The letter A

Aidan has a new obsession: the letter A. Ever since he discovered that his name starts with the letter A, he has been looking for As everywhere, in signs, books, on TV, everywhere. He asks all the time if words or names have As in them. He has discovered that everyone in our family has an A in their name but me. I cannot convince him that Celissa has an A in it because that really isn't my name apparently. My name is Mom and only Mom. However, lucky for me, he still likes me even though I don't have an A in my name. He doesn't make many exceptions. (He is asking me if Backyardigans has an A in it as I type this). Things and/or people without As in their name he doesn't like, so sorry to houses, trees, dogs, trucks, etc. He has been glad to find out that Thomas the train engine, Spongebob Squarepants and McQueen the racecar all have As in their names. Who would have guessed that A could be so wonderful or so important!!

A Wonderful Weekend

This last weekend was very busy and very wonderful. It was fair weekend here in Graham County which is always fun. Shane took Friday off so he could go to the parade with us and see Kiara march. This was the first time she marched with her dance company instead of riding on the trailer. She did such a great job, staying in line and even dancing while walking. I was very impressed and she had a fun time. We made sure she was well hydrated to avoid any headaches that would ruin the day. After going to lunch we went home to take a nap and then on to the fair that afternoon. We looked at all the exhibits, especially the animals, got cotton candy and kettle corn and free balloons. Really, what more could you ask for from the fair?

Saturday Shane and I dropped the kids off at my mom's house and headed to Glendale for Shane's 10 year high school reunion. We stopped to do a little shopping and catch a movie before checking into the hotel. Then we got to take a nap before the party started. The party was at the hotel so we just went downstairs. Not very many people showed up, but there were some people there that he was glad to see. One of his groomsmen that I had known in college too was there and told us he is now in New York City building sets for the New York Metropolitan Opera. What a job! He had fun talking with old friends. The next morning we had breakfast with Shane's dad and then headed back to Pima. The kids had fun with grandma and grandpa running all over the town. Their cousin, Dallen, my brother's little boy had his first birthday party and they went to that and then back to the fair to see Kiara dance in the rain.

Monday morning I woke up early and realized that Shane hadn't left for work yet. I pushed him awake very worried that he wasn't at work and had forgot to set his alarm. He rolled over and told me to go back to sleep, he wasn't going to work today. It was a fun surprise to get to hang out with him on Monday too especially when he told me what his plan for the day was. He went and got the tractor, cleaned up the weeds and then finished the fence. The kids played outside all day long and I worked inside on some stuff I have been needing to do. By the end of the day, we had a backyard that was available to everyone. We even let Moly out. He didn't get the gates done, but he put some chain link we have across the gate areas so everyone can play safely back there. The boys got up and went out right after breakfast this morning even though it was cold.

Hooray for husbands and for backyards!!! I can't wait to plant grass and a garden in the spring.

PS I need to take some pictures to post. I just have been anti-camera lately for some reason.

Outnumbered

Kiara and I are officially outnumbered. We are having another boy. That makes it 4 boys to 2 girls, a clear majority. O well, we are still prettier than them! I am getting even more thankful for our big backyard since now we will have 3 boys running and climbing and jumping and tumbling all over the place.

We were actually very surprised since I haven't been sick and seem to be carrying lower than the other boys. But I guess this baby just needed to be different and I don't miss the throwing up that I had all 9 months with the other two boys! The ultrasound was good. The tech was very thorough and checked everything out. Our little boy wasn't very cooperative moving all around, but he looks healthy and is obviously strong as he ran from the ultrasound over and over again.

Kiara is very disappointed. She was in tears for a while when we told her, but I'm glad we told her now as opposed to her finding out in a couple of months. We will have to work on doing special girl things since it doesn't look like she is going to get a sister. I'm glad Stephanie, my sister, is close by and likes to do girly things with her too. Shane says we can try again for another girl, but that also opens up the chance for another boy so I think I'm okay with being done at least for the moment.

And... my due date didn't change. HOORAY!!! I am officially due on February 18, 2009 which means I made it to 20 weeks!! Only 20 more to go. Luckily those weeks will be filled with holidays to keep me busy. Now we just have to figure out a boy name. Good thing we still have 20 weeks, it just might take us that long to agree on a boy's name.

A new baby, but when?

We are expecting baby #4!! The only problem is we aren't sure when this baby is going to come. At my first appointment I was due December 27, then February 8 and now they tell me I'm due February 18. I seem to be stuck at about 17 weeks and can't seem to get any further. My frustrations are growing with each appointment since every time I go they tell me I am 17 or 18 weeks and expect me to be all excited that I'm almost halfway. Funnily enough, I'm not excited about still being 18 weeks after my third appointment.

Regardless of this frustration, the baby seems to be growing well. They have been able to hear the heartbeat without any problems at all my appointments and it is always strong. I am scheduled for an ultrasound on Wednesday to hopefully clear up the date issue and find out if we are having a girl or a boy. Let's just hope I'm not suddenly due in March now!

The kids are excited too, but divided on whether they want a girl or a boy. Kiara is all for a baby sister, but Aidan wants another brother. He says he already has enough sisters. Kiara, of course, is done with brothers and has vowed to stay in her room "FOREVER" if it is a boy. I would love to have a girl to even things up and Shane wants a girl too. Plus, we have absolutely no idea what to name the baby if it is a boy!!

I keep telling myself 4 can't be any more crazy than 3. Let's just hope I'm right!

Cheerleader!!

Kiara is officially a mini Pima cheerleader now. The PHS cheerleaders had a mini cheer camp over a couple of Saturdays and last Thursday they got to perform at the Varsity football game. It was so dang cute. Kiara was really excited to go. The best part was that they were selling their old uniforms. Kiara looked so cute that I just had to give in any buy it. (at least now I already have Halloween taken care of for her) The pictures turned out pretty stinky, but trust me she was cute!

I don't think my brother was too thrilled about her cheering for Pima after he played football for Thatcher for 3 years, but o well. I guess my loyalities to Thatcher have faded as well because I am all for blue and gold now (NAU is blue and gold too)!

Hooray for husbands!!

Shane just got back from spending 2 weeks in Utah for work. After 2 weeks of being a single parent and having to take out my own trash and feed the animals and put the kids to bed and about a million other things he usually does, it was wonderful to have him home.

We drove down to Tucson to pick him up from the airport and when we drove up and he was there my heart did a little flip-flop just like it used to when we first started dating. I guess even after 7+ years of being together he can still make my heart skip a beat. I threw the car into park and leaped out of the car to get my first kiss in 2 weeks. And then another one. It was wonderful just to hold his hand as we drove home.

The kids were also excited to see him. Aidan had gotten in big trouble just before Shane left and had told Shane he didn't like him anymore. When Shane called Aidan started telling him that he liked him again and when we picked up Shane, Aidan had to tell him over and over again that he liked his daddy again. All weekend Shane hasn't been able to sit by himself for longer than 5 minutes without a kid coming to sit on his lap or his wife needing a hug. I hope he got the message that we missed him because we really did!!

First Days

The first days of school have now officially come and gone. Kiara's first day was actually 2 weeks ago, but those 2 weeks have been spent trying to fix our computer and then trying to fix our internet. Fun, let me tell you!

Kiara is in first grade now, in Mrs. Kempton's class. Mrs. Kempton's class is Kempton's Kingdom and she even has a castle in her classroom that the kids can play in and work on the computer in and read on. It is very fun. Kiara has been walking to and from school and feels very grown up. It makes things much easier for me. It is nice living so close to the school that I don't have to worry about her doing that. She has homework every night but Fridays and is actually loving it. We will see how long that lasts! Here is a picture of her on her first day in the outfit she picked out herself. Elizabeth made the headband for her while we were in Utah.

Aidan started preschool today with Mrs. Bryce and Mrs. Thygerson. I am very excited for him to go and be able to socialize with other kids his age. I thought he would be nervous but he just jumped out of the car and ran right in. Of course I then promptly started tearing up and had to call Shane to cry to him. Rowan was very sad his last buddy was gone too. Here is a picture of Aidan after he got done with his first day. You can see just how happy he is. What you can't see is his sad mommy taking the picture.

Rowan is very distressed that everyone keeps leaving him. He cries almost every morning when Kiara leaves for school and today he cried almost the whole way home after we dropped off Aidan. Apparently I just don't cut it as a play buddy. I am not nearly as cool as his brother and sister. I am glad that they are all so close though. I thought they were driving each other crazy all summer, but I guess they liked it more than I thought.

In other Hansen news, Shane is gone for 2 weeks back to Salt Lake to run more test work up there. He has only been gone a few days and we are all already feeling it. Aidan ended up in my bed last night and the night before Rowan cried most of the night. I have a feeling I am going to be very sleep deprived by the time he gets back. We are close to finishing our fence. If Shane ever gets a free weekend it will be done and I can let the kids free to run and run! Whoo hoo!!