4 Happy Years with my Best Friend!

Yesterday was Marcus and I's 4th Anniversary... crazy huh! I couldn't help but think back to all we have been through in the past 4 years! Our lives have changed A LOT! The biggest changes we have been through is our 3 beautiful children! Most people don't have that many babies by this time but we wouldn't change it for anything! They have brightened our days and made our marriage stronger. I think if we wouldn't have had kids so quick Marcus might have left me;)... I am bipolar after all.... he teases me about that because I have a tendency to hold things in and then blow up at him. He is patient though and forgiving and I am thankful for that. He knows me sometimes better than I know myself and knows how to handle me even when I am at my worst. I love him for this! We have had our downs but we have had even more ups. We have learned things about each other that we never thought we would and it has only made us stronger and better people. He is truly my best friend and I don't know where I would be without him...he completes me. He is the best daddy EVER! I love watching him with our children.... he loves them and they adore him! I couldn't have asked for someone more perfect than Marcus is for me! I love him!

So anyway we didn't do much to celebrate but it was still fun. Martha watched Josie and Hayden for us and we went and saw the movie Life As We Know It. Yes I got to pick the movie... it was cute and funny. Micah was pretty good in the movie. Marcus had to go walk him once. Then we went to dinner at the Koi. It had some fantastic sushi!!! We then went and picked up Josie and Hayden and we all went out for ice cream! It was simple but fun! We are so blessed! We love our little family!

We Heart New Mexico!

So a week ago from today we returned from a wonderful week in New Mexico! We hadn't been there since Christmas time. October is a wonderful time to go on a vacation and especially to New Mexico. I do have to say that I have lost my camera. I couldn't find it before we left and I still haven't found it. This makes me very sad... I missed out on some great and fun memories of us and the kids.

So we headed down on Friday October 1st at about 4pm and got there around 2am. The kids did FANTASTIC! I was nervous especially with little Micah but he and the other 2 did great and were little troopers. It was so fun to be with family and cousins! Josie was in heaven! She just loves having people around and especially her cousins (good thing she has lots of them)! Hannah will be 8 soon but her and Josie got a long SO good. Josie thinks she is the best thing ever!

The whole week we were there they were having the Hot Air Balloon Festival. So I guess people come from all around the world for this. Their were balloons from everyone and so so many fun ones. Marcus's mom and dad live close enough that every morning we would go outside and we could see them come up, then some of them fly (or float) right over their house. It was fun! Friday night of our trip we went over to the park where they do all the hot air balloon stuff and watched the show. They light them and let them up but they are tethered to the ground so there are just massive balloons everywhere! They are all colors and shapes.... some of our favorites... Darth Vader, a cow, a duck, a devil, etc, etc. They have everything! And then they bring them all down and have a firework show. We had so so much fun there! Even little Micah was so intrigued by it all. He loved all the lights and colors. I so wish I had pictures of this!

We also went to a super fun pumpkin patch that we had gone to the year before. The kids had a ball! And the weather was so perfect... not too hot and not too cold, perfect autumn weather. They had bunnies, chickens, goats, cows, and I can't remember what else. There is a big slide to go down, and a huge trampoline thing, bouncy castles, haystacks to climb, a big sand box but not sand it was corn kernels (the kids loved it)! There was also a train ride and corn mazes. We had lots of fun here!

We spent lots of fun hours hanging out with Grammie Pammie and Grandpa too. Their house is lots of fun! And did I mention we ate great too! One day while Hannah and Braxton were at school... Josie, Hayden, and Grayson found a little swimming pool and filled it up and decided to go for a swim. Hayden and Grayson would run and jump into it cannon ball style... it was hilarious! They had so much fun! And did I mention by the end of it all 3 kids were running around swimming naked! They are so cute!

Our last night there we went to their ward talent show. I have to admit it was pretty funny (their ward might be lacking a little in the talent area) but their were some good laughs. My favorites (and I am not biased, they really were the best) were Hannah break dancing! She was a hoot! And she didn't stop til the music did, Zac on his guitar, and Dad's singing group. They served popcorn and cotton candy for refreshments (huge hit with the kids)! It was a fun night!

Thanks again Mom and Dad for a wonderful, wonderful visit! Thanks for spoiling us! And thanks too Zac for giving up your room for us! I love too that Beth and Travs and their kids live so close too. Don't be a stick in the mud! Hahaha. I love how much we laugh and joke when we are with Marcus's family! Even his dad can be funny from time to time:)

The only hard part at all was my dear little Hayden! He struggles with change and not being in his own bed at home. He is also lately known for his HUGE tantrums. Sometimes we are not quite sure what to do. Just when we think we get things figured it out then he decides he doesn't like our tactics very well. How I love him and think he is the sweetest little boy but w hen he gets on one of his tantrums then he can be so so hard to console. Needless to say, we had a few of these and since most were at night time or in the night we had some pretty long nights. We sure love you though Hayd! We will get things figured out soon!

Our trip home was just as good as our trip there. We left at like 10:30am and were home at 9:30 pm. The kids, once again did GREAT! We did stop at our usual stop... Hole 'N Rock and the petting zoo there. The kids love to go feed the animals and run around. They actually have quite a good assortment of animals there... we love it! It is located right outside of Moab. Anyway it was a good trip but good to get back home too. Did I mention our kids were great?! We sure love them!

Micah's Baby Blessing!

Micah Samuel Hadlock was blessed last Sunday on September19th.
His outfit was borrowed from his Uncle Zac and has been used by the boy cousins on the Hadlock side.

Grandpa Hadlock and Grammie Pammie with Micah and Josie in the back.
They made the trip up from New Mexico for this special occasion and we loved having them here for it!

Me and my beautiful baby.
Marcus gave Micah his blessing in church and it was so special. He said some really sweet things and I realized once again what a special boy he is and what a great mission he has here on the earth. He has already blessed our family so much! I'm sure I'm not the only mother that feels this way but I have felt this with each of my children... they are strong spirits with a very important work to do and I am grateful to have the privilege of being their mother.

Here is our attempt at a family picture.
This was difficult to get. Certainly not the picture I had imagined but it will have to do since it is the only one with a child not screaming or trying to get down.

Aunt Martha with Hayden and Josie.

This is what I get when I tell Josie to smile.

Micah and I with my sweet mom.
My dad was unable to make it because my little sister Leah's appendix ruptured the week before and she has a tube in her draining the infection and so he stayed with her.

My two very sweet boys!

Micah's cute little legs and shoes.

Our cute little niece, Christal.

Marcus and Micah with Marcus's grandparents.
They were so sweet to make it to this special day with us!
Great-grandma Painter made us some special blankets and a hat and mittens.
We love them!

And thank you to all of our family that came and supported us on this day! Almost all of mine and Marcus's brothers and sisters were able to attend.

Josie turns 3!

Special Thanks to Scales and Tails

Our Newest Bundle of Love!

Micah Samuel Hadlock
July 28th 7:38 am
8 lbs 14 oz and 22 inches

Josie holding Micah for the first time.

Aunt Martha and Micah

Hayden holding Micah for the first time

Kisses!

Only a few hours old and Hayden is already trying to get him to play ball.

And then there is Josie showing him a trick.
At least they love him!

Me and my new little love

Isn't he sweet?!

More Josie and Micah

Snuggle buddies

Man I love these little cuties!

I know I am late posting these but that is just me adjusting to life with 3 little ones! Micah FINALLY decided to make his appearance July 28th, only 4 LONG days after his due date. I never realized how lucky I was to have my babies come a few days early until I had one that decided to come on his own schedule. After my due date hit the next few days were very hard and went by SO slow! But he is SO worth it! I love him to pieces!!! Tuesday morning my friends Abby and Joann thought they would help me out and take me for a nice long walk to get snow cones with the kids. I was more than willing to do it since I was very ready for this little one to come BUT it was a very long walk. I guess it worked though cause that evening I begin having regular contractions. Marcus and I got the kids in bed and then I tried to relax and take it easy to see if they would stop but they didn't so my sister Martha and her husband Justin came over to stay with Josie and Hayden and we headed to the birthing center. We got there about 2:30 am. Normally I try to stay home for as long as possible but since we live about 45 min from where I had him then I didn't want to be in the car driving when it was getting really intense so we went in early. I did really good I would say stay calm and collected for the first few hours. I went from the birthing ball to the tub to walking over and over. I loved the tub a lot... it really helped me to relax. My only complaint was it kind of slowed labor down but even that was fine for when it got a little more intense. I had them break my water sometime I don't really remember when but it was probably sometime around 7:00 am... after that things got even more intense. It wasn't long before I really felt I needed to be pushing. At this time I was still in the tub but felt a little crazy (you know that feeling when you are in transition and about to give up but know you can't... that feeling) so I got out and they gave me a birthing stool which is a little chair with a horse shoe shape cushion. It was probably only about 15 to 20 minutes of pushing but they seem so LONG when you are going through it. It was such relief when I felt his head come through and then his body and they wrapped him in a towel and handed him to me. First thing I did was look to see if he was a boy or a girl and he was all BOY! How I love him! Most of the time I thought he was a girl but when I was in labor I knew he was a boy... Marcus said I can't count that though cause he had thought it for a couple weeks! Having a child is such a miraculous thing and brings you so close to God and heaven I think. Holding them in your arms for the first time is the best feeling ever! I am so thankful for him and that I have been entrusted with such a beautiful boy. All in all everything turned out wonderful! And thank you to my wonderful midwife, Jeneatta Boothe. She was wonderful as was the student that helped too. It was hard work but went really pretty quickly and all worth it. We stayed a couple hours and then headed home to take a much needed nap. Martha brought Josie and Hayden home a few hours after. Josie has been in heaven and just can't seem to get enough of him! Hayden loves him too but doesn't show it as much.
Over the past 3 weeks we have had some wonderful meals from family and friends. It is so nice to feel so loved! I so appreciate the help I have had from everyone! The recovery was not so pleasant. They say with each baby the after pains get worse well I am here to say... they do!!! That first week was awful to say the least and then there is the sore nipples and breasts! Nursing is painful, at least for the first week or so! But now that is all behind me and I am so enjoying my little baby Micah and nursing too!
When he was first born we didn't have a name for him but those first few hours with him we chose his name. Marcus has liked the name Micah for a little while now and I wanted to use Samuel which happens to be Marcus's middle name. We talked for awhile trying to put names together and decided on Micah Samuel after his daddy. Marcus is the 2nd son and 3rd child and named after his dad and now so is Micah. They also have the same initials.
Baby Micah sleeps relatively good at night, is an excellent eater, and really a pretty content baby! I couldn't ask for more! I am so happy with my little family and the joy they each bring... for now our family is complete!

Josie Meets her new brother

The Monkey and the Bear