Bridger...

So here’s a few thoughts and answers to some peoples questions about Bridger. We are supposed to journal about our good times and our hard times right? A few months ago my mother mentioned to me that Bridger was "different". Hmmmmm, Different. Nobody wants to hear that about their child, because every mommy's child is perfect. Besides the fact that my child didn't talk, didn't socialize, wouldn't let me talk directly to him, eye contact isn't regular with him, he didn't play with toys they were supposed to be played with, etc...... he was perfect, right? But a light bulb came on when she said that and we took him to a specialist up at the University and he somewhat diagnosed Bridger with a child with signs and characteristics of PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder) which is on the Autism Spectrum, but with a LESSER severity.. When he was one year old, he could say "Uh-Oh", and "Hi" and point and say "No". He would also point to my nose when I asked him where it was. He doesn't do that anymore. He is over 2 years old and doesn’t say any words, meaning he has degressed in the communication world. Anyways, to make a long story short, I'm grateful that my Mom dared say something to me to get this taken care of now, because I know that must have been very difficult for her to do. The earlier you catch it, the easier it us to pull them out of their “world”. He went through a series of evaluations with the 0-3 program and was easily accepted as he is obviously very behind on communication and behavior skills. We’ve started the classes and let me tell you, IT’S HARD. We are basically trying to re-train the way he wants to think and act and we (Bridger and I) are both going through a lot of tears and stress to get through it. Don’t take for granted how easy it is to play with your child because doing it this way takes a lot of time, effort and tantrums. The program says they see a lot of great results with their program so I am crossing my fingers. And I've said this before to people, but out of all the signs and characteristics of children with "autism", one is their inability to show love. And I am sooooooooooooooooooooo grateful that my sweet Bridger doesn't have that problem, he loves his mommy and daddy more than anyone on this earth. He cuddles and kisses us all the time. He is sooooo easy to Love although he is sooo hard to take out to public places. But I can deal with that as long as I get my loves from Bridger. We love you Bridger.

Activity Days...

A month or 2 ago I was called to Activity Days Leader to the 8 year old girls in our ward. At first I thought, OH NO, I don't have patience for wild little emotional girls for a whole hour, 2 times a month, and my first day, proved it! But we made some rules, the girls are doing soooo great, and we are having soooooo much fun! This is one of our activity's we did: PEDICURES!!!! The lesson was about Jesus washing the apostles feet, so we had our little lesson and then hopped right into our pedicures. Here is Cord joining us. He seriously loves to be right in the middle of the girls, doing what they are doing. He seriously is soooo cute and such an entertainer! He even painted his toenails with the girls after!

The massaging.......

And the painting!!!! I have 8 darling girls that are sooo much fun!

ConGRaTs...

Congrats to the bride and groom: My cousin Jared Buckley and his now wife Whitney. Isn't she just beautiful? They got married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 6 on a COLD winter day, but it was worth seeing the happy couple come out for pictures. But most of all it was worth being inside to listen to the sealing that took place that reminded me of all the convenants I made inside the Logan temple and how it made me feel.


Bug eyes and all, she's beautiful! (She's not always bug eyes so I can say that!! I just got a great shot!!)
Chris and I outside the Salt Lake Temple And My mom and dad. Isn't this a sight? Doesn't my dad look handsome in a suit? At the Temple?!?!?!?

Give Away...

I just added a button to the Right and down below called "Give away". It's pretty neat. Its a blog that has companies give free stuff away every day. Check it out!

NO DENYING....

Okay, here is the scan I promised of the "boy part". I didn't tell you, but my first ultra sound they gave me at 12 weeks she told me she was 99% sure it was a boy, but I tell you what I was in complete DENIAL, and I held onto that 1% for a girl until my next appointment where she actually put a curser on the "kickstand" and wrote in the notes "It's a boy!!" So here it is people, this is what a little boy looks like in an ultrasound picture if your ever trying to look! The angle is as if he was going to sit on the camera, we are looking at his bum, 2 legs and yes, the middle part.

Island Park for the Boys...

Every Year over Valentines, our sweet husbands (the coats family) leave us for a 5 day weekend of fun! At first I was a little irked by this but Chris time and again has remined me how nice it is to go out for Valentines a few days early and not have to wait for 2 hours to get into dinner. So I've gotten over it and he goes and has a good time.
Here is Chris looking as adventurous as ever.


This is a picture of most of the guys hanging out at the Cabin. OOOOPS! Chris was climbing a little to steep and couldn't quite cut where he needed to go so he tipped over onto a tree!

Chris and the guys...

IT'S A.................

BOY!!! Yes, it is our 3 little boy on the way and let me tell you, I am sooooooooo....................thrilled. Can you tell how excited I am? No really, I had to set myself up that I was having another boy so I wouldn't be so disappointed, even though I was absolutley SURE that I was having a GIRL!!! Regardless of my secret little hope that it would be a girl, all I can say is I hope for a happy, healthy little boy! I am greatful just for the chance to love another little bundle of joy! I tried to scan in the ultrasound picture of the boy part, but now that my computer is working my scanner decided it's time for him to give me a hard time! So maybe next time!!!

CrAsH

Ok, I'm really not lost in space right now, my computer is having MAJOR problems right now. This is the first time I've actually been able to pull up the window to leave a post since my last one, so I'm very behind. And sorry I haven't been able to check out YOUR blog lately either. But I think I'm on track now, and hope to post some good pictures SOON!

The Threesome

This is Hunter and Parker, 2 of Cords very best friends. Their mother Christine used to tend Cord and Bridger while I worked and during this time they developed such a fun friendship. I am truly greatful for this family and EVERY thing they do for me and my boys! Although they don't watch my boys anymore, the friendships are still their all around. Here they are watching Walle and eating a snack in my really clean and fancy decorated basement!!!!

cRuiSe PicTUreS

Here is a picture of all 3 couples after a LONG day of snorkling/diving. It was sooooooo Scary to me at first. Here I was picturing a lesiure snorkle excursion on the beach, but NOOOOOOOOOO, they take us out on a boat FAR from the beach and make us jump right into HUGE waves. Mind you, I'm not a huge water fan. Love to boat, and ski, but that's about it. I still have to plug my nose (I know hahahhaha). Anyways, we saw some way cool stuff like sea turtes, sting rays, some saw a barracuda (YIKES) and almost everyone got stung by baby gelly fish!!!!! Except me thank goodness. I must be stinky!!!!
Chris and I on the HOUR boat ride to our excursion.

Lance and Alana!

Jake and Chris attempting to wind surf. I wish I would have gotten more pictures of Chris trying to get up! That's one hard sport there!

Alana, Rebeka and Me!

Chris and I on "Dress up Night"

All 3 of us ended up in black. How sweet! And yes my belly is poking out a lot further than the other 2 girls!!! There was a LOT of food on that ship that my baby wanted to eat!

Look at these pimped out boys!!! Where's the tie Jake???

Alana and I soaking up the sun on the first day of the cruise! That's why I still look pasty white!

Happy Birthday Bridger

My sweet Bridger turned 2 on the 12th! Wow time is flying by and I'm going to have another little baby in 6 months! WOW! Anyways, Bridger loves to play around with glasses, he thinks he's pretty cool when he puts them on walks around in circles with his cute little grin on his face. So Aunt Abbie bought him a whole package of them!! Thanks Abbie! Very thoughtful! Here is Mylee, Cord, Avery and Bridger trying them on for us!
Aren't I the coolest?????

Abbie and Mylee

Bridger kind of had this things with Kitchens when ever he went to somebody's house that had one. So I thought I could get him one for his Birthday, Daddy and Grandpa were giving me the look like "you can't give a boy a kitchen for his birthday!" So I did some searching and I found a 50's diner that plays a juke box and has a window you can pass the food through to a booth with 2 chairs that are attached! It's pretty darn fun, and very boyish I might add!

Here's Uncle Dean, Baylee, and Mason!

When we started singing Happy Birthday to Bridger he got this funny grin on his face, like what is every one doing. He enjoyed it though!

cRuISiN...

Well, I was going to post Bridger's 2 year Birthday pictures but I couldn't get the pictures to upload for the life of me. So for now I'm going to send off a farewell for a week while Chris and I enjoy ourselves for a week on the Western Caribian (spelling??). We are pretty excited to get away and just relax. I'm going to attempt snorkling again ( I don't do so well in the ocean!) Anywas, hopefully when I get back I can post Bridger's cute pictures!

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Okay everybody, it's now my turn for the blast from the past photo to try out my new scanner I got for Christmas! This isn't from too long ago, but it's amazing at the difference in everybody. This is everyone with their first borns from Left to Right: Me (Cordell), Amy (Kole), Andrea (Blakely), Andrea (Olivia), Heather (Boston), and Tesha with Masen in her belly! The original photo isn't too clear in the first place so the scanned copy doesn't look too hot either!

CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!!

Ok, here I am sitting on the coach at 6:15am way tooo excited to sleep because Santa has come to our house!!!! I just had to get Cords first initial reaction on video camera, so here I sat for an hour while he slept in longer than usual because he couldn't get to sleep the night before. After we put him to bed about 20 minutes later he came running out saying "I think I just heard Santa on the roof!!!" "I think the reindeer are up there!" It was sooo fun! But I got the footage, and I think I just might post it!


Here is Bridger checking out the train table! It was THE ONLY present he enjoyed. I actually ended up opening all of his other presents! Should have stopped at one huh???Oh, he was enjoying my hair too! My hair is far too important over presents! And don't I look lovely, it kind of looks like I just woke up.... Oh I did! Pretty huh?Here we are at my Parents house! Again!!Brenda and Dean!!All the kids waiting in anticipation for all the presents sitting right behind them. It's like they get Christmas twice in one day!!!Cord and his cousin Ethan got this robotic Dinasour that's way cool! He was trying to show it off for the camera but he couldn't even pick it up!Here's Grandma and Grandpa with Cord and one of his other favorite toys, Incredible Hulk. They did a great job at getting him exactly what he wanted! I think "Santa" sometimes gets their kids what they think they should have rather than exactly what they want! Here's the family on Christmas Day! Don't mind the tissue stuffed up Cords nose, his finger has found a fascination with what he could find up there and it often brings him a bloody nose in return! Stinker!

Christmas Eve

I think I'm a little spoiled but I get to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family, and I absolutely treasure it! It's just a special time of the year that I can't give up, no matter the weather conditions or the hour long drive!!!! Here I am with my Giving Mother, Beautiful sister, and the most caring Grandmother! I love that she spends every Christmas Eve with our family. And thank you Mom, for all the planning and hardwork into making it such a wonderful Christmas Eve/Day!

Here's Chris, Dean and Mason enjoying the yummy food! Dean is the bishop and he's a VERY busy man, so we were sooo excited to spend these 2 days with him!

Now, here is Santa Clause himself, my father! You would never guess it by the rough exterior of my dad, but he has the most Christmas spirit of anyone I know. He absolutely LOVES doing the Christmas shopping for the grandkids, my heck he even picks out clothes for us girls that we get every year, the mood has to be set just right with the Christmas lights on, Christmas music playing in the background, and just the right "Christmas food". And here he is handing out our Christmas Eve presents to everyone. Cord got these 2 transformers that was his favorite toy ever!!! He LOVES it!

My sweet Bridger, he doesn't get into toys that much right now, and when we opened this music sounding, honking diesel, he actually did a little dance! It was pretty darn cute! He played with that all night too!