SO GRATEFUL...

I just wanted to take a moment and express gratitude for my wonderful family and friends. It is embarrassing to admit but I have been struggling with Postpartum Depression. I wasn't expecting it and it came on strong and quickly. It has been tough and I have had to drop my pride to call friends and family for help. They have responded without judgment, quickly and with full support. I am so grateful for the days that they have spent tending my children and for the many hours spent babysitting me. I am grateful for friends that have taken kids to sleep over and to activities. I am so thankful for friends who listened as I cried and who made me call the doctor and get some help. I am SO grateful for a mother- sister & brother in law that dive in to help & get things done when even I don't want to and who are willing to help with the 'yucky' stuff! I am grateful for the hours spent at the laundromat keeping me company and teaching me how to work everything. I am SO thankful for a mother who comes running every time that I call, who cleans up my kitchen, watches my kids and that drags me off of the floor- into pants and kicks me out of my own house to go for a walk & get some fresh air...when I don't want to... then walks with me to make sure that I don't find another place to go and hide. Most of all I am grateful for patient and helpful children and a husband who tries so hard to be understanding and loving- even after working 12 hour days in the heat. Thank you everyone for being there and I am working on it- really I am!!!!!

Ammon

Here are a few pictures of our latest addition. He is getting big too fast!!!

Visitors Center

Well... we actually made it out of the house to do something as a family for once! We went to the Visitors Center in Independence. It was a warm sunny day so we sat in the grass and had a picnic. Gabe played in a tree and the girls soaked up the sunshine. We enjoyed the information and the pictorial depiction of the Saviors life. Then the kids had a good time playing around in the mini pioneer village. It was nice to get out of the house and go somewhere. I hope as Ammon gets bigger 'outtings' will be more frequent. I tried taking the kids to the park in Galliton a little while ago but Ammon was not having it. So here we sit. Ah well- here are some pictures.

A few more pictures of our little one!

Ammon and Daddy!














Ammon finally sleeping!















Ammon going for a ride in the car to 'Grandpa Grandpa's' (as Gabe calls my mother) house.

Our new little one!

Ammon Richard Wilcox has joined our family!!!
Ammon was born on Friday- June 19, 2009 at 3:18pm. He weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces and was 19 inches long. We had few complications and thanks to a GREAT Dr. who listened to his 'gut feeling' we were able to be induced and get Ammon here safely. He is a sweet little guy- long and skinny like his dad- with the longest skinniest toes I have ever seen! We are so glad that he has joined our little 'brood'. Mommy is especially happy that he is here and that she is not sick all of the time anymore! The kids love having him around- Gabe tells everyone that he loves 'baby Ammon- hims my best friend'. The girls spend a good deal of their time arguing over who gets to hold him next. come to think of it- some days Daddy has to put his foot down and insist on getting a turn. Thank goodness for older helpful daughters- I swear they are the only reason that I get a shower some days!!! Anyway... our little one is here and we are all doing great! I will try and get on a schedule and update more often.

Quick hello!!!

I thought I would pop on quickly while we are visiting my parents and give everyone a quick update- sorry I forgot my camera. Rick is working hard at his job just to come home and work hard around the house or on the land. He even got to mow the lawn for the first time this past week- one of his favorite things to do! I am counting down the weeks until 'AMMON'- as we call him- joins our little brood. I have been really sick lately and have been diagnosed with 'GILBERT'S SYNDROME'. Basically my liver does not break down and get rid of toxins correctly and they are released into my blood stream. There has been very little research into this disease and there are very few answers to my questions but it is nice to know what has been making me tired and sick with fevers and backaches and headaches and nausea and turning my skin 'yellowish' since I was 22. I have had to rest a lot and cut sugar and refined foods out of my diet- MAN I MISS CHOCOLATE!!!!
Sarah is growing like a weed and getting prettier every day. I took her shopping for an Easter dress and found myself feeling very conflicted- the dress that she looked the most darling in was also the one that she looked the most grown up in! It is stylish and pretty and she is in love with it. We have had to put a bit of a hold on her bedroom and she is having a hard time with it. Almost all of the drywall is up and she can hardly stand it!!! She is so afraid that we will not get it done in the next few weekends before the baby gets here and then she will have to keep sharing a room. Rachel is just as cute and fiesty as ever- she too is growing like a weed and is looking less and less like a 'little girl' to me. She is doing GREAT in school and really enjoys her after school Math/Science club. She is excited that the baby will be here soon and keeps asking us to go ahead and have a little girl next so she can share her room with it. UGH! She wants to be homeschooled again next year and says that she misses Gabe and I when she is gone during the days. I am all for it.... I think. We will see. Gabriel is... well.... cute as heck is what he is! He is happy and funny and loves 'his girls'. He follows his sisters around everywhere and wants to show them every little thing and do everything that they are doing. He tells us that he is not Gabe- he is 'Spiderman' or 'Batman' depending on the day... and then he will tell us when he is 'just Gabe' again. We have been trying to teach him not to interrupt people when they are talking and that he needs to say 'excuse me' when he does want a turn to talk. He hasn't quite figured it out yet- so far he just interrupts and says 'EXCUSE ME!' over again and again and again (loudly) until you let him talk. It is pretty cute. His father is coming out to visit next month and I think we have created a little monster- the last time his dad came it was around his Birthday and he bought him presents, the time before his dad got him Christmas gifts... now Gabriel has a running list of the things he wants 'Daddy Thom' to get him when he comes out. He wants a baby pool, a baby trampoline (to jump), a blue Spiderman wallet, to go and get a cheeseburger and a slide for his playground. Funny kid! Oh to be 3 again!
that is about all that is going on- because I have been TOTALLY USELESS!!! We have a garden in thanks to my parents and need to get a going on buying baby stuff- we are running out of time!!!! Never a dull moment. I will try really hard to remember my camera next time and get some pictures of the kids up. Hope you are all well and happy!!!!!!

What have we been up to?

I have to say that I am LOVING my husbands new work schedule- I LOVE having him home every afternoon and every night. We have a family life and can actually plan ahead and do things together. The kids LOVE the time with him and he is enjoying everything about his schedule... except the 4am alarm that goes off every day- including Saturdays.













This is the first time since we have been married that we can plan for and do the fun things that we have wanted to as a family. We have taken evening walks and have had game nights with the kids, we eat dinner as a family and he and I have even gotten to go out on a date just the two of us! We have had time to run errands, play, visit with family, have a pizza/movie night with the kids, play outside and even get the chores and housework done- in one night!!!! I feel so blessed and so grateful that he is able to be around so much and for all of the work that he does during the day and here at home... not to mention all that he sacrifices to take care of us! THANKS BABE!!!!













I have to add these pictures of Gabriel in his favorite 'present blankie' that Richards Grandmother made for him. He ALWAYS has it with him and we are in real trouble if we leave it behind when we go to church or to run errands or to visit family.. pretty much anywhere! He loves to be wrapped up from head to toe in it and finds a soft spot to rub betweeen his fingers while he sucks his thumb. The other day he was hiding int he laundry baskets and 'scaring' us- one of his favorite games when he dropped in his tracks and fell asleep. He slept for an hour and a half and has crawled in the laundry basket a few times since to nap. Funny kid!