What a sick boy!

Zachey J(yes, our moose) is our most active child. But when he falls...he falls hard! When he gets sick, sometimes it seems like forever and he is miserable. After two going on three straight days of Zach throwing up constantly, coughing, being so very sick and already having a blessing, we decided we couldn't take it anymore and took our pediatrician's advice and headed into the ER, being that it was Sunday. First they tested him for the flu by putting some drops in his nose and sucking it out with a tube. That was fun! Not! He had an IV put in and received some fluids and anti-nausea medication and also had a breathing treatment. After he finally kept some fluids down for a little while and four hours had passed, we were able to go home. He was diagnosed with influenza type A which is highly contagious and seems to be "going around" right now. The good news is, he is actually able to walk around and sit up now! He is so much better. Plus, he is able to take Tamiflu, a medication for influenza type A. The doctor reminded us that people used to die very easily from a flu like this. Ahhhhhhhh, modern times. Ya gotta love it!!! Now onto the fact that we have three other little children! Megan and Tanner have been coughing, Megan has seemed a little warm, and Gavin actually threw up a little this morning. I am knocking on wood as we speak in hopes of not having more bad illnesses!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Gavin can walk!!!

Well, I believe it is official! Although I think I am in denial. Gavin took a step on Sunday, February 3rd and yesterday, February 11th, he took about 4 steps! He is only 9 months old and won't be 10 months until February 26th ! What a crazy boy! He is my earliest walker. Zach walked at 10 months, Megan at 11 months and Tanner at 12 months. It just keeps getting earlier. Gavin was born at 9 lbs. 15 oz.(by far my biggest) and in the hospital he was trying to hold his head up and doing a really good job of it. It was like he was born at 2 months old. He has always been a little ahead of the game, doing things a little early. He has 8 teeth also! Count 'em, 8 teeth! He could really pass for a 12-14 month old. He is just as cute as can be and we love him. I am feeling a little cheated though...I hardly had my little infant for very long!

Making the best of the four letter word...SNOW!

The kids went out with Brandon to play in the snow...






They decided to build a fort and it turned out cool!


Then they built it up even more and added more snow and made it into a little sledding hill! More pictures of that to follow. It was a bit of an attraction for the neighbor boys for a little while.

Zach was just there for a token picture, because he was outside for about 2 minutes and then announced it was time for hot chocolate! So that's what he got. I think he is just ready for summer! Does anybody remember what grass looks like? I can't remember a winter where the grass was completely covered for such a long time. There have been so many deer coming out of the mountains to find food down here. They have been everywhere at night!

Today was a big day...

We'll start with the last part of the day first because that is how I loaded the pictures! The first one is a cell phone picture and that is why it isn't the best. Tanner had mentioned he REALLY wanted to go to President Hinckley's viewing. I thought it was pretty cool that he expressed it, so we made the trip up as a whole family(I wanted to go also) and took Trax(way crowded-standing only) to the Conference Center only to find out it was a 4 hour line! Not such a swell idea with 4 little children. Well, we walked around the Visitor's Center and saw the Christus statue(Zach said 'Hi Jesus!'), and got back on Trax. Tanner was crying because he was so upset about not seeing President Hinckley. So, Brandon and I decided that we'd get the van, go grab some fast food and then I dropped Brandon and Tanner off at the Conference Center, with the idea that I'd come get them in a few hours. I took the kids home and put them to bed and my mom came and sat at our house so I could go back to Salt Lake(or Swan Lake as Zach calls it!). I must also mention that Megan wanted to stay really bad and was upset, but I just couldn't leave her for that long. I just don't think she would have been quite as brave as Tanner as much as she would have tried. It was cold and she was already tired. She was happy once we were on our way home. After 4 1/2 hours in the line(2 of which were outside) they finally were finished and I picked them up! Tanner was so happy and said President Hinckley had a smile on his face and the room was so peaceful and quiet. He also made mention that he would always listen to mom and dad(coming off of a spiritual high I am sure!) I'm going to remember that! (ha ha) Tanner was determined and I am so impressed with his determination and his drive to want to say goodbye to the only prophet he has known. Brandon asked him several times while waiting in line if he wanted to leave and he would not go! He said it was worth it for him, and we are so proud of him.













Gavin had tubes put in his ears this morning. He did so great! He couldn't have milk after midnight and no fluids after 5:30 am, but no worries because he slept through the night and then we took him straight to the surgical center at 8:30 am. The procedure took about 10 minutes and he wore a cute little yellow gown. This was a much easier procedure than when Tanner had his tear duct surgery when he was 13 months old. Gavin was pretty cranky after the anesthesia(mask only-no IV) wore off but then had a pretty good day. We are so happy it is over and his life will be much improved. 7 ear infections in 9 months is just so sad! He is a happy sweet boy and we are so excited to say goodbye to all those ear infections!

Oh how we will miss him

Doesn't it feel like a member of the family has gone? He is so wonderful and will be SO missed. What a great time to be on the earth and experience having him for our prophet and president. It has been a great, fun ride with him. What a great example to all of humanity. I will always remember him telling us do our best. He was always so encouraging and uplifting.
"Do the very best you can. And when you have done that, you just place the matter in the hands of the Lord. Go forward with faith."

A tribute to my 7 year old Tanner

This Sunday, my "baby" Tanner, will turn 7 years old. It just seems like yesterday that I used to rock him to sleep and lay him in his crib. I really can't believe it has been this long. He is an amazing, wonderful boy. Creative, smart, fun, caring, sensitive, thoughtful, talented and handsome. It has been a great 7 year ride and we wouldn't trade being his parents for the world. We love Tanner! He had a great shark party on Saturday. I made him a shark cake and he had friends and family over for pizza, cake and ice cream, fun and games. They played pin the tail on the shark, toss the bean bag into the shark's mouth, and a fishing for prizes game. All the children took home a bag of goodies complete with shark toys and candy etc. After his party Grandma and Grandpa took him shopping and then took all of our family out to eat. How nice! Tanner truly had a great birthday weekend!

Gavin claps

Today, Megan called to me from the living room, "Mommy, Gavin is clapping!" He sure was and he hasn't stopped all day. Megan was playing with his little piano, and then clapped and he copied her. Even being a little sick, he still has managed to do it. He does it all the time now. The kids' have been quite entertained by him. It seems so cliché, but they really do grow fast!!! It never ceases to amaze me. I love this blogging stuff. Sometimes it is easier for me to sit down at my computer than my table to journal. Although I do keep a journal for each child, I also enjoy this. It is a nice stress relief.

Jensen Christmas Loot 2007

Our children were definitely spoiled by Santa this year. Tanner even told my sister-in-law that he was really spoiled on Christmas day! Ha ha!

Gavin had a great first Christmas. He loves his bouncing Zebra and Baby Tad by Leapfrog. He also loves a little piano toy that my mom gave him. He can play the keys!

Zachary got a bike! He recently finally started to pedal his trike. He was so stubborn about pedaling for so long, but finally decided it moves a lot faster if you pedal! So it was time for a bike. He loves his pirate ship and yes, Santa got him High School Musical 2 dolls.

Megan also got a bike! The theme for her this year was Barbie and Polly Pocket. She got the Barbie Island Princess movie and dolls. She has watched it many a time. She also received a much needed case for Polly Pocket items and Barbie items. Those Polly Pocket shoes are microscopic and especially fun when you see Gavin put one in his mouth!

Tanner received an indoor double basketball hoop that keeps score and you can play against each other. It has been fun. He got lots of shark stuff and the ever popular Mega Rig Shark Ship, and a Spider-man laptop. He is still enjoying his gifts. He is wearing a shark mask in the picture.

Sick kids=Rough times!

It's the most sickly time of the year...When one gets it they seem to all get it, one after another. This time Gavin was hit hard and had a double ear infection that wiped him out. He would just lay there and whimper and moan even after we had given him Motrin and he had started on his strong antibiotic. Can I just say, thank goodness for modern medicine??? How did mothers do it before then? It is hard enough to care for a sick child in this day and age. As a mother, there is such a relief when you can get that antibiotic or whatever it may be, and cure your sick baby. What a blessing! This will be the first time we have a child that needs to get tubes in their ears. Gavin has had 6 ear infections in 6 months! Tubes-here we come. I think we officially meet the criteria now.