Monkey see monkey do

Carter is for sure his own little guy. He usually does the opposite of what you ask him and it doesn't matter what you offer him, ice cream, cookies, candy, if he can't feed it to himself, he wants no part of it. However, he loves his brother and wants to follow him in most situations. For example, tonight, we went on a bike ride/ walk and Gunner took a spill. It wasn't bad, but it was in the rocks so he was a little upset about it. As I was helping him up, I look behind me to see Carter falling to the ground and tipping his bike over on top of himself. Ha ha ha ha he put on quite a show and wanted just as much consoling as Gunner. Funny little stinker.

Note: Arm strategically placed for comfort and casually playing with the tassels on his bike until he is rescued. :)

Random but cuties

This is what you do when your babies are too chubby for bumbos. :)

I sure do love these little monkeys!

A new cooling system for kid friendly food. Classy!

A little "face time" with Papa

Benson

So when Benz was still in my belly, his kidneys were different sizes. They just monitored them and since they were still within the normal range, they said we likely wouldn't need to do anything about it. When he was born he had a tiny dimple like mark under his belly button. It was always covered by his diaper so drs didn't really notice it until his last appointment. The dr said to get an ultrasound to make sure it was nothing and while we were at it, we got the kidneys re checked as well.
Dimple was nothing to worry about. They kidneys are the same size now but there is a suspicion about the ureters that carry the urine to the bladder from the kidneys. They are enlarged and there may be either a blockage or reflux. If so, they may need to do surgery, but that is worst case scenario. I am hopeful it is just his natural anatomy. Anyway, he was such a trooper during the ultrasound. Smiles and giggles the whole time. So sweet. I just love this kid. I can't describe it, just when I look at him, he is so perfect and sweet. Lots and lots of love from this mama!

Father's Day

We had Father's Day on Sunday. Gunner loves him a good party. I made a banner out of Cody's ties and Gunner helped me put it up before Cody got up. He was just as excited for it to be Father's day than if it were his own birthday. Cute. He made it all the way up to the point of Cody opening his present before he said, "it's a hammer!" ha ha ha
We put all the boys in matching ties. They were so cute. Gunner got to go up and sing in sacrament meeting. I say "got" very loosely. He panicked before and was very nervous that he would not get a spot. Cody walked him up and I made sure he could see my eyes the whole time. We sit in the middle section, second row back so that we can use the handicap indent for the babies car seats. Needless to say, we could almost reach out and touch him. He tries so hard to be brave which makes his hyperventilation all the cuter. :) He pulled it together and made it through. No words were sung but he did it! When all the kids were filing down, it is stone quiet except for Carter yelling "Good job, Gunney!" Love it!

We love our dad! We have the best times with him and couldn't have been given anyone better! Thank you Cody for being the VERY best!

Summer Buzz

The boys are taking their 2nd round of swimming lessons this summer. This round is already more productive than the first but I do wonder how any of us became proficient swimmers. It seems like we may swallow a whole pool before it sets in that you should close your mouth when you go under water. :) They are learning. Today, poor Carter was playing with the other girl in the class. They were jumping up and down on the step while the teacher was working with Gunner. I was trying to cheer Gunner on and didn't see Carter fall off the step into the deeper part of the pool. Thankfully, the other mom saw it and called the teacher to him. I ran over to help him. He was fine. Scared, but fine. I sat with him on the steps for a few min to help him calm down and sure enough, less than 2 min later, he was jumping and splashing again. Sweet boy. Gunner was nervous for him and said that was his least favorite part of the day today when I was laying by him tonight. Sweet brother.

They got their hair cut this week. It always makes me a little sad to cut their hair because they loose their baby look and look like such boys! Gunner is getting to be really cooperative while I cut his but Carter still hates it. He cries, which makes the hair stick to him. This makes him more wet and more hair sticks to him. Vicious cycle. He hates it! He had hair all over him and I told him he looked like a bush man. Gunner LOVED that. He has been calling him the bush man all day. So funny what makes him laugh.

Catch up continued

Gunner: Gunner really is such a sweet brother. He is CONSTANTLY kissing, hugging or patting one of the babies. He must give them a hundred kisses a day. One morning I came out from taking a shower to Benson asleep with Gunner's baby next to him. So cute.

 I was so happy I captured the "coupler" he was doing with Owen while he was watching his show before bed. Didn't say a word just reached over to hold his hand. 

Then, the other day, I was out in the garage with the boys working on a mirror for their bathroom. When the sander turned on, it was really loud. Carter grabbed onto Gunner and said, "you hold me, gunney?" just like he was saying it to me or Cody. So sweet how much his brothers love him. 

Gunner was thrilled to have matching jammies with the baby. Proud brother. 

Slipping!

I already feel like when I miss a few days that the catch up process is overwhelming. I have so many pictures and cute stories to tell that I am forcing myself now to just do it! I will probably just do a short version in hopes that I will get back on  track.

Carter:  Oh how I love this boy. I have been collecting a bunch of pictures that I have taken over the last little while in a folder so that I can put then on here and I have so many of the awesomeness that is Carter.
So when I was pumping when the little boys were born, apparently Carter was more aware than I figured. He would come up to me, hand me my phone and say, "you pumpin, mom?" I loved how cute he was. One day, this is the little scene I came upon. "Look mom! I'm pumpin'" What a cute kid. He may hate this when he is older, but hopefully he just sees it for the adorable boy that he is!




We had a little scare around Easter. I took a picture of all 4 boys and when I was looking back at them, I noticed one of Carter's eyes was GRAY. Totally weird looking and gray. I took about a MILLION other pictures and in a lot of them, the right eye was a a little different. It was converning enough to take him to a dr. Wonder (Amanda) happened to work at an eye dr so while we were there, she let him try on all the glasses he wanted. SO cute. He was a champ and as it turns out, it was just the way the optic nerve takes the flash. Hurray!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         This is just such a great picture of him. He loves this hat for some reason and a lot of times I will find him wearing it ( like this picture) completely unprompted. Cute lil cowboy. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Leave it to Carter to find a "solution"  to the cozy coupe only having one driver seat. :) Where it used to be a fight who got to drive, it is now much more fun to be the passenger!  

                                                     

Fridge

bring to mom

  




                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Carter is obsessed with milk. He would live on that alone if I would let him. He constantly has a sippy full and when it is running low, he takes matters into his own hands. He is one strong kid, I must say! Here it is in a timeline. :)  

Satisfied customer

take back to fridge

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Often the view from behind Carter. :)

Sweet Cheeks

Just another Wednesday at the Zandts

There are a few things that you can count on at our house. Poop is one of them. Gross but true. Some phrases I hear regularly. "Mom, Carter's stinky, will you change him so I don't smell him?" "Mom, there is poop on your bed." "Mom! I went poop! Will you wipe my bum?" "Mom, this baby is a little stinky." "Das lotta poop, Mom" "It stinky??" " (Me) Is that poop on your finger?? (G) Yes, just a little bit." "(Me) "Gunner, why do you keep letting poop get in your pants? (G) "Oh, that is just a flat one, just a liiiiiiiiittle drop. it's ok, mom. It was just an accident. No big deal." "Mom, is it ok if I pee on the floor when I poop?"  "Moooooooom! Carter is coming in here and I told him I needed a little privacy! (as he walks out with nothing on his lower half...clearly we have not connected all the dots on the privacy lesson) "Woah! That poop is so huge!" "My bum barked!" "Hmmmm, that was a funny noise. Maybe my poop was pretending to be a train!"

Aside from all of that, I have some very cute little guys too. Today Gunner and Carter  wanted to play like they were leading the music in church. They got their scriptures and stood up on the ottoman to sing their little hearts out. Such cute boys. This picture captures it well.

Before bed, I had Owen and Cody had Benson.  I looked over to this scene. I was feeding Owen and he was just about asleep but I just had to get up and take this picture of my cute little thumb sucker. It was just so darn cute and so typical of how I find him so often these days.

When we put Benson and Owen in bed each night they start side by side-ish. Only a Zandt baby has to sleep diagonal
in their crib at 4 months. :) Every morning we find that they have inched their way toward each other until they are all cuddled up. This position is the EXACT position I find them in EVERY morning.  I love it. I have a pool noodle under their sheet in their crib that is in their bed so they don't wake each other up at nap time but I just can't force myself to do it in their night crib because I would feel bad that they couldn't cuddle! I don't expect them to be graduating high school and still be snuggling at night, but I do hope that they continue to be close and form a tight knit bond that you hear about so often. Sweet babies.

Love my family! 

More joy in the present, less fear of the future

I have had a lot of "fear not faith" thoughts lately. I think it probably comes naturally to any mother. The more children I have and the more sad stories I hear from others about loss of a child or spouse, I almost get a stream of panic in me. I always feel like things like that won't happen to our family but I am sure no one ever feels like it could happen to them. All the boys are napping right now and Cody is at a training session in Chandler today. As I had some quiet time I was reading a blog of a friend of a friend of a whoever. Anyway, they had lost their baby to a rare genetic abnormality at only a month old. I cried uncontrollably relating it to my own sweet new babies and what I would do or feel if I lost any of them. I just don't know. I have tremendous faith in the will of God and know that the plan is perfect. I just can't imagine how a person gets through that. I wish I could have a great scripture right now to include to say I was a peace with it, but even now, I am a mess of tears as I type.
After I read their blog, I knew that at least one of the boys will be getting up soon so I needed to pull it together! I went in to go to the bathroom and this was the scene I walked into. Cute little shorts and underwear on the floor in front of the toilet- perfectly stepped out of and left on my floor. This meant that a half naked boy was too distracted or eager to get back to playing to remember to put on his pants. What a great reminder to me to be "present". Not to worry about what could or may happen that will be heartbreaking or devastating, but to enjoy my family. Cody and I have often talked about what a blessing a messy house is, or a rowdy child or struggling to pin a child down to get the diaper tabs in place before they bolt. All those things are sweet reminders to us that we have beautiful, healthy, active children. There was a time in our lives when we didn't know that this life we have would ever have been a possibility. So although I am certain, without doubt, I will continue to worry or let fear creep in, I wanted to write out a little reminder of my "present" and what a blessing I am living RIGHT NOW. I have looked back after each of my kids and thought, wow, I should have taken more naps when I just had one baby, how easy was that?! Or we should have been more spontaneous before we had kids. Or how funny it is that I thought it was going to be so hard when Cody got put into the bishopric when I only had Gunner. If I only knew what the next few years would bless us with. All about perspective and enjoying the present to the fullest. Bishop Salmon gave us that advice before we got married. Don't wait to be happy. Enjoy whatever stage you are in now.  I am so grateful for my boys. My husband and our sealing. I am grateful for our eternal family and the privilege I have to be here, now, and enjoying these moments. I will try not to waste today worrying about tomorrow!

8 Years down, looking forward to Eternity!

It has been the best 8 years of my life being married to the man of my dreams! It is a true testament to me of when it's right, it's right! I hope I can instill that into my kids. We had a fun anniversary date night tonight. My parents watched the boys ( bless their hearts) which is no easy task to take on! Cody got convinced to go get pedicures! He didn't actually get a pedicure but I did talk him into getting the calluses removed from his heels. I could not help but laugh! Not only was he SOOOOOO uncomfortable being in a nail salon, but his heels were so bad and the chatter that was going on in Vietnamese was so hilarious! Also, at one point they had FOUR people looking, commenting and giving advice at the best way to approach the "situation". Needless to say, we tipped extra and Cody is a convert to the whole process now with his baby soft heels. :)  We went to Serranos after for dinner. Yum! Thanks mom and dad!

 The boys had a blast over at "nanny" and Papas. Papa took the big boys swimming while nanny was testing the limits of sanity with the twins by herself. Brave woman. They had an inside picnic where nanny said Gunner asked her nicely if she would cut up his PB& J and bring him a fork to eat it with. She sweetly obliged and upon returning with a cut up sandwich and two plastic forks, Gunner kindly said, " Could I please  have a metal fork? Metal forks are my favorite." So funny! He is a creature of habit, FOR SURE!
My mom said Carter was being so cute tonight. She calls our boys her "guys". I think it started when they lived with us for a year right when Carter was born. She would take the "late night" shift to feed him and get him to sleep so that I could get a longer stretch. She would always come in and say, "ok, let me have my guy and you go to bed". They would watch all kinds of shows that would make big bird jump out of his feathers. That Grammy, she likes her suspense/ mystery shows! Anyway, she has a pretty good soft spot for Carter. She said tonight she could have taken a bite right out of his cheek after baths when he came running into the family room yelling, "I'm all clean!" He is well loved by his "nanny".
We call her Nanny because when Gunner was smaller, he would say N instead of G. Nunner, nanny etc.  It just stuck.
Benson and I had a fun moment today while the big boys were watching a show and Owen was sleeping. He was laying on my bed and I was next to him talking to him. We "agreed" that we would both do our best to make it through this crazy life with all these crazy brothers. He was all smiles. I was leaning over giving him Eskimo kisses on the spot below his nose and above his lip. You can about gaurntee a smile from that spot. He thought that was so funny! He was laughing harder than I have ever heard him laugh. It is cute to hear what his laugh actually sounds like. And his cute little pin point dimple. Love it!
I have been calling Owen my "face planter". He loves to bury his face. In his bed, in my arm, neck, shoulder, collar bone. Where ever. He woke up from a nap today, happy as could be. His face was red and splotchy from burying his face in his mattress. It looks so uncomfortable but he loves it. My shirt right now from my neckline to the shoulder is wet from him nuzzling in before bed tonight. Love those snuggles!
Love my family!

Saturdays

A lot of times on Saturdays we all load up and go garage saling because, well, we are all contained and feel like we are doing something as a family. The babies usually fall asleep and the big boys are entertained enough with "window shopping". Today, we had been driving a while so we let the boys get out at one of them. It had some toys but thankfully the boys weren't too interested...until we loaded back up and were driving away. Then of course, Gunner remembered what he wanted at the sale. "But mom! I really wanted the baby Jesus"! Yes, there were baby Jesus ornaments (in June) on one of the tables and he "really wanted one". Well, at 2/$1.00, Carter got one too. Ha ha ha so all afternoon Gunner has been building "temples" out of paint cans or talking about what baby Jesus would like to do. All super sweet things. I can't help but think that Heavenly Father and Jesus must be smiling at what a cute boy he is.
Carter lost complete interest in the ornament but had so much fun out in the garage with me. I am refinishing a mirror for their bathroom. It must be 110 degrees in the garage but he had the time of his life making tower after tower in old paint cans and announcing each one upon completion. "Look mom, a tower!" So proud, as if it were the very first one he has ever made. Love that kid.
Benson was so giggly today. He was laughing so much and talking to Gunner. And Owen is getting closer to rolling over. He gets too frustrated to actually make it over, but the idea is there. :)
Cody has been so patient with me today. I have had a brush with the grumps here and there today (up at the crack of dawn, think I am too tired) and he has been so good to let me go grocery shopping kid free, work on the bathroom overhaul and when I pulled in tonight from my second run to Home Depot, he was out sanding my mirror frame for round 2 of paint. What a good man I got!
Love my family!

AY-OH!

Anytime Cody is done with work, he comes in and yells "AY-OH!". The boys love it and go running to greet him. If they are distracted and don't respond, he just keeps "announcing" himself until they realize and then greet appropriately. :) Cute. We "practiced" bearing our testimonies today upon Gunner's request. Which meant everyone sitting on the couch and Gunner standing in front of us on the potty stool and saying his. So sweet. Carter followed with some adorable  quiet mumbling and a crescendoing  NAMEOFJESUSCHRISTAMEN! Loud and as if it were one word. Gunner also proudly said the 5th article of faith for us. He has the whole thing memorized now. He had to say it in primary a few weeks ago and now can say it by heart.We are so proud of him. The "meeting" closed with a lively version of the "gospel" song (We Thank Thee oh God for a Prophet).

Gunner I love when you get a good laugh out of Gunner. He loves to laugh and is pretty happy all the time but when something catches him off guard that is genuinely funny to him, it is so cute to hear him laugh. I wish I could capture it. It is different than his "tickle" laugh, or being silly laugh. Today we were watching a show that had bees as the characters. They were camping and one had his teddy bear that was dressed as a bumble bee with him. Instead of calling it a teddy bear, the character called it his teddy bee. That was it. Not many people would catch it or even care but it got a good genuine laugh out of Gunner.  He is one fun kid.

Carter  Oma and Opa have a cockapoo just like Bentley, only male and black and white. Carter is petrified of this dog and asks me every time before we even get into their house, "you hold me"? Today was no different. After we got in, he and Gunner were playing in the toy room and Cody and I were eating our dinner. He asked me to hold him and I said I had to finish my dinner first (I was holding Benson at the same time). So, trying to be brave, he was nervously talking, fast and non stop, to and about Panda. "Hi Panda. You juz like Bentley. He's nice?? He's nice!!  Look mom, its like Bentley! Hi Panda", on and on. So funny.
Also, and completely unrelated, Carters catch phrase right now for EVERYTHING is I can't.  I am trying really hard to wipe that out of his vocabulary but when he says it, "I Hant", it is so darn cute.

Benson and Owen  had their first swim today. They seemed to really like it. We didn't intend on taking them in so we didn't have their suits. Free birds! They were both really comfortable and relaxed. They would let us float them on their backs with only our hand supporting under their head for balance. It was so cute.

    Love my family! 

Overwhelmed with love

Gunner We have honey suckle bushes in our backyard. At least what we call them. They are bushes with little yellow trumpet looking flowers on them. Anyway, every so often, Gunner will bring me in a flower he picked off the bush and say he got it just for me. Today he must have gone out there 6 or 7 times and I ended up with a clear plastic cup full of the prettiest little bouquet of flowers. His favorite song right now is We Thank Thee, Oh God, For a Prophet. He calls it the "gospel" song and requests it ALL. DAY. LONG. We decided we can't exactly tell him no when he asks to listen to it, so we all get to hear it constantly. It cannot be blasted loud enough in the car. "LOUDER! LOUDER, dad!" He belts that thing out and has the BEST face while singing. Literally beaming with joy. He is such a sweet boy.

Carter  A lot of times, since we have had the twins, our family outings are getting loaded up in the van and getting milk at the store. Since we don't dare unload everyone and try to face a store with 4 boys, two cars seats, two carts and two insane parents, we usually send one of us in for the milk and one circles the parking lot with the boys. I do love that as silly as this family outing is, we do it as a family. Time together is time well spent. Anyway, I love sitting next to Carter in the car. I sat in the back to feed Owen on the way to the store, got out to get the milk and then when I got back in, I sat in the middle so I ended up sitting by Gunner on the way there, and Carter on the way back, to keep it fair. I realize someday, neither will want me sitting by them at all so I soak it up. Anytime I sit by Carter, whether it is for breakfast, watching tv, or in the car, he says with a big smile, "You sit by me?!" and if he comes and sits by me he says, "I sit by you?!". I love it. In the car, he usually holds my arm with both of his cute arms and hugs it tight. One of my favorite things.

            

Benson  I was standing up with Benson today and Owen was on the ottoman and I was trying to rock Benson to sleep. Owen was a little fussy and admittedly, I was distracted by a show on tv and Owen's fussing. I looked down at Benson to see if he was dozing yet and he was just starring at me with the biggest, cutest smile. I was taken back almost! I focused all my attention on him, giving him loves and tickles. He giggled and cooed and just kept starring at me. It was such a fun, tender moment and a good reminder to stay present in each situation. He was such a happy boy today and babbling like crazy. And he rolled over a couple more times today! Good job Benson!

So far this is my favorite picture of the little boys. 

Owen  I don't always get a lot of one on one time with the twins during the day because of nap schedules or one being more needy than the other or other circumstances. So at night, I make a point to spend time with the one that I got to hold less throughout the day, or rotate between Cody and I so we can both hold them one on one. Today, just the way their naps worked out, I got a lot of good one on one with both babies. A rare treat! It means no real down time for me, but I love it! Owen has had some tummy issues this week trying to clear things out so he hasn't been super comfortable. I was doing tummy rubs, bicycling his legs, rubbing his back, etc to try and help but I could tell he wasn't feeling so good. As uncomfortable as he was, between little grunts and cries, he would STILL give me that cute O smile! You just can't keep this kid down! Happy soul! 


Before bed we always try to read scriptures, say prayer and watch a show. As I looked at my boys tonight, I almost couldn't catch my breath I was so touched with overwhelming love for my family. They are all such wonderful and special boys. I am glad to be doing this journal because throughout the day today I have been thinking about what I would write and it has made me focus on the positive.

Love my family!