First things first Tucker is doing great we still have some adjusting to go through and the Doctors say that could take up to three months. So all in all we are getting use to flushing his bowels every night. He has to sit on the toilet for an hour or more sometimes each night. The only thing that makes it bearable for him is it is his
DS time. He is getting really good at his games needless to say. Just glad things are going better for him so far!!
I also have to tell you about the above picture. We had no idea that he was the cover for the Adaptive Sports here in Salt Lake. We got this in the mail and boy was Tucker surprised and excited!! As most of you know and remember a charity and some sweet people got together and donated money for him to receive a basketball wheelchair. (Thank YOU again!!) He had played 5 years in his regular chair and learned to adapt. Yesterday was his first time really getting to play with it. With all his new teammates. Boy was he excited!! We are at a new location this year and a lot of the older ones were not there yesterday which was a bummer but also good for Tucker because for once he was one of the older ones. He moved so easily in it and did so well it was so fun to watch him do that!! I think it is a true mother's joy to see your children smiling and happy!! It is for sure with Tucker. It seems those moments are harder to come by but so pure when they do!! Anyway we left our camcorder in Idaho at Grandma's so she is mailing it. Hopefully next time we will be able to take some video to show!!
I have to back up a little because we spent most of our time in the hospital this Christmas vacation I didn't get Christmas posted so I am going to write about that and then end with Tucker's New Year in the Hospital.
Our tradition is that Christmas Eve we go to Temple Square and listen to the narration of the Luke2 and look at the lights ( have to add those pictures later when we get our camcorder back)and then we came home for
chili and hot chocolate. The kids were so tired and fell asleep on the way home. It was so cute I took a picture of Austin asleep on Tucker's wheelchair. :)
After that we let them open their one gift which was
pjs and I made them blankets this year and sock monkey's to go with it. They turned out so cute!! ( I haven't finished Tucker's yet, but will today and add later) Then we take Jesus' stocking down and dump out all the things we have added to his sock for the last month and read all the good things that had been done to each other in our home. It was so nice to see and remember all the nice things that they had done for each other!! We told the boys that these are the things Jesus loves to get at Christmas time and all year long!! We then read a Christmas story and send them to bed. I love these traditions we are doing with them it makes Christmas Eve so very special and feel like it is centered around the Savior the true meaning for the season!!
The boys in their
pjs Christmas Eve. I love this picture of them!!
Santa did make it to our house and brought wonderful things!!
Tucker with his stuff. Santa gave him Battle Machines and he loves those. Mom and dad gave him some math stuff and a hangman game, Austin gave him Wheel of Fortune game, and Bryson gave him some army gloves where the tops come off and he can use them for his wheelchair, he really likes those, he also gave him a light for his head so he can go outside and feed LeRoy without holding a flashlight. (cute huh? :) )
Austin got a police agent
Lego truck that he has wanted from Santa and some spy gear and Batman Lego
DS game in his stocking, he got a glow board from mom and dad and from Tucker he got a
hotwheels car changing colors thing, from
Bryson he got a Lego camper and car. He loves
Lego's as you can tell.
Bryson got a helicopter from Santa, mom and dad gave him a glow board and a Dino flashlight. Tucker gave him the red and black truck that is a penny bank, Austin gave him Handy Manny stuff, he loves that!
This year I was really excited about what I got!! Mike gave me a statue of Christ that I have always wanted ever since I had served my mission to Arizona and stood in front of that everyday and shared my testimony of the Savior!! I was so excited to see that I had gotten this!! It is beautiful and it sits on our mantle above the fireplace!! I also got a wii fit and love it also. It is fun to do with the kids!! I got a cutting board that has a fold up bowl in it(Tucker gave me) I know I will love it!! Austin gave me a figurine of a mom and son I love also!! Bryson gave me a spice rack that I know I will love!!
Mike got a new seat for his lawn mower (it was badly needed) Tucker gave him cast iron pans for camping and some really nice gloves to use with it. Austin gave him some games for the
wii one was a boxing game.
Bryson gave him a nice snow suit so he can go outside with them and play in the snow. He also got the first book series on
CD about a boy who goes to war the guy at the store said it was so good and he
guaranteed me I would be back in to buy the rest. So we all had a wonderful Christmas!!
We had Mike's work party at our house and I forgot to take a picture with all three tables up and plates on the table and everything. It was so pretty but this is basically what it looked like. It was so stressful for me!! I have never feed 25 adults that I didn't know. It turned out really good. We had
turkey and stuffing
potatoes and salads and desserts. It was a fun party!! I don't know that I would suggest it again but it turned out better than I thought!!
Here's a little Christmas shoveling at our house!!
Just relaxing with the boys!! :)
This year Mike's sister came up from Kansas for the first time for Christmas. That was fun to have them here with us for the holiday's. We stayed up late talking and it was fun for the boys to play with their cousins. We miss them and wish they lived closer!!
Mike's mom (grandma) got out all her costumes for
Halloween and put them on!! The kids loved it all though
Bryson was not too sure of her rodeo clown outfit. He was scared of her old woman costume and ran to me crying. She is so fun with the kids, they love grandma's silliness!!
Grandma and Grandpa gave Austin this crazy thing that took all day to put together!! It can make 6 different things I don't know that it is going to ever come apart. Too much work!!
Then Sunday night we went to my mom's house for the other side of the family's party. It was a lot of fun!! My brother had our name and he made me these beautiful shelves!! They are so pretty!! They are two toned. I will take a picture and put it on here. The
grand kids all got
pjs from grandma and they love them of course and they all fit their personalities too. :)
There is nothing better than spending time with Family!! We love all our families and don't know what we would do without their love and support!! We hope that we can always stay close to them and be with them on special days like this!!
Then of course off to the hospital. Tucker had to be on a clear liquid diet from Sunday to Wed. and even after his surgery on Wed they didn't let him have any food until Thursday morning. Poor thing!! He was so sad about that but he did so well. Our friend Trevor who also has
spina bifida was also in there for a pressure sore so they were able to see each other and we had someone we knew in there, that always makes the hospital stay much easier!!
He had several visitors, Bishop Knudsen came and
Chantel and Brian came and Tucker's friend Matt came up and they played video games together, that made Tucker's day!! Thank you all for you kind hearts and words and prayers!! We are so blessed to have so many people care about us!! We love you all!!
Tucker was good as long as he had the controller in his hand for the TV. That is one of his favorite things. Since we don't have cable he was loving being able to watch so many fun things.
Ken was Tucker's nurse twice and he was a good one!! He was getting tired of them taking his vitals all the time but still was a trooper!!
And of course when he finally could eat I swear he ordered everything!! I didn't get this picture taken fast enough he had
already ate his bagel egg sausage sandwich!! :) He loves that you can order anything and they bring it (something that doesn't happen at home) :)
HE is ready to go home can you tell!! We love you Tucker and are glad you are doing better and are home!!
Nothings better than going home!!!!!!! The staff at
Primary's is amazing but we were glad to go home New Years day and start a Great Year!!! Thank you all for all your help (mom in watching the kids and brother helping out) and those that came and visited and wrote on
facebook and kept praying for him!! It made it so much easier!! We love you and hope that you all have a great new year!!!
May you see that happiness is found in what you have, not in striving for what you don't have.
May your life be measured not by the number of times your heart beats but by the number of moments that capture your heart!!
May you never allow what you can't do to interfere with what you can do!!
This sweet little Austin honestly scared me as I was carrying him!! He was such a mover and I thought Oh my I don't know how I will ever keep up with him!! And he has been from the start.
I had wanted so badly to have him natural because I had to have a C-section with Tucker. My Dr. gave me a chance to have him natural so I wouldn't have to have C-sections with the rest. Well I was on my 40th week and the Dr. said I am sorry this baby is getting tooo big he said he is at least 8 lbs.
I laughed at him and said my moms largest baby was 7lbs. I just don't think that is right. Well he then told me that he would not deliver him if I continued any longer. I have really low platelets and a previous C-section he was afraid of rupture and I was not dilated at all. So he said we need to schedule you a day to deliver this week. So we gave in and had him.
He WAS 8lbs and 5 ounces. 21" long and when I finally saw him I thought he is huge he is not a newborn. Well he has been like that ever since. Always in a hurry to learn and grow and he has been one step ahead of me always!! He loves to learn and soaks it up like crazy!! 
He likes to be on time for everything!! He constantly is asking me if he is on time for school or church or piano. He gets upset if he knows we are late!! He takes things so seriously when you tell him something. He believes and lives it!! 
