Dancing at Sea World!

Much to my hearts delight...my children (some more than others) tend to bust out their moves when they hear a catchy tune, regardless of where it is!!

Ryland is no exception...he told me to record him dancing like he is going to do on TV (ever since he saw that little boy break dancer on so you think you can dance--he thinks he is going to be on TV dancing)!!! Not sure he will ever be on TV for his classic dance moves, but we certainly can have FuN trying!! I think children are so great in regards to no inhibitions or worrying about what others think--they just enjoy the world around them!

And I Cried!!!!

Thursday August 6th was the FIRST day of SCHOOL! This year I sent 2 boys off to school. Sterling went into Kindergarten and Colton into 2nd. They were soooooo excited! There was not a minute of remorse or sadness from them. I felt the same way, I was excited FOR them. I felt like I was prepared since I had already done it with Colton for two years now. I dropped them off just fine and did not even feel a little sadness, especially when I saw how excited and ready they both were for this. They were in good hands.

BUT THEN I GOT HOME! I had not really understood the place Sterling has played in our family's autonomy, until he was gone. It became evident when I got home. I missed his presence. I was looking forward to having only two home--which has been a LONG time coming. BUT I did not realize the make up of our family that was left at home. Ryland has followed his brothers since the day he was born. Dacie and him rarely associate. Dacie follows me around.There is a little over 2 yr. difference in their age, and they are both hitting two milestones in their play that are the exact opposites!! Ryland is building and Dacie is tearing down. It is going to take a little bit to learn about each other. Even when Sterling was in preschool last year Dacie was taking 2 naps and was asleep for a majority of the time.

Sterling is the ultimate helper and cleaner around the house. He always has been. It helps a task driven mom who appreciates a clean house when they lay down for naps, picking up toys and putting them in their proper place, strapping Ryland into his car seat,or needing a diaper, or taking out a dirty diaper... I did not realize how helpful my two older boys were. I asked Ryland to get a diaper for me and it took him 45 minutes of serious whining and him telling me, "mom, stop making me panic!"

The boys were my extra set of eyes as well. IF they saw the younger ones doing something naughty they would tell me or stop them. BUT with them gone... in a manner of minutes after getting home Dacie had the left over rice krispy cereal left in the box out of the trash can and all over the carpet, couch and her.

The two kids followed me around most of the day and cried. I could tell they felt out of place. Ryland just wanted to eat all day because his playmates were gone and Dacie was SUPER jealous to have someone else vying for my attention. Ryland was super needy and needed me to look at him in the eyes and let him know he was heard. He showed me every cheeto he ate at lunch. I had to look at every single cheeto because it was skinny, or fat, or funny. AAhH! I missed my boys.

I did not just miss their help, I just missed them. They complete our family and it just felt awkward. I missed their little personalities with me. So at one point during the day I lost it. I just started sobbing. I could not help it. I wondered if this ever gets easier-for missions, college, marriages. They are all necessary and good things...but it does not mean I don't miss them.

Poor Ryland did not know what to do when I started crying. Him and Dacie immediately came over and were kissing and hugging me. Ryland asked me, "whats the matter? Did Daddy ruin your life?" (where did he get that from?) I smiled amidst the tears and told him that I just missed Colton and Sterling to which he replied, "why mommy are they going to live in a different house?" Then he started getting teary-eyed. I told him they were definitely coming home I just missed them during the day while they were at school. At this point I needed to pull it together for the babies at home. So I distracted myself by making a cake that looked like a bus for dinner to celebrate their first day (thanks for the idea Grandma H).

I was always close to tears for most of the day...BUT then they came home! I got to hug and tell them why I missed them. They told me about their wonderful days... and the fighting started. We were right back to normal!!! Today has gone much better. It is hard growing up!

Pulled Over by the Po Po!

So Dan is THE WORST backseat driver. Unfortunately I get car sick real easy...so on longer car rides Dan rides shotgun more than I do. With me out of view Dacie does MUCH better and is not doing so much screaming!

Well, yesterday Tuesday 4/8 was a dentist day for our family down in Phoenix (more details in my weeks synopsis). Dan had a church basketball game for our ward in Camp Verde in the evening, we pretty much would not make it b/c we got out of Phoenix later than we thought. Well, half way down the hill entering the Verde Valley, Dan's team calls begging Dan to come. It is half time, they are only down by six to a super trash talking team, and they are playing with only five players...they need reprieve.

I have been really trying to be more supportive of Dan's only form of exercise and his love (I KNOW what it feels like to have to give that up!)--so I kept telling him I would be fine and that he could not use helping the family factor weigh-in on this decision. He finally consented to go and we turned right at the exit into Camp Verde, rather than left to Cottonwood. All the kids had fallen asleep on the ride home and it was peaceful.

I dropped Dan off and ran in for a few seconds to see if he had a ride home, etc. When I returned to the car, 2 kids were screaming mercilessly. Dacie, because we were not driving, and I was not in the car. Ryland, because Dacie's scream is intolerable. Ryland kept telling me that she was making his stomach hurt. He was not sure if he would throw up... so on the road back to the highway I reached over to hand him a bag, in case he threw up...when I turned back around...guess what is in my rear view mirror?-Flashing lights...GREAT!!!

Some of you may know I got my first ticket in 10 years, this past fall (in Sedona) and had to go to traffic school. The thoughts are still too fresh! Besides the fact, that Dan and I have always had a little friendly squabble over who has the better driving record (ME), and who drives better (ME)--this was just more fuel for his fire.

You have got to be kidding me! It is after 9pm at this point. The police officer walks over and asks for my license. I explain to him what happened with the throwing up Ryland bit, and handing him a bag.. hoping for mercy. The officer asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I told him that I was going 35 before I had to turn around (I really had looked at my speedometer), but did not doubt that I had hit the gas in that whole affair. He said he had clocked me at 45.

The police officer saw all the kids and asked if I had them all seat belted in. I offered to open the window to let him see, and he said he could tell that they were. The officer told me that he just wanted to call in my lisc. and see if it is valid. Mercy?!!! I am thinking I may be getting off of the hook! BUT when he does not come back and does not come back I begin to wonder. He reappears to tell me that my lisc. is not showing up with the DMV. I ask him if he was for real and started chuckling. He said he had tried my last name, first name and birthdate...and

if it was not valid he would have to tow the car, and I guess take me and the kids to jail.

Ryland was already asking the whole time if the police man is going to take him to jail, and Colton is asking if we are stuck in the desert. Pretty quick after that I hear the radio cackle that it is valid. I guess I should have told him that it had been suspended for drunk driving huh? HA HA.

He said because I had my kids strapped in seat belts he would give me a verbal warning. Thanks, I think?!!!--by this time I had kids crying all the way home, and I had to unpack them out of the car and try to lay them down with only 5 serious meltdowns!!! I really was supporting basketball at this point.

Colton kept saying, "this is the first time I have been pulled over by a cop!" and this morning he said, "remember when we got pulled over last night by the police officer?" I asked him to not tell people about it, because it is embarrassing!

The moral of the story is: Here is another reason to buckle up your kids, one less ticket and thing for your hubby to make fun of! (OK he still made fun of me)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET RYLAND!

I thought it fitting to wait on Ryland's birthday post for 2 WEEKS, since he made me WAIT that long after his due date to arrive! It was so anti-climatic to pass my due date that far!(My babies always 'show' big on the ultrasounds, so it could have been recorded a bit early, BUT NOT that much however!!!) I was in labor on and off all week..so when his induction morning arrived, it made for a SUPER FAST labor (3.5 hours)--thus the reason I got what I had always wanted- a medicine free labor/delivery (I even sent the anesthesiologist into surgery knowing there was no backing out) I will NEVER do that again...by choice! Ryland was very much anticipated for many reasons. He is our only baby that we really have 'planned' and 'tried' for. His pregnancy also followed a miscarriage. We were ready and waiting when he arrived!
Ryland was my most beautiful baby upon arrival. OF COURSE all my babies are beauty BUT he was not all smashed and old "manish"looking, and did not have a HUGE HEAD like the rest! However, he did come out with a scowl--and it was a 'sign' what our first year was going to be like!
Ryland was named (middle name) after my father-KENT. My father has always been one of my heroes, and since we were only making boys...it was time for a family name from my side! I hope he has all the strong and wonderful traits of my dad!
Colton and Sterling could not have been any more tender or accepting of a new little brother. I always worried that Ryland would be a third wheel, since Colton and Sterling were only 16 months apart...and here he was coming 2.5 years after Sterling. It has been the opposite!! Sterling and Ryland have been little buddies and partners in crime since Colton has taken off for school. Colton and Ryland play well together and rarely fight...like other combos DO NOT!
We were so happy to have another boy to complete our starting five basketball team. I never thought of myself as a "boy" mom, but Ryland solidified that fact, and I find myself LOVING raising boys. In fact, after Dacie I feel more comfortable in that role! Bring on the boys!!
Ryland continued to grow and be the fairest of them all...but as the "honeymoon" began to wear off ...
sleep became a SERIOUS ISSUE. He never went more than 45 minutes without a high pitch scream! He was a great nurser and so that meant I LIVED in a rocking chair day and night. It all started turning into one, big blur
We took an hour at a time until 4.5 months when I began to wonder if there was something medically wrong, that we could not see with him (since both of his older brothers had required series of surgeries, it would make sense). After consulting with pediatricians, and his constant flow of milk coming out of his mouth, and the tapering off in his weight gain...we went to see the pediatric GI specialist at around 6 months. They put him 'asleep' and discovered that he did ,indeed, have a severe case of infant GERD. They gave me medicine to heal his 'torn up' esophagus and then started me on the blessed medicine of prevacid. It was not immediate relief, but between that and solid food it became manageable. More than 45 minutes of sleep at a time and a baby that did not just wail and scream constantly was improvement--
The only reason I tell this LONG story, is this consumed a majority of his first year of life and MINE. I knew little else. BUT as with all things, the things you serve the most are the things you love the dearest. I LOVE him dearly and I would call our relationship close.

Ryland's love language is physical touch-he is most receptive to hugs, cuddles, kisses..you name it! He is our ONLY child that will sit on our lap in church through all of sacrament, just to be close to us, and Dacie willing! If he is ever punished he quickly runs to us and says, hug me, or hold me! He will give you a kiss at any time, regardless if you just got mad at him. He LOVES getting and giving butterfly and eskimo kisses-he would play that 'game' all day long if I could.
Ryland had such a pleasant personality when he was not in pain and it has just BLOSSOMED! He is tender and kind, thoughtful and sensitive.
Because he was such a great nurser I think he has been my only pacifier accepting baby as well. I was so absolutely desperate for sleep, I would 'jerry rig' his pacifier so it would stay in his mouth. I tied ribbons behind his ears to hold it in place, and taped it to a stuffed beanie baby to hold it in!!! His addiction is predominantly his parents fault! I had to wean him at a year from nursing AND we still have ,yet, to wean him from a night-time pacifier (I know I know--one thing at a time)
He is the child that looks most like me! FINALLY...since the Sorensen genes are strong and masculine (ha ha-thank heavens their hotties!) If you take my pictures at his age ,now, and compare, just add some more hair to Ryland and it is me!
Ryland also wants something and then does not want something...instantaneously. That is me as well! I had issues with bottles and cribs when I was little and then commitments when I was older! Poor boy!
Ryland has always had angelic features with white hair, blue eyes and very fair skin. His personality can be angelic as well! When he stares into your eyes with his baby blues it melts your heart AND I have to be careful NOT to give him anything he wants!

Ryland is also the comical, humorous one! He will do anything to elicit laughs from his brothers, or anyone for that matter. He just does things to be plain funny sometimes (look at pictures below)

You rarely see him without a smile now!
He is also the one we have to keep a SUPER close eye on!
He is our inquisitive one (a nice way of saying getting into trouble, doing naughty things). I have always had these kind of incidents in my home, but he seems to initiate, or not think twice as opposed to others I have experienced! He is the one I caught in the backseat of the car dry-shaving with Dan's razor, He is also the one that painted the side of our house with exterior RED paint, he is also the one that just re-upholstered our new car interior w/ permanent marker, or lets see, he also poured all his bubbles into the washing machine, and just killed our baby chick by throwing it in the air! hmmmm...I don't do a very good job with keeping my eyes on him huh?

He has a 'sweet' tooth like his father. Ryland enjoys sugary candy like sweet tarts, jolly ranchers, pixie sticks,smarties, skittles etc. not chocolate so much. He also LOVES spicy things and tangy, sour flavors. He lays off the carbs and prefers the protein-MEAT. He is also our only kid that will eat green salad.
Ryland was our quickest to crawl and climb up bookshelves and windows. He was the first to eat real people food. His vocabulary advanced more quickly as well. He plays better with his brothers friends, then kids his own age. Ryland is just a mature spirit and physically mature as well. He is potentially athletic, with his speed and arm (you can never really tell right now). He also toilet trained the quickest (2 hard days and 3 at that)! However, Ryland has been the last to grow hair (he has been our only baldy baby) and learn his colors!
He is the tallest of the bunch. ALL our boys are off the height chart and weight chart, BUT Ryland has them beat in HEIGHT when they were his age. He is, however, the skinniest and everything LONG enough FALLS OFF!

Ryland is sweet and gentle most of the time and would hardly ever hurt someone on purpose. He is slow to hurt other kids (i.e. hit when he does get a toy)


HE LOVES holidays and having a place to go, or a party to be at, regardless who it is for, and who is going to be there. If it is fun he is in!
Oh- how I have enjoyed watching him grow and his spirit. I LOVE what comes out of his mouth almost daily---he says the darnedest things! (like yesterday when he did not get something he was wanting-he was crying and telling me how his heart was broken into two pieces!)
I CANNOT imagine our family without him. We anticipated his arrival and now I know why. Our lives are more complete, happy, progressing, watchful, and loving because he has joined them!
In his short three years of life I have learned so much from him and received so much from him I cannot wait to share a lifetime with my 'wittle' man!
Happy 3rd Birthday Ryland Kent Sorensen!

Bummer Week!

This week has been a little bit hard on me, especially after the last fun week I just had

Here is why:1. I have started a cleansing diet, which isn't so bad --BUT it is pretty hard core and eliminates allot of my comfort food that I would love to enjoy during stress. However, the blessing is: even in the short week I have done it my summer clothes are fitting a little better after a FAT winter
2. I started toilet training Ryland the exact day I started the cleansing process. I HIT toilet training HARD (we LIMIT activities and are home bound) and it is do or die! Patience was thin--if you ask me any day of the year I rank toilet training right up there on the list of my least favorite things to do.

The blessing: Ryland really has only had one BAD day and averages about one accident a day, and has gone a day and half w/ perfection (I have learned not to celebrate too early however)

3.Yesterday I held our last baby chick as it was dying (I will post a blog about the whole affair) It was heart wrenching and I have not cried that HARD in a LONG time.

The Blessing: I really believe that now my sons have a different perspective on the value of life in even the smallest creatures, and I had a tender, neat experience with prayer with the boys, the spirit was there.

4. I called home and found out this news last night: (Email sent out this morning attached below)

Blessing: My father is a walking miracle and continues to walk AND I have family that would drop everything to be together and help each other (Thanks Mind and Jas)

The Email sent by my mother this morning-

Thought you should know: Kent has been doing great with his new knee, cancer remission etc, but last night at the end of Brendon's volleyball game at Elk Grove, he started to have horrific head pains. Not any different than the ones most of you have seen at some point. He still usually (but not always) has a few days of pains each month. Actually hydrocodone has seemed to help in most cases. Last month he did have to lay on the floor for awhile and they were stronger than normal. However, last night they escalated very quickly. He went out for fresh air and it didn't help. He came back in and within a few min. he went white and looked like he'd pass out. He was too weak to get up or go to the car and his head was literally exploding with pain. I had him put his head down and then he put his head on my lap. I didn't realize at first that he was passed out until I saw his arm hanging limp twitching. By calling his name, slapping his face and shaking him, there was still no response. I couldn't go get help either, because he was on my lap. Some girls finally noticed (luckily the match was over by now), and got Brendon's attention. I was hoping he could help Kent out to the car. No such luck. He was out cold. Then people really started noticing. Two men hopped down. I remained calm and giggly (I laugh when I'm uncomfortable). They helped put Kent out on the floor gently. He did NOT want to call 911 because of insurance reasons. (He told me this before he passed out) However, he was not doing well at all. In about a 20 min. span he came too partially twice and went into convulsions and immediately passed out again. A woman in the crowd said I'm calling 911 anyway. So we had the high school gym full of people, the fire truck and ambulance, etc. Brendon is pretty stoked he'll be popular at school today. (Just a light side touch) I was on the phone with 911 and the two men from the crowd stayed with Kent following the directions of the 911 call until the paramedic showed up. The paramedics checked him out and of course asked questions. A lady ran Brendon home to get the name of his neurosurgeon and other info we didn't have with us. Kent came too partially again with oxygen and some other things, but when they tried to sit him up, he convulsed and went big time out again. It took 6 men to get him on the gurney. The ambulance took him to the hospital. I went to drop off Brendon and follow, but realized Kent had our car keys in his pocket in the ambulance. Amberlyn came to the rescue and brought us keys and took Brendon home and took care of dinner and the family. By the time I got to the hospital, his home teachers were there. They gave him a blessing later on when they let us in. They did not let me go in until he was registered and all fixed up. A little disturbing since I had the medical info they needed and the neurosurgeons request was to get a CT scan WHILE he was having an episode. Didn't fall in their protocol. Kent was in and out of consciousness for a total of 40 min. to an hour. Longer than he's ever been. I felt very calm and peaceful, but concerned at the same time that this episode may not turn out ok as far as being alive, or not having permanent brain damage. However, he slowly came out of it and by the time they let me see him, he was fully conscious and could talk- although still in lots of pain and not really ok. His normally very low blood pressure was high and his blood oxygen was very bad. Mindy and Jason also got wind and came to the hospital and stayed with me several hours. They stayed until after midnight so we could sing happy birthday to Mindy. We thought it fitting for Kent and I to be in the hospital with her on her birthday as that was the setting of her birth. ha They ran several blood tests and a CAT scan. Nothing critical or abnormal that they could see was there. (Besides all the shunts and several things they don't understand of course) They kept us there until morning, making sure Kent was stable and ok and let us out around 2 am. We need to contact his neurosurgeon and follow up. Sometimes when this is this severe, he will have continued days of problems. I need to keep an eye on him. The one possibility they could come up with first hand, may be that his shunts may be working too good now, as his spinal fluid in his brain (ventricles) is very low. I say- rip em out. We shall see. We are home doing fine. Just thought the family should be aware and ask that you remember Kent and the family in your prayers. We'll keep you posted. Most likely he will be fine again- who knows maybe for years. Once again, your son, dad, brother, uncle or whatever relation he is. is a walking miracle. I'm grateful he's still around. We have too much in our life to get straightened out for me to do it solo.... but we don't really get to choose that either do we? I do count my blessings. Lots of love, Jeanie

5. It is my sisters birthday and my daughter has formed and unnatural attachment to me, as well as discovered a high pitch scream in protest. This has ALL been since her first birthday. I just always remember the kids getting a little easier, not worse after year?!!!! It is my sisters b-day today and I will NOT have time to get the photos and thoughts collected until, that daughter of mine, is asleep for the evening!! Not much gets done anymore

The blessing: I got my girl that my heart has always desired. She is the healthiest of the bunch, and she LOVES me and I LOVE her!

SHOUT OUT TO MINDY! YOUR B-DAY POST IS COMING....

Allergy medicine and emotions have me pretty tired today. Not to mention trying to get stuff together to sell at a garage sale, help sell the items, and bury a chick at the pet cemetery by the river on my list of things to do today. Oh well, we are going to the temple tomorrow and the whole world will be brighter after! I am really OK, just tired! DUH-that is the number 1 symptom of motherhood!

HaPpY EaSter!!!!

Easter Sunday March 23, 2008We LOVE this time of the year where life begins to peek out once again, and we remember that all will live again!

(our backyard nectarine tree always adds some color to our day)

The Easter Morn Sorensen Kids-

(L to R) Colton Ray (6), Ryland Kent (3), Dacie Ann (1), Sterling Daniel (5)

The Whole "blue" FAM!

I'm Blue da de de da de da

Can't get enough pictures...just to be sure!

This picture is a 'feat' in itself considering it was taken BEFORE church (which starts at 9am) and we were on time! (thanks to the egg hunt note left by the Easter bunny)

AND because we had such a busy day-the day before, on Saturday: We cleaned the whole house from recent company leaving, watched three other kids for a few hours, and went on a date out to eat and play games w/ three other couples (Trezises, Rabans, and Bargars) to celebrate some of their birthdays. It was a LATE night for the Easter Bunny!

The Easter Bunny MADE IT...barely!

Because it was such a late night for the bunny's "helpers", there was NO candy left in the store. BUT his helper did have some serious detective skills and she was able to find some stashed packages hidden in the store shelves, AS WELL AS get creative with pink juice and pastel 'regular' candies...at least the umbrella's had already been bought!
The 'helpers' were not neglected either!

The kids keeping asking when it is going to rain....NOT VERY often we keep telling them. It looks like we may have to wait until monsoon season to get good use out of their umbrellas! We rarely need them, so we don;t have them...but when you do need them it is inconvenient to not have em' . THANKS BUNNY!
A little candy to get us through church!

Allot of Dan's family had unexpectedly gathered down in Phoenix together. We did not want to be the lone man out AND we did not want Easter to be the only day we did not attend church (as a friend of mine put it). So after sacrament, and after I had turned over all the games for singing time, we snuck out of church and headed down to the valley.

Dacie got in a little cat nap and beauty rest on the way!

So IMMEDIATELY upon arrival the patient boys followed the Easter Bunny's note and...
FOUND the eggs!






While Dacie got in some quality cousin time (the ONLY cousin on Dan's side!)
I am surprised that they are not in matching outfits, as we seem to always get them together to take pictures whenever we connect across states.
I hope they are always close little girly cousins

Lola sharing her Easter basket w/ Dacie
We also enjoyed a yummy dinner,
and Colton cheating in a game of battleship with Grandpa (who said you cannot move the ships half way through the game?)
Uncle Russ (the only Sorensen sibling not home, out of the 6) called to tell us that he got ENGAGED- he got Colton on the phone and told Colton to tell everyone who had gathered in the room. This is Grandpa talking to him on the phone about his future June wedding!

One last fling with the basket ended our day as we drove back home to Cottonwood to begin a NORMAL week-bummer!

Oh yeah- and some of the Aunts BLiNG completed Dacie's celebrations! What a GIRL!!!
We hope your Easter was full of loved ones, spring color, blue clothes (ha ha), food, safe travels, eggs, church, and remembrance of our Savior.