Yes I do have other children...I think?

Not to be left out - are the other 4 crazy characters that fill our home and heart!  The kids have also been Eva crazy, but here are some highlights of the past few weeks.  

Jack - played some wicked basketball this year.  But I have no photos to document it!  The final game of the year, he got sick and couldn't go so my opportunity flew out the door!  I'm kicking myself for that.  Lesson learned.  So here he is, sipping on some hot chocolate on our way to piano.  Oh Piano!  Jack is our resident piano man, and is loving learning how to play.  He practices several times a day, and looks forward to learning more difficult music.  I love the drive to and from piano, because it is just the two of us for 20 minutes.  No distractions, and actual conversation and sharing.  It has become something I look forward to each week.  I sure love this boy, inspite of the many times a day I get frustrated with him, I wouldn't trade his sweet, fun, quirky personality for anything!

Lyvie Girl!  The newest big sister has also been busy with gymnastics.  She graduated up to the advanced beginners class and continues to love it.  She can do a mean 1 handed cartwheel and is as bendy as an elastic.  I love it!  She also continues to excel in school, and recently while I was there I found a poster she had made of when she was 100 years old:  It was adorable!

Max - my main man!  He is my continued side kick and lover!  The thing that is most exciting about Max recently is how everything is just clicking for him.  Letters, numbers, school, friends, riding his bike, brushing his teeth - in other words, he's growing up!  Its so exciting and fun to watch, but I will admit, a little sad.  He has been my baby for so long - now I really see how grown up he truly is.  I love his sweet personality.  He loves our family so much.  His favorite buddy is probably Sam. 

(this is a watch he made all by himself the other night)

Stone can't be left out of this update!  6 months and HUGE!  He has gotten so big and strong!  He got neutered shortly after we had Eva, poor guy, and is patiently awaiting the fence installation next week.  We are still enjoying having him, but are looking forward to the freedom the fence will allow him to roam and run!

 Sam - last but most certainly not least!  I love this oldest son of mine for so many reasons!  He is good, he tries to do what is right, he is considerate of me and wants to help out, and he works hard at school and his extracurriculars!  He too is growing up - which breaks my heart, but I'm so SO so proud of the young man he is becoming.  I couldn't get through my day without him!

The boys at the BYU v. Portland game in February!  They had a great time cheering on the Cougars.

Twinner picture of Sam and my dad at age 11 - crazy how similar they look!

Eva's 1st month

Eva is such a good baby!  We are loving having her in our home - especially me.  I could literally just sit all day and snuggle her.  I'm not a selfie person, but I had to get a shot of me holding my baby.  It is my greatest joy!  She has been eating wonderfully!  Her 2 week check up told us how good - she had gained over a pound - 9 lb. 10 oz. and 1/2 inch (21 inches).  She sleeps great for the most part, but hasn't created a schedule yet.   This is a little hard for me since I have to wake up and get moving with the other kiddos, so it would be nice to know what to expect for the night so I could manage my own sleeping habits better.  But its a work in progress and I really can't complain.  She has had some 5 hour sleeping stretches which have been amazing!  Mostly its 3 hours at a time - which I will take!)

 As you can tell she is well loved, to say the least - these siblings of hers think she is pretty great!  I don't blame them one bit.

Here's a shot of Eva next to a picture of Lyv as an infant!  Crazy how similar they look!

Eva doing the dab!  The kids thought this was pretty awesome!

We had Grandma and Grandpa Summers come and visit 3 weeks after Eva was born.  We love having family, and they loved meeting their newest granddaughter.  I think they will be fast friends!

And of course, what is a Summers' baby without some Cougar gear - courtesy of Uncle Jake and Aunt Mailee.  She looks pretty great in BYU Blue!

 The official 1 month old picture - you can see she is really filling out.  Love those kissable cheeks!

Eva's Newborn Photos

Only one of my babies has ever had professional photos taken of them as a newborn - (Jack b/c a friend of mine offered it for free).  So with Eva I decided to splurge!  There is an incredibly talented YW in our ward who just started her own photography business, and she is amazing!  Really amazing, so I enlisted her to come and capture Eva.  This is Eva at 10 days old. Every, beautiful, sweet, precious bit of our sweet baby girl!

The final shot was what we used as our baby announcement.  I thought it was such a clever idea!

Eva's Blessing

 Eva was blessed on Sunday, March 5th, 2017, in the Cottonwood Canyon Ward by her dad.  It was a beautiful morning.  My parents made a quick trip up to Yakima and my Aunt Susan and Uncle Jay came over from Snohomish to be there.  We feel so incredibly lucky to have such wonderful family and friends, most of whom were not able to attend, but sent love and well wishes our way.  We are blessed!

 To say that the kids love Eva is an understatement!  She is the favorite of all, and showered with kisses, hugs, and affection throughout the day.  We love this sweet spirit!

Shawn blessed Eva with faith, and with the will power and strength to make good decisions; so she can choose good over evil.  She was blessed with physical strength to serve others and to help with her family.  She was blessed to have a strong body, and the ability to overcome any physical ailment she might have.  She was blessed to seek out good things and find truth in all things; to make sacred covenants with her Heavenly Father, and with the knowledge that she was a special daughter of God.  She was blessed to treat her body with respect and keep her mind clean, so she would have the Spirit with her always. 

I love the power of the priesthood, and am grateful to have the priesthood in my home.  Shawn is such a humble, sincere man and I have a testimony that his blessings come through the Spirit and he listens and waits for promptings of what to say.  My dad is another priesthood holder who I felt the same with, when he's given blessings.  We had the special privilege of having my Uncle Jay stand in the circle - his first time - since being baptized almost 2 years ago.  It was a great day!