It's about time!

Yes, I know, it's about time for another update, but also I would like to let you know that it is now time for this blog to go private. All who want to keep up on the Sherman scoop need to let me know! I want to revamp some stuff and it will happen at the beginning of the year.

So here is the update on all the family: (Consider this our Christmas card too!)

Tyler:
He continues to do what medical students do.... study and rotate in the different medical specialties. It's interesting to see the broad range of schedules and duties that each specialty brings. Right now Tyler is on a psychiatric rotation which only requires him to be at the hospital for a couple hours in the morning. That's it. It's lovely. But then it is short-lived and in 4 weeks another rotation and specialty will take over. Last month he had trauma surgery at a Detroit hospital. He had to be there at 5am, plus a 40 minute commute. He had to stay at the hospital overnight every 4 days for call duty. Whenever he came home, all he did was eat and sleep. He saw a lot and learned a lot and actually got to do a lot too. He is finding many missionary opportunities when people learn that he from Utah and married with 3 kids! One guy mentioned that he screams "Mormon" because of those stats.

Next year will bring a lot of travel with out-rotations and testing. There will also be many decisions that need to be made involving what he wants to specialize in and where to live. We are still keeping our options open for now. We soak up as much time as we can get with Tyler. He turns into Mr. Mom at times and helps out with the house and kids. His I-phone can always be seen in his hand as that gadget allows him to do anything.Jen:

I'm living my dream of being a mom and homemaker. Some days are a nightmare, I admit, but for the most part I love it! I find myself so blessed to be able to do this. I put getting a masters degree on hold until my children aren't so dependent on me. It is nice to feel needed, right? I'm able to workout in the mornings at the YMCA where they have child care. I'm hoping to compete in a triathlon or something next summer. I'm making the most of our stay here in Michigan. I admit that it hasn't been easy. Homesickness has hit me hard at times. Getting to know more people and making friends is making it a lot better. Tyler and I are primary teachers together, which we love. It's been a great calling and I find that the lessons have been very beneficial for me as well.I love our mantel and being able to decorate it as the holidays pass by.

Makenzie:
Makenzie continues to enjoy preschool and is really picking up on a lot. Makenzie is my carefree and independent child. She explores everything which has allowed her middle name to become "Mess-maker." She has a love for life and is often in her own imaginary world. She is very artistic and also loves books. She also loves chocolate (what girl doesn't?) Makenzie is a great big sister and a very good helper.

Yes, she is playing in the mud, in a dress, in December!

Jordan:
Jordan is the class clown of the family. He is always playing around and wanting to tickle everyone. He has a contagious smile and laugh. Jordan continues to master the computer and all other electronical gadgets. He is Makenzie's little shadow and loves playing with her. He is becoming very independent and wants to do many things on his own.

Who said you had to eat lima beans? They are great and cheap entertainment!

Gavin:
Gavin just turned 4 months. He is a typical baby doing all the typical baby things that only parents can get excited about. He is full of smiles and giggles unless he is hungry. He already eats like a teenager and is hungry all the time!

Finding his toes!

Rolling over now too!

Blessing Day: November 29
(I made his outfit!)

Halloween

This picture was taken after the 3rd time of dressing up that week and after trick-or-treating. Makenzie was a "Sleeping Beauty Ballerina." Jordan was a skeleton (which are glow-in-the-dark pajamas that he loves.) Gavin was a doctor in his scrubs. It was nice to go around the neighborhood and meet some of our neighbors.

Trees

We live on a beautiful tree-lined street amongst many colonial homes. I love driving down the street, especially with all of the fall colors in full force. This tree is in our next door neighbor's yard.

Our street is actually named after a tree. I didn't know that until my mother mentioned it to me. I just know that people butcher the name whenever they try to pronounce it. I did myself the first time. I did a little research and found one of these trees right outside of Makenzie's preschool. It grows some amazingly large leaves. I think it is pretty cool.

The tree is a Catalpa tree, pronounced "kuh-towel-pa."

I'm cool!

I came into the living room and found Gavin wearing these....

(Compliments to his sister)

Six years and still going strong!

It was six years ago that we sealed our love for the eternities,

but it was ten years ago when it all started...

Although we went to the same school, we never met until Tyler's senior year/my junior year. We were in the same sports medicine class and were introduced to each other by a mutual friend. The Homecoming dance was our first date. As I was waiting for Tyler to pick me up, my grandfather, who was living with us at the time, who had Alzheimers, asked where I was going. I told him I had a hot date that night! Unbeknownst to me, my dad was also video recording at the same time. It makes for a great memory now!

I had another hot date with this guy tonight. Part of our agenda was to purchase Tyler his third wedding ring... yes that is his third for our marriage!

What happened to my babies?

When Gavin joined the family, I realized how fast my other kiddos are growing! It's been fun to compare all the baby pictures of the kids and also reminisce over these past 4 years of being parents. Time really does go by so fast and I'm grateful to be able to have pictures that capture our everyday life. What joy they bring to us! I've asked Tyler if he remembers what it was like without kids. Yeah... you know what kind of wise guy he is and of course he said it was great! But really I think about having dinner as a family and how different it was when it was just the 2 of us. Of course it was more peaceful and we didn't have drinks that spilled all the time, but to hear the children pray and then to talk about our day together makes everything worth it. Life with kids can be hard, messy, and tiring. But the laughter, love, and learning that takes place in our home is what keeps me going everyday.

First Day of Preschool

She has been waiting for this day for a very long time. I never knew how much it would really pull on my heart-strings to send her off on that first day.

Fall Festivities

I got to accompany Makenzie on her first field trip. To Jordan's excitement, he got to come as well. Gavin came too, but not to his excitement. The day was a very blistery cold one and it was harder on me to enjoy the adventure, as I had to keep him as warm as possible.

Their first time playing miniature golf. They loved it. It took Jordan like 40 strokes to make it in the hole. He was determined to do it and not cheat by just sticking the ball in the hole itself.




We went on a hayride which was probably the best part. They took us back into all these trees where they had decorated this haunted city that we passed through. If you remember Makenzie's birthday in March, her favorite "holiday" is Halloween. She just soaks up all the scary stuff.
Before we headed out, we picked our apples and pumpkins to take home. Makenzie kept saying, "Twist and pull. That is how we are suppose to do it, Mom." She got a brief lesson at school the day before.

Gavin- 6 weeks!

Are you smarter than a 2 year old?

Sometimes I feel like I'm out-smarted by my kids. So here is the story-
Jordan gets most of his caloric intake from liquid beverages (healthy ones-- no soda or koolaid). I do try to limit it so he will broaden his food choices, but it's an everyday uphill battle. So the drink request has become out-of-control since Gavin has been born. Jordan will constantly ask for a drink, but since I'm spending more time sitting and nursing, I don't come at his plea and demand. So he decided that since I don't come to him, he will come to me. No joke, the other day while I was nursing Gavin, within 10 minutes, I had this down at my feet.

Jordan lugged all of this up the stairs. Unfortunately the Crystal Light wasn't so lucky and there was trail from the kitchen to the baby's room. I decided to invest in a fridge lock. The first one didn't last more than 30 minutes. The second one lasted for a few days. Finally, I got SMART (the light bulb finally went on).


I put the two together and now I have a double-locked fridge that no one can get into! Not the funnest thing to tackle when you actually want to get in the fridge. We will see how long this lasts.


And now for your viewing pleasure.... The little smarty pants themselves.



And here are a few more from my photo shoot of trying to capture Gavin's smile on camera. He is starting to reward us with them more often, but his other facial expressions are just as funny!

Survival Mode

I went to church today, which means....

I showered, got dressed (and even wore heels!), did my hair and make-up

as well as got 3 kids ready

all before 10 am!

Church was a little chaotic but I survived.

I'm in survival mode right now. It takes quite a lot of effort and time to even get the basics done. All moms go through it, right? I'm always amazed at the moms that look great and seem to have energy after just a week of having a baby. For those who saw me at church today, DON'T BE FOOLED, I am NOT one of those moms!

Gavin is 2 weeks old now and my days are still very slow-moving.

He is sleeping at night now, although he gets up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours to eat. When the sun rises and I have 2 other kids bounding full of energy, my poor eyelids can barely stay open. I can barely remember my night full of feedings. I usually wake up to myself still in the chair, my neck and body stiff, with a certain "unmentionable" body part still hanging out, with a content newborn snoozing away in my lap.

Dressing the children (and myself for that matter) for the day usually doesn't occur until it's practically time to get in jammies again. Makenzie's hair and sometimes Jordan's diapers get neglected for a little longer than usual. With me sitting down and feeding Gavin often, it allows the other two to roam the house free. There is usually a trail of messes to follow. For example: Makenzie found a bag of M&M's from Grandma that I hid on the top shelf of a cupboard. I found her downstairs with an empty bag and M&M's all over the floor. One morning Jordan got in the fridge and brought me an egg one morning. Luckily it survived the hands of a 2 year old going up the stairs and we saved that egg from becoming scrambled too soon.

This is my life and I love it, even if it sounds like I'm complaining. I'm so very blessed to be a stay-at-home mom and to have 3 beautiful children! As I've gone through the newborn phase now for the third time, I know it won't last long. Before I know it, I will find our lives back in a sense of normalcy.

A typical scene of a sleeping baby. This kid has some huge hands. I've had to put socks on them as he always finds his face. Those cute little baby mittens just don't stay on.

The second mommy in the house. Makenzie is great with Gavin and just showers him with kisses. Notice her crazy hair and that she dressed herself that day.

Another common scene in the house. Don't I look tired?

My kids have never been binkie babies for very long. Jordan has discovered the binkies as a new toy.

You can't really tell, but Makenzie has a stethoscope and is giving the baby a check-up.

2 weeks

While we had family here, our Dad's so graciously put a fence up over the driveway to make the backyard fully enclosed. It has been a lifesaver and now I can send the kids outside to play without having to always go with them to make sure they don't run in the street.

Hospital Pics

Click HERE to see the pictures the hospital took of Gavin.

Happy Birthday to.....

our baby BOY!!

Gavin Christian Sherman

Born at 7:43 a.m. July 31, 2009
9lbs, 20 inches long

Baby Gavin was 9 days overdue! I was scheduled to be induced at 7:30 a.m. this morning. I started to have real contractions at 4:30. I woke up Tyler at 5 am and knew I couldn't wait much longer. We got to the hospital and I went too fast to get any pain medications, so I experienced a natural labor! Yikes... it was quite the emotional experience.

Gavin is sporting some handsome red hair that runs in both of our families. Makenzie loves her new baby brother and isn't bothered by the fact that the sister she requested didn't come. Jordan is oblivious to the new situation and has been more interested in playing with all the buttons and gadgets in the hospital room.

I'll post more pictures as the days go by. Newborn pics aren't always the best :)

Gavin with my doctor, Dr. Al-Jerdi.

We are now out numbered!

Jordan was mocking Tyler with the hospital phone while he was making phone calls.

Doesn't he look like a little old man? He was getting his first bath.