Happy Haunting

We went to the Trunk or Treat. Had alot of fun. Ate alot of candy. Saw lots of friends and family.

Jayden turns 4

Jayden turned 4 years old! He is one crazy kid. He is way to smart for his age.
Some facts about Jayden:
He has been riding a bike WITHOUT training wheels since he was 3 years ans 3 months.
He loves monster trucks.
He can do a flip on the trampoline.
He can eat ice cream just as fast as Grayson and Jeremy without getting a brain freeze.
He is a great big brother!
He is pretty popular with the ladies.
He loves going to school and asks to go everyday.
He brings alot of joy into our family.
He is silly.
He gets jokes.
He is not like any other boy in the whole world and we love him tons!

October Pictures

So my sister in law and I had a great idea. We wanted to put our babies into carved pumpkins and take pictures. We did her baby, Addy first. She was really good and her pictures turned out cute! So we tried to put Brinley in and her legs were to fat! She wouldn't fit. Jeremy suggested getting her legs wet. So I had to settle for sitting her on top. She wasn't too forgiving.

Baptisms and Blessings

Well since Grayson turned 8, it was time for his baptism. So we wanted to have his baptism and Brinleys blessing in the same weekend. Grayson shared his baptism with another girl in our ward, Camilla. We got to the stake center after Jeremy rushed me out the door, only to find the font hadn't been filled yet. Whoops. So finally we started about a half an hour late. But it was really nice. The music was perfect. The talks were really good and easy to follow. I know Jeremy was nervous about baptising Grayson but he did a great job. (He wanted the other family to go first so he could see).


When Grayson was confirmed I thought I would cry, but amazingly I didn't! That always happens to me. Thinking about things like that will always make me cry, but when we actually get there I don't! (I am not complaining) Jeremy did a really good job, the things he said were perfect. All except when he said something about Grayson being a good example to his brothers......he forgot to say sister too. Ooops. But it was still really good. I didn't get teary until the closing song.


I think I am becoming a family picture nazi. At every holiday or big event, even Halloween, we take a family picture. I think its because I don't have very many of my family or Jeremy's. And I like to compare year to year and see the changes. Like when we add another baby, or when they start looking like young men, or when they stop looking like babies, or even their awkward preteen years that are going to be here before we know it. They have all figured out its easier to just do what mom says and smile, because she will take it anyway. There was a niece and nephew that were trying to sneak into my picture, they even got their hand into one.


Brinley is our first baby thats had a blessing. We weren't active in church when we had our other kids. Occasionally when one was really sick we had someone step in and give them a blessing. But now Jeremy is able to do that for our family, and I am so proud of him. I know he was nervous....it was a big weekend for him. But once again he stepped up and did a amazing job. My kids are so lucky to have a dad that can do that for them.



I felt alot of pressure in making her headband. I wanted it to be special. I used stretchy ribbon from a store I got while I was pregnant and didn't know what I was having. I knew I would use it for her blessing if it was a girl. I took lace from my wedding dress. And I used the sleeves from the dress I wore when we got sealed. I kept the other sleeve in case we have another girl. So it was pretty special. The dress Jeremy's mother made. Brinley looked so pretty!



For some reason we could not get a good picture that day. In the other ones I was talking or Jeremy was.....oh well not every picture is the best. And I had to make Jayden get dressed in his church again so we could get a picture.

Pumpkin Patch

This was our 5th annual trip to Apple Annies Pumpkin Patch and Apple Annies Apple Orchards in Willcox. We love to go pick our pumpkins and apples. We went the first weekend they were open for pumpkins, and were the first ones to get there. Thats probably because we left Benson at 6:30, and got there just before 8:00. We beat the heat and the crowd.....and some of their workers. Yep I don't think they expected customers quite that early. So we took our yearly family photo with the pumpkins. We always try to sit in the same spot so we can compare years. This year we added Brinley to it....we needed more pink. It still looks weird.


The signs say not to let kids handle the apple pickers. They should say some adults shouldn't handle them....like Garrett. (Jeremy's brother) He was messing with his and almost took off Melissa's head! (my sister) We did have to take them away from kids because there was no way we could buy all the apples we picked.



Grayson didn't need an apple picker.....he just climbed up the trees. We kept telling him thats not allowed, but he would see "the perfect apple" and have to get it.


Brinley wasn't a big fan of apples. I guess when you don't have teeth that happens. Maybe next year. Then I will have to stop her from eating rotten ones from the ground.



Wow...look at that handsome guy, and his strong muscles.






Brinley wanted to carpool with her cousin Addy. (Garrett & Rose's baby) We were joking saying they could ride in the same stroller. I didn't think they would fit. But it didn't last long, Brinley cried and Addy didn't know what to do. They look the same size but Addy is 4 months older.



I love that we have these traditions. These are things that every year our kids will know we are going to do. Its really nice that we can spend this time together, and not just with one side of our family. Its a mixture that goes, my family and Jeremy's. We love letting our kids spend time with their cousins and grandparents and strenghten their relationships with them. We hope this continues for years and years!

Grayson turns 8

Dear Grayson,
You turned 8 today (ok last month). You were so excited. You had a countdown. You had pretty big hopes for your presents. YOu wanted Legos, and a new bike, and video games. Well you got your new bike. Daddy found a really nice one on craigslist so we went to tucson to pick it up. We didn't tell you what we were getting, just that we were going for your present. You were so excited, you rode it around the parking lot a few times before we could leave. For the next few days every where we went you asked if you could bring your bike. You parked it up on the porch, and even in your room. It was really cute.
You are such a thoughtful boy. You are a big part of our family. You were our first born! We got to learn how to be a family with you. You taught us how to be parents. You are a great big brother, you almost always share your toys with your brothers.
For your future we hope that we can teach you how to love others, how to serve, and how to be a good friend. Although you already do all of that. We love you so much and knew you were meant for us.
Love,
Mom and Dad

Around the house

This was Brinley before she got chubby. She is such a good baby. I could lay her down in her bed in the evening and she would go to sleep without even crying. She hardly fusses. She can sleep anywhere and almost thru any noise. She smiles alot, I just haven't caught it on camera yet. But she is in a hurry to get big, and that makes me sad.

Brinley goes to church!

As nice as it was to stay home from church...after the first sunday it was hard. Brinley was growing so fast, mean while growing out of some of her dresses. Plus we were so excited about her we wanted to show her off. But she was so little, so we waited until she was 4 weeks old until we took her to church. She was so pretty!

First Days of School

Its not a typo that I labeled this first days of school. Jayden started a few weeks into the year, so he started a different day.

Jayden got into preschool! Yey! After taking him to be tested the day before we had Brinley, they said they would let us know. We got the "don't call us we'll call you". So we waited. Finally a few weeks into school and after a few phone calls from me bugging them.....he got in! He goes 2 days a week for a few hours.He was pretty excited.

Grayson is in 3rd grade this year. He is getting so old. He is even starting to get his own sense of style...notice the 2 different necklaces. I tried to tell him he should just wear one.....but what do I know about 3rd grade fashion. His teacher is Mrs. Mayberry.

Colby is in the first grade this year. Colby was so excited to go back to school and see all his friends again. He is all about the social life at school. He loves it. This year his teacher is Mrs. Homerski....who I think he has a crush on. Whenever he sees me making flowers for Brinley he wants to take one to his teacher. And more than once he has cut a rose from the bushes outside to take to her. He is so sweet like that.

It's a girl?!

Seeing as how this post has taken me 4 different days to try to post, I am not going to go into alot of details, more just like comment on each picture.

This was me the sunday before we had our baby. Yes.....I was huge.

I know I can't possibly be the only woman who does their hair and makeup before going in to have a baby. I was kinda realistic, I didn't do eye makeup because I knew I would probably cry.

Here we are ready and waiting to go down to the OR. I was getting pretty nervous since the doctor was going into extreme detail about all the risks of surgery. They did my bloodwork and found that my platelet count was low. My count was 101 and if it had been 100 or lower I would of had to go to sleep for surgery. That was pretty scary to hear. But since I didn't want to stay pregnant forever, I opted for the surgery. They wheeled me down and had Jeremy wait outside while they prepped me. They hadn't even layed me down on the table and I was already crying. The doctor went to work on me. It seemed like forever that they were cutting, and pushing and pulling on me. Then they got the head out, and Jeremy said he thought, "Uhh oh, that looks like a boy head", but then they pulled the baby out and announced it's a girl! It was almost like a scene out of a movie, I remember the nurses clapping and celebrating. Of course I was crying again. I think Jeremy probably shed a few tears also. I told the doctors I needed to see to believe.

Wow. I guess it really is a girl! Crazy! At this point everything was getting kinda groggy, and I was having trouble staying awake. I just remember after Jeremy and our baby girl left for the nursery they were talking about my nurse who had just become a US citizen. You would think their focus should of been on me?!

Jeremy went with her down to the nursery. Since I was still in the OR and then in recovery, I left it up to him to tell everyone our good news. The first text he sent was to our kids, he just put, "He's here". Then when they got up to the nursery and were peeking thru the window he took her diaper off and flashed her girl parts.

After getting her height and weight, 7'2 and 19 1/2 inches, they came back down to visit me in recovery. And waited with me there until I was stable enough to go up to my room. Jeremy kept getting texts on his phone and on mine. I tried replying to a few but couldn't concentrate very well. So I have no idea what I sent a few people. After staying an extra hour or so because my temp was too low we finally made our way up to our room so she could meet her big brothers.

Poor Colby, I guess he thought I was just be waiting in the room completely normal with a baby, instead he came in and I was pale and laying in bed. The poor guy got really scared and ran to Jeremy and cried. He eventually calmed down and wanted to hold his sister. At this point we still hadn't decided on a name, it was between Mallory and Brinley. So we asked the boys which name they like, Jayden said he didn't like either. Instead he combined the names and said he wanted to name her Muggy. Cute.....but not quite the name we were looking for.

We spent the rest of the day trying to decide on her name.

Finally the next morning we had decided to name her

Brinley Ilene Sherman.

Colby was the first to hold her, and always wants to hold her. Jayden does now too. They both like to kiss her head, and give her hugs. Grayson likes her, but still hasn't held her. We think he may be alittle bit scared because she is so small.

Those first few days it didn't really seem real that she was a girl. It felt really odd to say "daughter" or "girl" or anything like that. It was like the nursery was bringing us the wrong baby.

Of course she had to wear a flower on the way home. Since we didn't know what we were having I had 2 boy outfits and 2 girl outfits with us. And of course the flower. The one thing I didn't bring was a girl blanket, so she had to use a boy blanket until we went to target on the way home. Yes I know I am crazy but we did go to Target before we went home. Its almost a tradition. I didn't have really anything at home for her to wear, or any blankets. So we went to target. So we get to the baby section and what do I do? I start crying. All these months I had been going thru the baby section looking and dreaming about different things I wanted if it was a girl, and now here she was. It was those dang pregnancy hormones that hadn't gone away yet.

Jeremy is so sweet with his little girl. I can hardly write anything with getting emotional. To hear him call her princess and other things was such a change. Before I would see things that said stuff about "Daddy's little girl" and think that it was dumb....but now I understand. It is such a different feeling with Brinley. Not that I don't love my boys, but its just different. I am more protective of her. I don't want her passed around, because I want to hold her.