A few cute pictures of the kids!

  (Spencer with cousin Canon)

 (Spencer sorted his "trunk-or-treat" candy by package color)

 (Russell at about 3 months)

Russell at 2 1/2 Months

Spencer's First ER Trip

While playing at the park, Spencer hit his head on one of the bars of the play structure. He grabbed his head, started crying and came over to me for comfort. Luckily, I decided to look under his hair to check it, just assuming to see a small bump. There was no bump, but a small gash that was starting to bleed. It actually didn't bleed that much, which is surprising for a head wound. After a minute or two he stopped crying. I showed my friend that was at the park with me, we thought that it might possibly need stitches. He had cut his head a few months earlier and I never took him in and the doctor said I probably should have. So I decided to take him to the ER. We walked back to my friends house which was next door to the park and got everything situated. My friend was great enough to keep Aliyah and Russell for me while I went (thanks Amanda!). Spencer was so upset that we had to leave our friends house. He wanted to stay and jump on the trampoline! I had to carry him out to the car because he was throwing such a big fit about leaving, ran home to grab him some clothes (his were soaking from running in the sprinklers) and Mickey and lovie, and headed to the ER. Once we were there he was completely happy and calm. He sat nicely as we got checked in. He just laid on his little bed and enjoyed watching PBS shows. He let the nurses/doctors look at him without even flinching. They said they were going to put some staples in, so they put some numbing ointment on it, let it set for about 30 minutes and then came and put three staples in. He barely flinched on the last staple--but no crying or fighting. I was shocked! I thought that I would have to battle him and pin him down to let them do anything to him. I had called Bill to have him come as backup for me. But the whole thing was a breeze. (Which is extra shocking since Spencer has been extra difficult lately with tantrums and wanting to say no to everything we want him to do!)

I took him to the doctor yesterday and got the staples pulled out (where again, hardly a flinch) and everything is looking great.

This definitely was a much better ER experience than Aliyah's broken arm. Low trauma, no crying, no surgery or even shots, no mommy panic, and in and out in 2 hours. And happily, we have no hospital bill. Since we had Russell, we have met our deductible for the year. Now we are two for two on playground-caused emergency room visits! This definitely doesn't help in my playground injury paranoia. It didn't affect Spencer, though--he was happy to go to the park the next day!

He's asleep here on Bill's lap after coming home.

Russell's Blessing Day

We had Russell's baby blessing scheduled for October 21st. A few weeks before, our stake scheduled a special stake conference, and so we ended up blessing Russell at home. It was great to have Bill's parents in from California, his family came over from Mesa, and my family came as well.

Aliyah's Spirit Week

 Aliyah (and Aftin) had fun participating in the school's spirit week a few weeks ago. We forgot the first day (Pirate Day--pirates are the school mascot), but then remembered the rest of the week. Sports day she wore her A's shirt, but we didn't get a good picture of her in it. Wednesday was pink day. Thursday was crazy hair day and Friday was mismatch day.