Three Days Old

 He's so tiny!

 All 5 kiddos.

Sneaking in as much baby time as she can before getting ready to leave for the play.

First Visitors

The kids have been so excited to meet their little brother.  And they've all been campaigning for the name Tanner!  (The other option was McKay).  We called grandma right after he delivered and she went to check the girls out and bring them over to meet him!  The girls had dress rehearsal for the play at 5:00 so we were worried they might not get to come see him but it worked out.  They arrived so quickly we were still in labor and delivery and they came up to meet their new brother!  They were so excited and cute!  The girls were of course delighted.  The boys were super excited but were a little unsure of everything.  They were really quiet and kind of took it all in.  They were a lot calmer than I expected which was nice :)  and they were so cute as they watched every move he made and had lots of questions for us.

Emily and Tanner

Kelsie and Tanner

Grandma Peterson, Matson, and Tanner.

Matson didn't wasn't interested in holding him but he wanted to get right up in his face and check him out.  He loved him!  Carter was interested and watched everything but kept his distance and didn't want a turn to hold the baby or touch him.  I was surprised because he's actually been the one that's been the most excited.  But, he wanted to take it in and check things out first.  It was super fun to have them come right away to meet the baby and I loved seeing their cute reactions to their new brother.  They were so excited and sweet with him.

Tanner

Tanner James arrived at 1:00 p.m. weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 19 inches long.  I was induced 2 weeks early to hopefully avoid another overly large baby with shoulder dysotia complications.  I was surprised by how small he was but it was really nice and he was just perfect!  When he came out they gave him to me for a few minutes but I was dying to know how big he was.  When they took him to the scale he started SCREAMING.  The whole floor had to have heard him.  He was throwing quite a fit.  The nurses said they hadn't seen a baby scream like that in a long time.  It was super cute but I was kinda worried. :)

 When he was born we both took one look at him and said, "he looks just like Matson".  He really was teh spitting image of him when he came out.  Turns out he even has a stork bite in the same spot as Matson did.

 He calmed right down when he was with me and has been the most mellow baby.  He sleeps, looks around, and eats, and barely makes a peep.  I fell in love the minute I saw him.  He's so sweet.

Tanner, mom and dad

Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day 2014! 

 

This and the one above are favorites from a little photo shoot I took of the kids on Valentines Day. 

 

 Kelsie and Emily made Penguin Valentine boxes!  The greatest part was they went to the basement, found a box they liked on Pinterest, made it, and came up to show me!  Super awesome that they can do this stuff on their own now!

All the kids with Great Grandma Hansen and Grandma Peterson.  They came to visit us and brought yummy Valentines treats. 

Winter Highlights

Here's some of our winter fun...A cousin movie night with Kandace's kids.  All the kids showed up with their new blankets from Grandma Peterson and were super cozy!

 

 The boys love their new castle set and have staged quite a battle ground.  And I'm just so happy that Carter is actually playing with toys once in awhile!  It's rare for him!  Matson loves all little knight, superhero, army figures and could sit and entertain himself with them the whole day!

 Proof that the youngest are SPOILED!  John always tells me the youngest one is spoiled rotten and I didn't  really believe him until I was in Hobby Lobby with just Matson the other day.  We were checking out and rushing to get Carter from kindergarten.  He asked for a pack of Oreos at the checkout.  They cost 1.69 for a tiny pack of Oreos.  I have NEVER bought a treat for my kids at the check out counter in my life.  Matson was delighted as she skipped out of the store.  As I loaded him into the car I realized this never would have happened with the older kids.  But when it's the youngest and he's the only one with you...well it seemed perfectly reasonable.  Ya, the youngest are spoiled!

Carter got his FAVORITE book at the Book Fair.  Creepy Carrots!  It's super cute and he reads it over and over.  He had told me all about it because the librarian read it to him.  He told me they had it at the Book Fair and said that was the book he wanted.  I happily agreed having no idea that the book only came in hard back at the book fair!  Sheesh!  I was in parent conferences with Kelsie when John and Carter came out of the book fair.  John informed me that the book I promised him was a $18 hardback book!  John and I felt like we'd been robbed!  Carter is still delighted with his new book and thinks that he bought Mrs. Jennings (the librarians) one and only copy.  He feels pretty important!  He even wanted to see if she could sign it for him.  :)

Music Class

Matson and Carter have started taking a music class from a lady in our neighborhood.  They are learning music theory and they think it's the best thing ever!  They have learned the notes quarter, whole, half, eighth, etc..  and know how many beats they all get.  They come home and can't wait to practice rhythms and songs on our piano. 

They have learned stories about each note and she has stuffed music notes that that they use in class.  They are in different classes for their age groups but always are excited to come home and compare notes about what they learned!  They talk about quarter note and his friends like they are real people!  It's super cute and they are learning a ton!  Carter can't wait to start really playing the piano.  He loves to sit and practice his songs. 

 

Matson's Namesake

Matson was named after my Great Grandpa Matson (my dad's Grandpa).  My Great Grandpa Matson was the only great grandparent I ever knew and had a way of making you feel like you were the most important person in the world.  Although I only had a few visits with him in my lifetime they were memorable.  He would sit and talk to me and I could feel his love.  I remember visiting his tiny home as a little girl.  He would let me ride his horse as he guided me around the pasture and he always had sorbert ice cream and cookies to serve us when we came to visit.  I grew up knowing he was one of the kindest, neatest people that ever lived.  Years after he passed, I interviewed my dad for a school project I was working on.  As he talked of his life and childhood it all revolved around Grandpa Matson.  My dad spent his childhoods at his Grandpa's home where he worked alongside my Grandpa.  It's not easy to get my dad to talk about his life, but if you get him talking you will know that Grandpa Matson was a huge influence in his life and one of the people he loves and respects most in this life. 

 

When my Grandma and Grandpa passed I was sad that Matson was so young and would never know my grandparents.  He would never really remember my Grandma (Lois Matson Peterson) and have that connection to Grandpa Matson.   He wouldn't grow up going to Grandpa Matson's house on our summer trips (my Grandma and Grandpa lived in his home on his farm).  He may never walk up the rickety cement walk, swing on the rope swing over the dry canal bed, or pick rasberries and hide in the rows of corntalks like we had always done as kids.  And as my older kids had done on our visits. 

As we were going to the funeral I pointed the houses they lived in and some of the places in Rigby that are important to my family.  I showed them the sign "Lorenzo" as we drove into town because the area was named after my Grandpa Lorenzo Matson.  I explained to Matson that he was named after Grandpa Matson and we showed him the house Grandpa Matson lived in all of his life.  I was amazed at his interest.  He ate it all up.  He wanted to know everything there was to know about Grandpa Matson!  After the funeral and graveside service we walked around the cemetery so Matson could find Grandpa Matson's tombstone.  He searched and searched (with a little direction from my dad on which way to go :).  When he found his name MATSON in big letters you would have thought he had won a contest.  He was so thrilled.  He felt so important.  And he wanted to know everything he could about this Grandpa Matson fellow.

 

Later in the day we took the kids to the Matson homestead.  Here is Matson standing in front of the home Grandpa Matson lived in most of his life.  When he could no longer live there my Grandma and Grandpa moved into the home and worked the land.  My Grandpa Matson's wish was that the farmland and his home would always stay in the family.  He wanted the family to have the land so they could grow their own food and take care of themselves if the need arose.

 

Here is a picture of all the kids in front of Grandpa Matson's house.  It was a neat weekend to remember my Grandparents and to teach my little Matson about the great man he was named after and the great legacy he has left behind.  I never imagined a little 3 year old could grasp the family connection like he did.  He has this natural love for Grandpa Matson and he talks about him constantly.  In fact, not a day goes by that he doesn't ask me a question about his Grandpa and he insists that we should name our new baby boy "Grandpa Matson".  I am grateful he is interested in learning about his namesake and hope he can strive to be a man like my Grandpa Matson, who was loved, revered, and respected by every person that met him. 

Grandpa Peterson's Funeral

 My Grandma and Grandpa Peterson.  My Grandma passed away in September and my Grandpa passes away February 15, 2014.  When I heard of his passing I thought is was sweet that he passed on Valentines Day night.  He was lonely and sad after my grandma died and was ready to move on.  I am sure Valentines Day isn't real important in heaven but I still thought it was nice.  :)  I wasn't able to attend my grandma's funeral so I was very grateful to be at my Grandpa's funeral and it kind of was my chance to say good-bye to both of them. 

 My cousins and brother were the casket bearers.  So glad Brenton was able to fly in to be here for this. 

 My Grandpa served in the military and had a deep love for his country.  He was buried with a full military burial.  It was very neat and emotional to think of the sacrifices he has made in his life to serve our country.  He had been an active part of Honor Guard that does the military burials and these were his friends who came to pay their last respects.  They were able to do this service for him just as he had done for so many during his life.

My dad was presented with the American flag from Grandpa's casket.  It was very neat.  Also, very fitting because my dad loves this country and what it stands for.  He is the most patriotic person I know.  As I listen to stories about my Grandpa Peterson I know that this patriotism is something he inherited from him.

 

Uncle Bruce was there with Aggie Ice Cream from the Creamery.  I hadn't seen him in years and it was fun to see him, even if he was the tickling uncle that I hated visiting.  :)  John and Uncle Bruce hit it off and had quite the BYU/Aggie rivalry fun.  John asked me why I had never told him about my Uncle Bruce.  He really liked him!  I assured him I had no idea they would be such bosom buddies!  Kind of scary!  :)  We also discovered that one of Kelsie's friends in her class at school is actually related to her as I talked with one of my dad's cousins I hadn't seen in years!  Kelsie couldn't be more thrilled with this new information.

Here is all of my Grandma and Grandpa's posterity that was at the funeral.  It was a great day to remember my Grandpa and to reunite with family that we hadn't seen in a long time.  My Grandma and Grandpa led simple lives but their family was the most important thing to them.  In their passing that is the great legacy that lives on.

Sunbeam

That's my little sunbeam waiting giving his first prayer in Primary.  He was so excited!  He looks so tiny sitting there with his little friend, Eliza.  Emily helped him and it was adorable.