me go. I love all of it.  

This year is going to bring so much growth and new experiences. I feel honor that I get to be your mother and share it with you.

Love, 

Mom

Two.Eleven Years

 2.11 Years

• The girls were needing hair cuts for school so you were begging to get a hair cut also. I think I tried a 1/2 inch was all. Your hair has not grown fast and thick like the other girls, so you don't get many hair cuts. 
• We went to the Jones's house for a back to school party where every kid had a can of shaving cream and was spraying it everywhere. You wanted nothing to do with it and would freak out if the littlest bit of shaving cream on on you. 
• We went camping on last time with the Willis family. We went up to Fish Creek and brought our bikes. It was probably one of the first times putting you in the baby bike seat. I think you had mixed emotions about it. Telling me you liked the scary hills, but then complaining that we were going to fast. 
• The big news for the month is potty training!!! I can't believe how easy it has been to potty train you. I was planning on starting when the kids go to school, but the Sunday before, Dad was on call and the kids were all home, so I thought at least they can help and then on Monday, Dad could help. We started after church and you cried for 45 minutes about wanting your diaper. After that, you calmed down, went pee in the foggy potty and got our jelly beans. That was it. You loved getting jelly beans and were find to try after that. We went potty about four times that day and had two accidents. We were invited to go to the Stone's house that night for desert so we brought your potty along. Nora has been on and off about potty training, so when's he saw you doing it, she wanted to do it. You girls were running around in just your undies all night. It was cute. The next day, you cried again for about 30 minute when I wouldn't put a clean diaper on in the morning, but I think you only had one accident that day. It has been so easy with you. You go all by yourself and even wipe your own poop. We have gone to Lewiston and went on a road trip to Utah and had no accidents. You still wear a diaper at night, but we will worry about that later. We did make a trip to family dollar to let you pick out "poop prizes" When we got there, you were yelling, "Where are the poop prizes?" I have to laugh because they had these dress up head bands of butterflies and lady bugs, but you picked out the red sparkly devil headband. 
• Having the big kids go to school has been an adjustment for you. You really miss having them here to play with. We are trying to find our new routine, going to story time, playing at the park, and swapping with friends. You really like playing with Nora, Trinley, Addy, and Megan. You love telling me that you are my buddy when it is just me and you.
• For a long time, you would always tell me that you like me but you do not like daddy. It was funny at the beginning, but after a while, we needed to have it stop. After having a heart to heart talk and more wrestling with dad, you are finally saying that you like me and you like dad.
• Soccer has started this month for the big kids, so you get to hang out at the park with me twice a week. If the playground is close, you like to run around with your friends, other than that, you really do like to stick close to me and cheer on your siblings. 
• We made a quick weekend trip to Grandma and Papa Matthews's cabin. Almost all the cousins were there. We really talked up Calvin (he being the only one your age) and it was cute seeing you too together. I wouldn't say that you actually played with him, but did show interest. You did love going for four wheeler rides and eating a bunch of candy and cookies. 

Two.Ten Years

 2.10 Years

• Maggie left with our cousins for Utah for two weeks. You would ask "Where's Maggie?" at least five times a day for the first week. You definitely missed her and loved when she would call and FaceTime us. You would scream, "I want to talk to Maggie!" After I hand you the phone, we would say hi and that's it. You wouldn't give up the phone to anyone us. It just made you happy to hold it and hear her voice.
• We didn't sit around and do nothing while Maggie was gone. We went camping up the mountains and hiked into the lower gospel lake to go fly fishing. I carried you on my back, and boy are you getting too big for that. You would shift your weight from one side to the other, pinch my elbow thinking it was funny looking, and smack me bear grass. We watched the Minions movie in the drive in. We sat next to Trinley's family, and you shared your popcorn with your friend. We went to music in the park, got ice cream cones from Cash-n-carry, and swam more times than I can count.
• We went up to Spokane for a weekend to take Sam to the airport and pick up Maggie from the airport. We stayed with our Friends, the Potters. You were so happy to see Maggie. You ran and gave her a big hug and wouldn't let go of her. Now starts the week long of "where's Sam?" In Spokane, we went up to this private lake of the Potter's friend. They had a lily pad (giant foam mat that you all ran around on top of the water), kayaks, inner tubes, and sand toys. It was really fun for all of us. I wasn't there at the beginning (getting Maggie) and you were being a stinker towards dad. You didn't want dad to help you, but you let Robert help you. When I got there, you would not leave me. We snuggled in an inner tube together, which was really relaxing. 
• We tried to do girly things when Sam was gone, which consisted of watching princess movies and more artsy activities. 
• We caught up with Sam in Oregon after a week. It was fun to be in Oregon for a long time. We went to the beach, went to the Iverson pond where you and Jessie played in the sand and the inner tubes, visited the Gilbert house (all every minute of it!), went on the Beverly Cleary tour in Portland, bought a book from Powells (pinkalicous book), had a sleep over at Lainey's, played with Jessie, and had a great time at Grandma's house. You loved picking black berries with me in the mornings. and having all the popsicles on the bottom shelf of the freezer so you could grab one whenever you wanted. 
• You can be such a sassy girl. You often tell me that you like me but you don't like dad. 
• While Maggie was gone, we switched your rooms. You are now downstairs with Millie. You were bawling the first two days, telling me you wanted you room back. But you have actually really liked being downstairs and you have done well. You didn't want the twin bed, so you set your crib down there. I imagine you will be in the crib for a while. I have to laugh because the second night you two were together, Milli had just went to a birthday party and brought home a bag of candy. I told her to hide it in her room, but you found it and ate some of the candy. Millie would do that all the time to Maggie, was I laughed when Millie got it from you. 

Two.Nine Years

 2.9 Years

• We are trying to fit in some of our summer bucket list with going hiking with the Strasser and Willis families, riding bikes to Creme Cafe, and playing down by the river.
• Silverwood!!!! We made it to Silverwood. We decided to go on a Saturday, a little nervous about the crowds, but we timed everything just right. We left super early and got there earlier enough to be able to go into the park and wait right by the rides until they open the park. Dad and Sam rushed to the blue roller coaster, while I took the you girls to the wooden one. There was no line, so we were able to get all the roller coasters finished within the first hour. We were able to do the Ferris wheel (there is always a huge line). You were excited in line, but once we were sitting down, you were starting to freak out. I was able to distract you enough to take off and after that, you loved it. As long as we weren't rocking the seat. We next hit up all the kiddie rides. It was fun to have you join us this year on half of them. You really loved the airplane one and the doggie one that played music. For the second half of the day, we went to Boulder Beach. That was awesome! Well, not for you so much. I didn't want to do any of the little slides, and the wave pool scared you to death once the waved started. You mostly sat of the edge of the water and splashed, which you were fine with. The lazy river was a hit though. Since getting back, you keep asking when we are going to go back.
• Fourth of July was always a hit. Dad had to work a lot, but we were able to tag along with friends. On Saturday, we watched the parade and walked through all the stand in the park. Monday was our big day. We got there bright and early for the foot races and egg toss (you and Maggie were buddies, which lasted all of two throws). We bought lunch at the food vendors (the bubble watermelon tea was a hit), decorated bikes for the kids bike parade, ran wild around town on your bikes until the parade, got even more candy, came home to rest, and ended the night watching fireworks at the high school. 
• Dad took all of your girls on the daddy/daughter trip this year. You guys got to go rafting down in Boise area with all the Price girl cousins and the dads/grandpa. You loved being with Jessie. The water was mostly calmer, but I heard you had to hold onto someone's hand the whole time, which ended up being Brooklyn mostly. You slept in a tent with dad and did great. The whole time, you complained that you missed me and you didn't like daddy. Can you say momma's girl. On the way back, the trailer broke, so it took you guys a long time to get home. We have since got a new trailer, but even today, you were asking me if our trailer is broken. Funny how small things really stick with you (like the cat stuck in the attic).
• We have since gone on a couple more rafting trips, each time you get more and more comfortable with it. Now you love it and will stand up along the edge when we hit bumps. We have gone with friends (you got to sit with Nora), Grandma and Papa Price (they came for a few days), the Willis family, your cousins Caleb and Owen with Auntie Rachel, and then just the other night with the McKnights. 

Two.Eight Years

 2.8 Years

• We are wrapping up the end of the school year with the big kids and the weather is getting warmer so it is feeling like summer is almost here. You have been playing outside in the sandbox more and jumping on the trampoline. It is nice that this year, you are big enough to jump with the older kids for the most part so you can join in on their fun. We got to go to Maggie and Sam's music concert and Millie's preschool graduation. You are a good trooper about sitting through thee event for the most part. 
• Uncle Dusty and Auntie Janecce came with all the kids for a weekend. We hunted for mushrooms (the little girls won the prize for most found and bought everyone popsicles with their price money), had a Harry Potter dinner, put on a piano concert, went swimming at the hotel, took turns singing karaoke, wrestled, swam in the pond (well just Sam and Phillip), and finished with a night at Jungle Gyms playing the arcade games. You really have become great friends with Jessie. She introduced you to cocomelon video clips. You both loved dressing up and every time you came up the stairs, you had on a different ballet dress or tutu on. You keep asking when Jessis can come back or when you get to go to Jessie's house. 
• The big kids are finished with school!! You are so excited to have them back home all day with you. We celebrated the first day of summer by making our summer bucket list and getting slurpies. 
• The pond is coming along. I was so nervous about having it there and having you kids wonder out over there, but with the thistles and rocky shore, you have never wanted to walk down there by yourself. You like going in the water if I am swimming with you. You enjoy throwing rocks in. You do not enjoy going on the kayak at all. When I try to sit on it with you, it is too tipsy so you get afraid. When I just have you just on the kayak and push you around, you beg to get off. 
• Summer adventures: With the weather being cooler, we have gone on a few hikes. We have hiked the white bird battle field as a family and the Johns Creek trail twice, once just me and you kids and another time with friends. I have to say that you are getting heavy to carry. You are starting to want to hike on your own, so this may be the last summer that we really carry you.
• The circus came into town. We probably shouldn't have gone because you were sick, but I had already bought the tickets and I really wanted to take you guys. You enjoyed the first half, but then got really tired the second half. Dad bought you guys a bag of peanuts, so it really felt like the real deal. 
• You are Nora are such good friends. With the big kids going to swim practice in the morning and then us going back to the park at lunch time for the library reading program, we have been picking her up to play a bit more. Both of you love to dress up and it's hard to keep your clothes on. Nora got an Elsa dress for her birthday, so now both of you girls can be Elsa together. 

Two.Seven Years

 2.7 Years

• We made a quick trip out to Oregon so Grandma and I could see Hamilton. We got there late Friday night, just in time to get a snack and glass of chocolate milk before bed. Saturday, we went down to Lainey's school for a pancake breakfast. It was a pancake and sausage bar. You had been playing outside  on the play structure when all of a sudden you threw up. It was right were everyone was walking. I quickly ran to the bathroom to clean it up. I was nervous that you were sick and it was going to change our plans. Maggie came up to me and told me that you were on the merry go round. after some water, your tummy settled down and you were fine. We left you kids with Auntie Annie while Dad and I went to the temple with Grandma and Grandpa. I guess you fell asleep snuggling up to Annie. She loved it so much and just chilled on the couch with you for the whole nap. That night, the dads had you all over at Grandpa's house, playing, putting on a play, eating Costa Rican food, and watching a movie. Sunday, we had an Easter part with all the cousins. Grandma does a big egg hunt full of coupon ad prizes. You were excited to pick out the play dough. It was a blast. I know the trip was way too short, but we love making it down there every time we do.
• You love Nora. She is your friend. I was watching her on the day that Sam had a field trip. We took her with us and you girls had a blast running around outside, jumping in puddles, and climbing all over the rocks at Tolo Lake. 
• The weather is getting warmer so we have been outside more. We went on our first hike of the season as a family. There was still a ton of snow on the ground. It was long going with you kids eating the snow and having snow ball fights. On one of Dad's day off, we headed out to the garden and worked on the berries. I had packed a lunch box lunch for you and Millie (you love eating out of a lunch box) and had a picnic in the hay. We also went camping at Winchester. It was raining a lot of the time, but we were still able to roast s'mores, ride bikes around, and fish for a bit in the morning. You got too big to sleep in the bath tub, so you and Sam shared a bed. I was nervous on how it was going to go, but you slept well. 
• Mother's Day was this month. It was nice to have a slower morning with you kids, going to church, and then having a picnic at Lions Park where we got to kayak at "Lion's Lake". The park had flooded big time with all the rain, so it made a mini lake that the whole city had been playing on. 
• Your latest favorite with now is the soundtrack to the movie Annie. You love singing the song "Tomorrow". I often find you by yourself playing barbies singing, "tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow. . . " That is about as much of it as you know right now.