Happy Birthday Daniel!

July 11, 2010

Danny Boy, DJ, "Daniel Richard", Sticky-clicky-climbing-Ricky, this is our little 2-year old! He is ALWAYS on the move- hence he loves balls, trucks, and eating to keep up his energy. He could literally be eating all day if we let him. He is talking like crazy, and Nathan really knows how to get him upset, he likes to call Daniel a "baby-man." Whatever that means! We celebrated his birthday with a basketball cake ( one of my favorite ones I have made!)

Here is Daniel in his favorite outfit almost- he would rather just be NAKED, which we don't like cause he pees everywhere! He is worse than a pet in that respect. Scott has duck taped his diapers on his bum on several nights. We don't like having to guess where he peed on the floor. I hope he grows out of this phase soon, it is stinky!

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Here are the boys on Daniel's birthday. The 2 big boys had just had their summer buzz cuts.  I love how Andrew doesn't look so sure about the situation!

Daniel opening one of his trucks. This year, he went shopping with Daddy to pick out birthday presents. It was great fun, he loved them in the store and then forgot about them until he unwrapped them a week later. I don't think it would work with Nathan. Nathan has been counting down to his big #5 birthday for 2 months and tells us everyday different ideas of presents he wants!

Andrew is 2 months old!

Today Andrew had his 2 month checkup- he did great, but what was I thinking taking all 3 of them?? Daniel was trying to escape from the exam room every chance he could get, Nathan was teasing him, and Andrew was quite the trooper grinning intermittently before his shots. Granted, I did want to take Nathan; he got 2 plantar warts frozen while we were there. So, next time I hope Daniel is a little easier because I scheduled his 2 year check up and Andrew's 4 month for the same morning!

Andrew stats:
height- 23.6 in. (75th percentile)
head- 15.9 in (6oth percentile)
weight- 14.6 lbs (95th percentile)

Nice and chubby- very cute and starting to smile for us. He really likes watching his little springy alligator we hung by his changing table. Its fun to see him learning and starting to react more to what is around him. Nathan and Daniel both like to give him lots of attention. He is doing better at night- only up once usually to eat. I think we are going to start working on training him to sleep for an 8 hr. stretch- he is officially big enough to be able to do it ! Yeah!

Daniel is really trying to keep us on his toes- he has figured out how to open our gate ( sanity really) and thinks he has free rein of the house. I am thinking about child locks everywhere, but also wonder how long before he figures out how to open those too? He is loving the basketball hoop out back and likes to go do "hoops." He is talking all the time now and is VERY curious. Any tips for getting a 2 year old to listen?? I just have to take lots of deep breaths and remember how much I love him and how quickly he will go through this stage!

Nathan is doing swimming lessons and is doing really well. He even jumped off the diving board- I will have to get pics of him. His cousin is in his class and he is always excited to go. He is getting to be such a good helper. I am enjoying afternoon nap time with him when the other 2 are sleeping. We get to have playmobile battles and play lego star wars- both things he loves to do when Daniel is sleeping!

Scott is a pro dad and wonderful husband- working hard at work and doing so much at home playing with the boys and helping me with projects in the evenings as we get settled in our new house. We are loving our house- it is fun to put things away and organize and decorate. The yard is all fenced in and is fun for the boys to run around in. We've got lots of ideas of what we want to plant eventually, trees mainly as there aren't any in the back. We don't understand why a house 10 years old never got trees planted in the back yard?

Here are some pictures- they are a little out of order, but enjoy!
Our kitchen- Scott put the cupboard handles on for us- I LOVE them and built a shelf on top of the cupboards so I could put cute stuff on top!

Afternoon picture session--

I love how happy Andrew is in this picture!

Our 3 boys- I think this might go in a frame we have that says, "Once in while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, Loves hands us a fairy tale." I love the happy smiles on their faces!

Andrew hanging out- he doesn't mind the bouncy chair, but the swing is definitely his favorite.

Helping dad with the installation of the cupboard handles. Daniel lost interest pretty quick, but Nathan hung around for awhile.

Andrew smiling while they were doing the handles!

Isn't he cute?

"Daniel, smile!" And this is what he does.

Nathan and Scott went mini-golfing on Memorial day. I think he had a fun time. He didn't want to keep score though. He came home and his card had stars next to the holes that he did under par or par I think it was.

Potty success, a preschool program & baby Andrew!

Daniel did pee-pee's in the potty! He picked out a chocolate santa for a treat. We haven't been pushing the whole potty idea, but he is watching Nathan and likes to get up and try on the big potty. I think it was kind of an accident that he went, but he certainly was excited! I hope potty training him is faster than Nathan was. I don't plan to push it- we'll just let him decide. Side note: Its kind of funny what parents get excited about isn't it? Peeing in "the potty" is quite exciting for all those changing diapers, especially now there are 2 boys wearing diapers!

Now to the rest of the family. Mostly, I want to share pictures of our wonderful little boys! Andrew is growing like a champ- he was up to 9 lbs 7 oz at his 2 week checkup! So he is eating well. He is almost grown out of all his newborn size clothes already! He is sleeping pretty well at night too- from approx 10pm til 2am, then up between 4-5am. Give and take- some nights are better than others! He looks like a Johnson baby; I see features of both Nathan and Daniel in his face. It is so fun to cuddle a little baby again!

This is my little brother Erik- he is in the Provo MTC right now learning spanish! Next month is off to Portland Oregon to be a missionary for our church- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and mom were delayed in getting here because of the volcano ash clouds from Iceland. We were all bummed about the delays, but I am glad that Erik was able to meet Andrew before he left. And we were so excited to have Oma here!

Daniel has figured out how to stick his finger in the pacifier- and likes to try and shove the whole thing in Andrew's mouth! We are working on the soft concept. This picture showcases Daniel's smile really well.

Oma with Daniel and Andrew. We loved having her here! Daniel keeps telling me, "Oma, park. " I think he really remembers the trips to the park they took.

Nathan with Andrew. He is very conscientious about making sure Andrew is buckled in. I think he remembers when Daniel was a baby and not buckled in the bouncy chair- and he bounced him out of the chair! That is why all the swings, bouncy chairs, etc. have 5-point harness buckles- to keep them in the device even when siblings try to knock them out!

Andrew in an old bread bowl. Isn't he little?

Nathan at his spring sings preschool program. He did so well- he sang almost all of the songs! The cutest part was when he was standing center stage with the whole class, and was doing the pee-pee dance! I thought he was going to pee his pants or cry not knowing what to do. But, he told his teacher he had to go potty and bolted down the hallway. They waited for him to get back before continuing the show. He seemed so grown up, I was almost crying to see my baby so big!

We went to get shakes after with the Barneys. Notice the sign and then look at Daniel. He was not happy that we took him down!

Trying to get a family picture with the newest addition. I guess the more kids you have, the harder it is to pose for a family picture. I love how happy Nathan is in this picture. Daniel wasn't so sure, and Andrew is just a little face!

A picture with Oma! Andrew was tired of posing- the older boys were having fun!

My wonderful mother- I am so glad that she could spend time with me and my family the last 2 weeks. I love you mom! Thanks for teaching me and helping me learn how to be a mother. The transition from 2 kids to 3 is hard- all the sudden there are 3 kids needing attention, and only 2 ( or 1) parent to decide how to give them the attention they need. Having mom here made it easy, there was a 1:1 ratio! Now I am learning how to prioritize and realize that someone might have to wait for help until their brother is settled. But not being pregnant makes life so much easier- I am not sore or as tired as I was a few weeks ago. I am not back to normalcy quite yet, but every day is better. I am looking forward to feeling good and healthy again! Even a healthy pregnancy by the end feels so exhausting that you just don't feel that good for very much of the day! But, it is worth it! I look at my 3 boys and am so happy to be a mother! There is nothing better that I could be doing with my life than raising a happy family.

ANDREW ARRIVES!

Andrew Dennis Johnson arrived yesterday, Wednesday, April 21st in the early afternoon! He arrived at a healthy 8 lbs. 9 oz. and measured 20.5 in. long. Once the doctor broke her water Elizabeth only took about 75 minutes before she delivered our beautiful baby boy! Elizabeth did so well during the delivery and had her confidence restored in the epidural. She looks great and is doing about as well as can be expected! I'm sure we will update more later, but for now enjoy the pictures.

Wednesday is the day!

I went to my apt yesterday, and am only dilated to a 4- but I am scheduled to go in tomorrow morning for an induction! I am excited and I think it is going to work really well for us to have a plan. It certainly takes a lot of the worry from my mind. I think I can handle all these contractions (even if they aren't doing much) knowing that tomorrow is the day. Scott cleared his schedule and we got help lined up for the boys for the next few days, so we are really ready! Hopefully the next post will be the BIG announcement!

pregnancy update

I made it thru bedrest and thought that I would have had the baby with all the walking I have done this weekend. But, I am doomed to slow labor I guess! Contractions every 7-10 minutes during the day yesterday and this morning so far...The contractions are getting uncomfortable, especially when Daniel tries to climb on my lap. I am waiting for them to get closer together, or until my apt this afternoon. I hope I am dilated and contracting enough that I can have a baby today! Wish me luck!

almost one week of bedrest...

Right now Scott is outside enjoying the sunny, warm weather while I am laying in bed. It has been hard to just lay around. Thank goodness for a wonderful husband, sister(thanks so much for spending the day with me yesterday Stella!) and RS sisters helping out. And the phone calls from my mom to keep me in line too! Scott is so great to make sure I am not doing too much. Who would have thought that getting up and doing things around the house would be appealing when I have a great excuse to stay in bed all day?? I get so sore/uncomfortable just laying in bed or on the couch. I did start Pres. Hinckley's biography and am enjoying that, found a cross stitch kit I have had forever to work on, and started uploading pics to snapfish so we can get caught up on photo albums. (its been since Dec. 07 that I have printed any pictures!)

I do wish I could do more with Nathan and Daniel. Nathan is always reminding me that I need to be laying down. He is pretty content to play with his legos and playmobile by himself. But Daniel, he looks at me, and then does things he KNOWS he is not supposed to do. Like, when has it ever been okay to take off his pants and diaper and run around naked?? It is his fav. thing to do lately. He looks at me and just gives this mischievious smile, like he is checking to see what I will do. Not much I can do. I think he really notices that I am not picking him lately, or playing with him as much. He is such a busy bee that sitting on the couch playing or looking at stories doesn't have much appeal for very long.

But good news is we are getting so close to 37 weeks, which is when Daniel was born. He had a little bit of trouble, but was home after 4 days. So if I can make it at least a few days longer, I am sure this little guy will be okay. Hopefully I can keep the contractions from getting regular and closer together. I can get them going 10 min apart pretty easily when I get up and do too much. But when I lay down and rest, they slow down and stop. I know I was having contractions before bedrest, but I wasn't really paying attention to how often. I think when we are ready, I can just get up and play with the boys and do some cleaning, and then be ready to go have a baby! Kind of nice knowing we can plan our own, natural induction!