Disney on Ice

My mom had 3 days to take off for after I had the baby. My mom decided that she would use a couple of those days and take Brooklynn and do something fun with her so I can get things done and spend a little time with Cameron. Last Friday my mom took Brooklynn and my sister-in-law Johana and nephew Caleb to Disney on Ice. (I got some Christmas shopping done and cleaning, it really helped. Thanks Mom.)


Brooklynn loved it and was amazed at everything she saw. They said she did get scared at one part with sharks but other than that she had a blast.

She came home and told me all about it. She told me about all the princess' she saw and Mickey and Minnie (her favorite). The funniest thing was when she was telling me about all the characters she said... "And I saw Pinochio, he's a real boy."

Brooklynn keeps asking me when she can go see Mickey's house now at Mickey Park. (She saw a commercial of Disneyland) Well we are hoping next year sometime.

Blankets for the NICU and PICU

Christmas is drawing near and it is the time of giving. Since Ryan and I got married we went 5 Christmas' without children. We did something every year to help someone else out. Some years we spent a lot and some years we didn't, but we always did something. For a few years Ryan's grandma Oldroyd was in an assisted living center and we would always get together with all his Oldroyd aunts, uncles and cousins. Before we would meet for the party we would go to Grandma's "apartment" and sing Christmas carols, the kids would draw a picture and we would usually give them a little gift. One year we got these cute statues donated and we gave them those. They loved it. It has been a few years since we have done something and this year, because of the economy we decided to have a smaller Christmas than normal and try to do something for someone else.

After talking with the Oldroyd's we decided that we are going to make fleece blankets for Intermountain Medical Center's NICU (where my brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jeff and Nanci work)for all the cute little babies. Our goal is 45 blankets for all the NICU beds. If we get enough blankets for those babies than we will make some for Ryan's work in the PICU at Primary Children's Medical center.

We are also going to check with some fabric stores to see if any of them can donate. If anyone has any extra fleece or would like to donate somehow it would be greatly appreciated. We understand if you can't, we just wanted to put it out there. (We are trying to collect all donations by Thanksgiving.) Hope everyone has great holidays.

Cameron is one month old

Cameron turned one month old on Saturday. (I didn't have a chance to write) I can't believe how fast time goes. He is already changing. My little skinny boy is out of premie clothes and wearing NB. And he is even getting little chub on his cheeks. He sure is a cutie. And I still LOVE his full lips. They are so cute and he always has them puckered.



Brooklynn is also doing better with him and not acting out as much for attention. I feel like we are now getting the groove and can get all that we need done. And also spread the love. She sure loves her baby brother and she is a great mommy to him. (She tries really hard)

Happy 63 year Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa Budd

My Grandma and Grandpa Budd just celebrated their 63rd anniversary on Friday. They are a great example of true love and I have always looked up to them.



Merle Stout met Jerry Budd when she was only 13 years old and he was 18. My grandma was best friends with his sister Radine and they would always hang out and do stuff with the family. My Grandpa proposed in 1940 but they weren't going to get married until after my grandma was either close to graduation or graduated. A year later my grandpa got a letter and was drafted in the army. The war hadn't officially started yet for the US so there was little worries.
Only a month later the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and we were at war. My grandpa originally thought he would only be separated from my grandma for a few months and the longest a year (as stated in his draft letter) But the war changed things. My grandpa served in the Pacific and even fought the long battle of Iwo Jima. (It lasted over a month of fighting thousands of Japanese on only a 4.5 mile long island.)

Four years later he finally made it home on October 31st 1945. My grandma never dated one other person. (And people thought it was hard to wait for a missionary.) They were married 7 days later on November 7th. Seven has since been her lucky number. My grandparents have been a huge part of my life. I lived with them for 8 years and they are what made me believe in love lasting forever.

For the last few years I have been reading my grandpa's journal from war and also my grandma saved every one of his letters in those four years. He had some amazing, sad and spiritual experiences. Although it is one sided I still get an idea of what my grandma wrote him by his responses. It is the neatest thing, I am trying to put their experiences into a story. I feel like it is a story I would like my kids to know of their love through those hard times.

Here is a direct quote from one of my grandpa's letters. Just a few months after Pearl Harbor and he was headed somewhere, unknowing to him, in the Pacific. This was when he finally felt at peace that things would be okay.

February 06, 1942 - Some where in the middle of the Ocean

“On Monday evening Feb. 2, I sat on the upper deck and watched a beautiful full moon come over the horizon. As I saw it in the sky so full and round and glistening on the water, I forgot all about being sea sick and I thought about you. I felt as though you were right there in my arms. I stayed there for hours and hours watching the moon and dreaming about my beautiful fiancé. I imagined you were doing the same thing. It was so wonderful that I didn’t dare move for fear of breaking the spell. About midnight it began to get a little chilly, but I was so thrilled and happy, I went and got a blanket and slept all night on the deck. I felt so close to heaven and to you. It was like you were there in my arms. It was all so real I’ll never forget it. I awoke the next morning from my little sleep on the deck and felt very refreshed. All signs of seasickness had left me. This was the first day since I left that I felt like eating. When I return to you we can be married and sealed to each other for time and all eternity in the temple. Oh darling when that day comes I’ll be the happiest person on earth. Well so long for now my sweet itto wife to be and I’ll write as soon as possible.
Love Your hubby (soon to be),
Jerry”

This is a picture of them with about half of their grandkids. Taken in the beginning of 1982. I am the little baby on my grandma's lap. I am so lucky to have wonderful examples and inspirations in my life. Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa.

I missed my little girl

Last weekend my mom offered to take Brooklynn to Lagoon with her and have her sleep over and then I could just stay home with Brooklynn. I said yes, but was nervous because in almost 3 years Brooklynn has only been away from me over night two times. Once when she was 2 weeks old and I had to get surgery she slept at Susan's. and the other time while I was in the hospital with Cameron. So Ryan and I took Brooklynn to my mom's house and I was okay and got all her stuff and kissed her good bye. We were about halfway home and I started crying. Ryan said we could turn back but I knew that I couldn't. I have to let her go.

Brooklynn had a great time with her cousin Caleb and her grandma Bean, uncle Josh and two aunts Johana and Terra.

That night I called and talked to her and she was having a blast, I missed her so much.

Around bedtime I called her again and she had been asking about us. Once she found out she got to sleepover there she was excited and wasn't worried about us anymore. I did cry again after I talked to her, it was weird not putting her to bed.

The next day I was able to get things done and just spend time with Cameron. It was nice but I was ready to get Brooklynn back. When I got to my mom's Brooklynn saw me and her face lit up. She ran and hugged me for a long time. And then came the waterworks AGAIN! She woke up about 6am crying for me but they were able to get her back to sleep. I know Brooklynn had a lot of fun, it was nice for her to spend the day with her grandma but I don't know if I will be ready for another sleepover for awhile. Ya never know, maybe the more I do it the easier it will get. I just love my sweet little girl.

Cameron announcement and Berkie's photography

CAMERON'S PICTURE
Today was my due date. I am so glad he is already here. It is so much fun having my little man and having the last 3 weeks to enjoy him.
Here is a picture I took of Cameron on Saturday.

Here is the announcement that I made. What a cute little guy I have.


BERKIE'S PHOTOGRAPHY

While I was on the phone with Comcast (they were calling me to give us information on our new phone line and internet not the most exciting 30 minutes) Brooklynn decided she would take the camera and take pictures. There was a ton of pictures on the camera and these two acctually turned out pretty good. (They are very grainy it was with my little camera) She got a couple of me this is the better of the two. The other one I was making some crazy face.

Here is a self portrait that Berkie took of herself. Not a bad photography huh?

Happy (late) Halloween

Halloween was so much fun. My mom took the day off so she could come and spend some time with us. She brought Caleb, Johana and Terra with her and bought the two kiddos square pumpkins from Artic Circle. We then went and took some pictures of the kids in their costumes. We were going to go somewhere (like a park or something) but it was too windy and I didn't want to take Cameron out. So we borrowed my neighbors front yard. and then just did a couple inside.
Berkie as Minnie Mouse holding Cameron in his Tigger costume. (Thanks Grandma Oldroyd for making the Minnie Mouse skirt and Grandma Ann for the cute Tigger costume.)

The three Dennis grandkids. Soon with Josh and Johana's new one in January there will be 4. I love Brooklynn's expression. Caleb sure makes a cute doctor.

There is my cute girl Brooklynn.

Caleb and Brooklynn, they sure look cute. It's too bad they aren't always this nice to each other. They usually fight over Grandma Bean's attention.

Here is Miley Cyris and Minnie Mouse


Katie is vintage woman, Alex is Miss America and Kassie is an island princess.


Grandma Oldroyd holding our little Tigger.


Here is my nephew Brady as a football player, Bailey is a bride and Gracie is a kitty.


Here is my neice Abbie as Miley Cyris (with out her wig), Jer's wife Kellie as Hannah Montana and My neice Katelin is a vintage lady.

We had a great Halloween, Brooklynn likes Trick or Treating and did really good. Went almost the whole way with out getting in the wagon. Next year I will try to dress up. I was going to dress up as a Baker with a bun in the oven but that didn't happen and I didn't think of anything else to dress as.

Two weeks old

Today Cameron is two weeks old. Can you believe that he wouldn't even be here yet? Well I am sure glad he is here.
Here was Cameron at his doctor's appointment. This is our new pediatrician. I really like him so far. It was so hard losing Brooklynn's old doctor. He went off to South America to work and comes back a few times a year and works at Primary Children's Medical Center. What a great doctor he is. But so far I really like the new one.

Cameron is back up to his birth weight now at 6 lbs. 8 oz. and 20 inches long. Everything looks great and is a healthy little boy.

Now that Brooklynn is getting better she got to hold Cameron again. It's almost been a whole week and it was driving her crazy. I sure love my little kiddos.

The best day ever

I just want to share some things about my day yesterday. It was my 27th birthday and of course when you get older birthdays aren't as exciting. It makes me think about my Grandpa Budd's 22nd birthday in 1941 he had been drafted in WWII and was far from his family and fiance.
On the day that he was given life he was learning how to end one's life. It was a horrible day that he will never forget. I never want a birthday like that. When I woke up I didn't even remember it was my birthday and didn't think 'Wahoo, it's my birthday' All I was thinking was 'It is cold and I don't want to get up to feed Cameron.' But I did. So about an hour later Brooklynn came out in the living room and only a couple minutes after that so did Ryan. They both told me Happy Birthday. I couldn't say anything and was trying to hide my face, but Ryan noticed that I was crying. Of course Ryan was worried something was wrong. I told him that I was happy. (Guys don't understand that you can cry when you are happy, Ryan should be use to my tears though.) He trusted me and left it at that. So what was going through my head? Well, when they told me happy birthday I realized how different this birthday was. Normally I get so excited and it is my day. This year all I wanted this year for my birthday was a healthy baby. (I wanted a Halloween baby) Well I got him and I was just thinking that although my life isn't perfect, it was just as I wanted it. I have my sweet, silly little girl and a cute new baby boy. Not to mention the best husband ever. Right now I wouldn't change my life for anything and it just made me so happy that I started crying. All day I was very emotional, I cried again on the way to the grocery store just thinking about my little family we have.

Brooklynn was so excited when I got home she said "I have a present and she ran to get it. She picked out this Goofy and the two chipmunks all by herself. Right after she gave it to me she said. "Will you open this for me now?" It was cute and very sweet, of course I cried.

This is what Ryan got me and the waterworks came again. I am just so thankful for my little family we have. Both Brooklynn and Cameron came to us in very different ways but they are both so special to me. And after 8 1/2 years together I love Ryan more every day. He works so hard to take care of us.



Ryan asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday and I really just wanted to be together as a family. Ryan got us dinner from Applebees and then we made caramel apples.

Brooklynn helped make the caramel.


Decorating them was fun. Brooklynn had a blast with it.

Mine is the smiley one, Brooklynn's is the crazy one and Ryan left his plain. They were very yummy!

What a wonderful day I had being with my family. We have gone through a lot in the last 8 years with medical things and infertility but at this moment I wish I could slow time down and take it all in. I am just so thankful for everything/everyone in my life.
Also I have to mention that my family gave me a nice celebration on Sunday with some really cute gifts and fun games.Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, I had a wonderful day.

I survived

Yesterday was Ryan's first day back to work. I was really nervous being home alone for 13 hours with a new baby who had to eat every 2-3 hours, Brooklynn who was sick and needed lots of attention and myself who also have been feeling sick with a head cold. But I did it.


Ryan helped out so much, he would read stories with Brooklynn.


Ry holding Cameron and playing video games with him. (of course, he love the XBOX)

Ryan also helped clean too. Well I survived with out him. I went to the store, cleaned my house, Took Cameron's pictures and even took Brooklynn to a Halloween carnival. We had a good day. Now we will see how next week goes. Ryan is planning on working 4 12 hour shifts in a row. It might not go as well but we shall see.

This is the pictures I took of Cameron. But I still haven't made the birth announcements yet. Maybe next week.