Your first house

We moved in when I was 10 weeks pregnant.  I did my best to 'decorate' a nursery.  Your dad was pretty set against anything too permanent, and I still hadn't convinced him putting a few nail hole in the walls was inevitable.  But, he traveled a bit.  So I did manage to frame a dozen or so books and hang them in your room, to go with your generic ABC bedding.  Most were my favorite children's books, with one of your dad's favorites for good measure.

We brought you home to our first house.  We were pretty scared and slightly shocked the hospital let us take you home, and at the last minute we had Grandma Hardcastle stay with us too -just to make sure we didn't break you the first night.

I worried non stop about the stairs and the rock around the fire place.  We bought the only gate available that was wide enough for our entryway and I bought a few huge pillows to save your from yourself around the fireplace.  It didn't help much.  There were very few places in your first house that you didn't test out with your head.  You fell down both sets of stairs, more than once.  Locked yourself IN the house (dad went to the neighbors house, climbed on the roof and into our 2nd story bathroom window).   You learned how to crawl and walk there.  You ate your first bite of rice cereal.  You made your first best friend between the ages of 3 and 4 and you and Max spent hours and days running in between your two houses.  We took first day of school pictures there -three years in a row.

You played video games in your first house and began what I can only assume will be your lifelong habit of climbing and jumping on everything within reach.  You practiced reading your first books here and it was the house you started to bring homework home to.

You welcomed two siblings home in your first house.  And you also got mad and tortured those same siblings as well.  You've eaten countless popsicles outside, thrown stuff down the window well, and left a permanent mark on the stucco with silly string left in the sun to bake.

It's been a good house, Hyrum.  I hope you will have a few memories of this place, because I know that I will.  

Take me out to the Ball Game

Another spring, another baseball season.  I can't believe you've been in baseball (and t-ball) for 4 years!  Every year you get a little better and have a bit more fun (I think).  It's no longer a full time job to make sure you stay standing up, keep your mitt and hat on and pay attention in the outfield.  It's more of a part-time job.  Last year you figured out how to throw, and this was the spring that you found your swing.  You're a bit of a slugger, so it's all or nothing.  But, you did find out how much fun it was to hit the ball thrown at you, so you did it a lot.  You only had to have the T stand brought out a small handful of times during the season.

Once again Grandpa Lafeen was your coach (along with Grandma) and dad helped out a lot too.  Plus, your cousin, Nolan, was on your team, so it was extra fun.

Surprisingly, we only got rained out once this season.  And, considering how wet May was, that was quite impressive.  Equally impressive was the storm that cancelled games.  Grandpa was trying to have a bit of a practice under the bowery.



Rain, rain go away from Melanie Lafeen on Vimeo.

A letter to my first born

This Mothers Day I was thinking about being a mother.  I, of course, was showered with lavish gifts, foot rubs, hand written notes, and everything else a mother would ever want.  In between all of that, I had to get showered, make sure all you kids were clean and ready for church, breakfast, lunch, dinner, clean up the house... you know, being a mom, in all it's glory.

Anyway, I was thinking of writing a letter to my kids, since, that's why I was celebrated on Mothers Day at all.

Hyrum,
You're the one that made me a mom.  I was attuned to every moment of your pregnancy, I was worried, anxious, scared excited for the delivery.  I read everything I could.  Bought the best rated baby gear.  I can't tell you the amount of hours I spent searching online for bedding and a diaper bag.  A diaper bag!  Needless to say, you were the guinea pig.  You'll always be the guinea pig.  I learned how to be a mom with you.  Sorry for the all the mistakes (like starving you during the first two weeks) but you've been an easy one to get started on, I just didn't know it at the time.

You never really had the stranger danger thing that most babies do.  You've been easy going and always make friends everywhere you go. I've noticed that you are a bit more timid or cautious around new people as you've gotten older, but I do believe that you have a natural inclination to be friendly and assume that you'll be able to find and make friends in every situation.

You're adventurous and brave, which landed you in many an insta-care or ER, and is why I have a stocked first aid kit, including liquid bandaid.  You still have an incurable need to climb and jump on top of anything and everything, but you've at least gained the sense to watch your step more often.

You're kind hearted and sensitive, although you can lose your patience, mostly with your sister.  You loved Kate when she arrived, but as she got older and her personality started to get stronger there is definately some conflict there.  Milo, on the other hand, can do almost nor wrong in your book.  You tell me all the time how much you love him and how cute he is.

You love spending time with dad.  In the last year we finally brought a gaming console in the house, and you and dad can't get enough 'quality time' playing XBox.  You try really hard to be a good kid, follow the rules, do well in school.   You're considerate, thoughtful and bright.  You love being read to, we go through quite  few chapter books.  I'm often amazed at how much you're paying attention, even when you seem to be all over the place while we read.  You don't love to read yourself, but you do, begrudgingly.   Math, on the other hand, is like second nature.  I have to be really careful (and accurate) whenever you ask my times and how long until we get there type of conversations.  You'll do the addition and subtraction lightening fast, and let me know when I'm not be honest.

You're getting a lot better at baseball and seem to enjoy it more this year than you have in the past.  If your mom could get her act together, I'm sure you'd enjoy soccer, gymnastics, and even karate (you ask about the last one at least once a week.  You have pretty atrocious handwriting, but you're a good speller and you obviously have a vivid imagination from some of the papers you bring home from school.

You're a great kid.  You're a natural leader, easy going, and forgiving.  You are kind, and thoughtful, and honest.  You have a wonderful smile, where your eyes scrunch shut so that you can barely see them.  You are a great first born, I hope you don't ever live to regret being the oldest -it can come with some responsibility, but there are certain perks as well.

I love you, Hyrum.  Thanks for making me a mom!

Merry Christmas 2014

I apologize that this will be a christmas in pictures.  I've let a month go by before writing this.  We pretty much did our normal routine.  Christmas Eve at Grandma Colleens.  Back at our place with the Lafeens later in the evening.  Christmas morning at home.  You asked for your own X Box controller and Santa managed to find a 'navy' one (blue and black camouflage).  You were completely excited.

I guess there was one break in tradition, the Petersen's cancelled their Christmas Brunch.  Weddings and Missionary phone calls.  We had brunch with the Goughs at Mimi and Papa's and then opened a few gifts before heading up north.  Christmas dinner at the Hardcastles following opening presents.  You all got everything you wanted and then some!

Hyrum Christmas morning 2014 from Melanie Lafeen on Vimeo.

Birthday recap

It shouldn't be a surprise to me any more that life get's pretty crazy between your birthday and the end of the year... because it happens every year.  But, it always seems to do just that.

So... here's the last month or so.

You're six.  And you're pretty excited to be six.  I've decided that you and Milo will get a big(ish) friend birthday party on the odd years and Kate will have hers on even years.  It will cut down on one party a year, not that you'll go without lots of parties.

We took your best friend and neighbor, Max, to Chuckie Cheese the week before the big day.  That's where we went last year and you had been asking to go back for about 364 days.  Pizza and video games. It's your happy place.

The day before was Friday, and I brought balloons and a class treat, which you thought was pretty cool.  You were in the spanish part of class and they sang Happy Birthday to you.  I assume.


Spanish bday from Melanie Lafeen on Vimeo.
You went with Mimi on the morning of your birthday to the Pumpkin Bread place (Starbucks) and she gave you a Kindle (combined gift with Christmas).  Not surprisingly, you love it.

You got to you have a weekend by yourself with Gordon and Jessica on your birthday, which is always a treat.  You went and saw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the theatre (Gordon tries to indoctrinate you and Kate on his childhood (or adult) favorites every chance he gets.  You also got a cool TMNT sleeping bag that you sleep in quite a lot at home now.

The next day was our regular Sunday dinner with the Hardcastles.  You wanted an army birthday cake, so I actually enlisted your help.  I just made a chocolate sheet cake and let you decorate it with army guys.  Easiest cake so far!

One more party with the Lafeen's and Goughs 2 weeks later with Kate.  You remain an awesome gift-receiver and we're even practicing what to say if you happen to get something you already have.  You have definitely lost interest in clothing items, but I suppose that was to be expected.

Hyrum bday 2014 from Melanie Lafeen on Vimeo.

You are a bright and curious kid.  You constantly ask questions about what words mean and I find that you're listening to things around you, even if I think you're not.  You are a great big brother, mostly to Milo.  You find more things to fight about with Kate.  You are very sensitive and loving and express your love for people and inanimate objects often.  (like your kindle, video games, etc).  You try really hard to listen and do well in school, especially the behavior aspect of it.  You've kept a running tab on how many times you've reached Marvelous Mustang at school (the highest level of good behavior they have) and can't wait to tell dad about it.  You like writing and drawing, but you like to finish fast and we have to work on your handwriting.  You are doing awesome in music class and it's fun to notice how you're picking up on a lot of musical skills.  You hate having your hair cut, but tolerate it because it means I don't have to fix it in the morning.  You are always looking on the bright side of things and seem to find the silver lining in almost every situation.  We love you buddy, it's so much fun to seen who you're becoming!