Lydia Ballerina

Last week was so busy with all of Lydia's final rehearsals for The Nutcracker. But it was all worth it -- she did great! It was quite a production, with all of the classes from the Academy of Ballet performing. The older students danced all of the major roles, and the younger classes each had one scene. Lydia's class is the youngest class, and they were the party guests in the opening scene where Clara receives the nutcracker. On Saturday night, following the final performance, we attended a reception after the ballet, and then went home and put the kids to bed very late. As I lay next to Lydia that night for our "cuddle time" she said "I need my rest; I have to perform again tomorrow." When I told her that that night had been the last performance, she seemed confused. She didn't realize that the last two nights had been performances in front of hundreds of people because she couldn't see into the audience with the stage lights in her eyes. When she realized that she had been performing without even knowing it, she cracked up laughing. She is so funny!

Show and Tell
I offered to help Braden's teacher with their class Christmas party on Friday. I love planning children's parties, so I was happy that she accepted my offer. I made goody bags for all of the kids, and prepared a Christmas Bingo game, which they really enjoyed. I also read them The Polar Express, and afterwards I gave each child their own jingle bell. We all had a lot of fun, and I think Braden enjoyed having me in his class. I'll have to take advantage of that while I can -- I'm sure I will eventually embarrass him :) After the party they had time to do Show and Tell, and Braden showed Liam to his class! This is a picture of Liam being the show and tell! He sure is loved!

Braden Takes Third Place at Science Fair!

We were so proud of Braden for working so hard on his science fair project. He created electricity with lemons (acid) and copper wire and galvanized nails (electrodes). You should have seen us when we lit up our little LED bulb -- he and I cheered and gave each other high fives! Since he placed in the School Science Fair, he will get to go to the City Science Fair in February. We'll keep you updated!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year!

Another classic Hanners movie: A few Christmases ago, all of the adults received these sunglasses in our stockings at Mamaw and Papa's house on Christmas Eve. Auntie Ann, Uncle Rex and Uncle Jim all put them on with their new scarves and started rapping. It must have made a big impression on Lydia, because several weeks later, after we returned to NM, she found the glasses and started to imitate them. The second part of the movie is Braden directing his very own Thomas the Tank Engine movie. He sure loves his trains! They have both grown so much since this movie was made!

This is a movie of Liam shortly after he was born.

I just discovered that I am able to post videos to this blog. I am really excited, because I make videos all the time, and now I will be able to share them with you all! This is a movie that I made of Lydia making up songs for Morgan while he was in Iraq. He says that it is his favorite video, and he would watch it often to cheer him up. It is amazing also, to see how little she was, and how much she has grown since then. Enjoy!

Liam's 3-month Portraits

(Braden chose this background scene)

Our Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Making Jack-o-lanterns

Update

The night Grandma and Pops arrived from Maryland, we let the kids stay up late. They were so excited! Finally, after they hugged and kissed Grandma and Pops they collapsed in our bed. They looked so cute all laying in our room sound asleep, that we had to get a picture.

The next night Braden ended up in Ruby's bed! She didn't seem to mind!

Last Sunday Morgan blessed Liam. It was a special day. He wore the same white tuxedo that our friend Amy Nichols made for Braden's blessing.

First Smiles

Liam gave us his first smile a few weeks ago when he was five weeks old. Since then, they have been few and far between. In fact, I just spoke with his pediatrician about his lack of smiles yesterday. As soon as I mentioned my concern to the doctor, Liam flashed him a great big smile (making me look like a paranoid mother)! I actually just caught this smile on my camera a few minutes ago, and just had to share it with all of you. He is such a sweet baby, and I can't wait for more of you to meet him.

Braden is doing so well in school so far this year. Yesterday I met with his teacher for Parent/Teacher Conference, and she had so many good things to say about him. His behavior this year is improving, and his self-esteem seems to be so much better. He is getting straight A's on his report card, and he is reading somewhere between a 3rd and 5th grade level. His teacher said that he and his best friend are the top two students in the class, and that she is working to find things for them to do so they won't be bored.

Liam had his two month doctor appointment yesterday as well. He now weighs 11 pounds 14 ounces, and is 23 1/2 inches long. He is growing well (he gained a little more than 1 pound in one month). He also received his immunizations which he didn't really like.

Lydia is starting to go to school full days on Monday and Thursday. She is always sad to have to leave half-way through the day when other kids get to stay all day, so we are changing her schedule to full days on her two days a week. It is good for her and will prepare her for full-day kindergarten next year.

Morgan has been working really hard on the kitchen. The cabinets had been painted white, all except for the doors, which were stained maple. It wasn't very attractive, and looked like floating doors. So Morgan has stripped all of the paint off, and is going to stain the cabinets cherry. He also pulled all of the orange formica off of the walls, and we are taking out the orange countertops this weekend and replacing them with a pretty green marble design. We're painting the walls beige with white trim. The kitchen will look beautiful when it is finished, and I will post before and after pictures.

Ballet

Lydia loves ballet! She has class every Saturday morning, and she is practicing for their big production of The Nutcracker in December. She and her class will be party guests in one of the scenes. She can hardly wait! I will post lots of pictures when the time finally comes.

Cub Scouts

On Tuesday night, Braden was awarded with his Bobcat at his Cub Scouts Awards Ceremony. Morgan is his Den leader, so he helped with the ceremony by painting the boys' faces. Each image he painted on their faces stands for something that will help the boys in their lives. Braden was also awarded with four belt loops. They earn a metal belt loop (instead of patches) for accomplishing certain tasks and learning new skills. He is really enjoying himself at Cub Scouts, and enjoys having Morgan as his leader.

Little Cuties

Braden and Lydia absolutely adore their new brother. They are such big helpers with Liam. Here they are on Sunday, cuddling on the couch.

Braden Turns 7!

For Braden's 7th birthday he wanted a Space Party. I love planning parties, so we had a lot of fun with this theme. We held it at the New Mexico Museum of Space History here in Alamogordo. I reserved the covered picnic area for the party, and Morgan and a friend of ours took the "little astronauts" on a tour of the museum.

When the guests arrived, they each got a NASA hat (Morgan stitched patches we found at the museum gift shop onto baseball caps from Wal-Mart). We started with a lunch of Saturn's Rings Pizzas which we washed down with Tang. Then the kids toured the museum. After their tour, they came back outside to the party area, and they each had their own moon crater cake (complete with American flags and astronauts sticking out of them), and some freeze dried astronaut ice cream. After Braden opened his presents we gave each guest a rocket launcher toy and a bag of goodies. The boys had a blast launching their styrofoam rockets. Braden had a great time with his friends.

I can hardly believe he is already 7! It seems like just yesterday that he was born. On Friday (his actual birthday), we gave him lots of hugs and kisses at exactly 8:31 (his birth minute), and then watched some videos of the day he was born, and looked through his baby book. He is such a blessing in our family, and I am so grateful that I am his mom.

Morgan and Braden tested for their yellow belts in TaeKwanDo last week, and both passed. On Tuesday night they had their awards ceremony and received their new ranks. I was so proud of both of them. Before the ceremony began, Mrs. Overstreet, one of the owners of the school, did a demonstration for us. Braden watched intently as she broke wooden boards with her hands and feet. Maybe someday . . .

Before & After

First Days of School

Here are some pictures of Braden and Lydia on their first days of school. Braden has started second grade this year, and Lydia is attending Cornerstone Pre-School. They are both enjoying school so far. Braden has a brand-new teacher named Mrs. Wright. She is energetic and really seems to enjoy teaching, and he seems to enjoy being in her class. Lydia goes to school two mornings a week and wishes it were five mornings a week! She is thoroughly enjoying going to a big girl school, and is making a lot of friends. She even gets to eat lunch at school -- I pack her a lunch in her ladybug lunchbox.

Hello World!

Announcing the birth of Liam Phillip Hanners!

8 lbs. 9 oz.

21 inches long

Born at 5:52 a.m. on July 28th, 2006

On Thursday, at 39 weeks of pregnancy, I went into labor. We were having a normal day of doing chores, having lunch with our friends at school, and Braden and Lydia went swimming with some friends so I could get some rest. After they returned we decided to sit down and read some library books together until Morgan got home from work. He had just come home, and I had gotten up to start heating up our leftovers for dinner, when I noticed that my water had broken! I had never gone into labor with my water breaking before, so this was a new experience! I have been prepared for weeks now, so I gathered up my things and told Morgan that we needed to go to the hospital. I must admit that I was pretty nervous, and excited all at once. Morgan called our friend who had offered to stay the night with the kids, and she came over immediately.

When we got to the hospital, I still hadn't started having any real contractions, but they checked me, and I was dilated to a 2-3, and 50% effaced. They confirmed that my water had broken, and admitted me to the hospital. I called my friend Grace, who had offered to act as my doula (childbirth assistant) and she came about an hour later. I was finally having some regular contractions a few hours later, but they were inconsistent. So we spent the night walking around the hospital, and trying to get the baby to drop into position. I bounced on the big birthing ball for quite a while, and that helped.

Labor got really intense around 2 a.m., and I started pushing at about 5 a.m. I had a wonderful nurse, and terrific midwife, and I couldn't have made it through the labor without Grace's encouragement and massages. As I was pushing, my midwife told Morgan that she wanted him to deliver the baby. So they put gloves on him, and he got into position. When Liam finally came into the world, my midwife helped deliver his head and shoulder, and then Morgan pulled him out the rest of the way and placed him on my tummy. He then cut the cord. It was such a special experience to have Morgan deliver our son.

The first thing I noticed about Liam was that he had a perfectly round little head, and a cute, up-turned nose. We thought his hair might be red, but after a good bath we realized that it is white-blonde. His eyelashes are so blonde that you almost can't see them. He is a good nurser, and he sleeps a lot.

Braden and Lydia are in love with their new brother. They love to hold him and help me with taking care of him. Braden's job is to throw the diapers away when I change him, and Lydia gets things for me while I am nursing, or takes dirty clothes to the laundry room. We have only been home one day, and we are all still adjusting.

We are all so happy to have this new little miracle in our family, and will keep you updated.

July Update

I know many of you have been checking this blog for information about the baby, so I thought I would give you an update. I had an ultrasound last Monday to check on Liam's size. If he had measured too big they would have induced me, but he is measuring normal. So we are waiting it out! But we did get this cute picture of his hand. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of his little hands very soon (only taken from the outside of my body!). He is healthy, and they are monitoring him closely because my placenta is starting to deteriorate. But if his daily movements are any measure, he is a very healthy little boy. We are all so excited to share pictures of him with you as soon as we can!

The kids have been keeping busy this summer with all of their activities. This is a picture of Lydia dissecting an owl pellet at the library a few weeks ago. Apparently, owls swallow their prey whole, and then cough up the bones and fur in a tidy little pellet. Then, companies sterilize them and distribute them for people to dissect. This was a Woodsy Owl activity put on by the National Forests. Lydia was the youngest girl to take part in the activity. The other girls her age stuck to the coloring page table. But not our Lydia! She and Braden were also the last ones to finish, and I had a hard time tearing them away. They are now the proud owners of two complete mouse skeletons (kept tightly sealed in plastic bags).

We had a fun and eventful 4th of July. This is a picture of Braden and Morgan riding the Cub Scout Float in our town's 4th of July Parade. Braden is really enjoying Scouts. He attended Cub Scout camp in June, and loved it.

The typical American family -- Minivan, dog, and 2.5 children!

Braden Graduates from Shuttle Camp



Braden had a great time at Shuttle Camp at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. He spent every afternoon for one week at the Museum's education center learning about the planets, the sun, rockets, etc. He even built his own rocket, and on the last day, they launched them. Morgan, Lydia and I were there to cheer him on. Later that day, they had a short graduation ceremony, and his class sang a song ("My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizza Pies" -- Which helps them remember the names and order of the planets). We were very proud of our little man!

Recent Portraits

This is Braden's most recent school portrait. I love it because it is a good shot of his toothless grin. He is doing really well. He enjoyed first grade, and is now enjoying having more time to play with his sister, splash in the wading pool, and read. This summer will be busy, but fun for him. Next week he will attend Shuttle Camp at the New Mexico Museum of Space History here in town. He is very excited for that. It will be daily, Monday through Friday for 3 1/2 hours. He continues to enjoy Taekwondo, and is also looking forward to doing swimming lessons again. We will also be taking part in the library's summer reading program again for the third year in a row. It will be a busy summer, but there will still be plenty of time to just relax and use his imagination.

Here is one of Lydia's most recent portraits. She is wearing the pretty dress her Aunt Hillary bought for her to be a flower girl in her wedding. She is also looking forward to a fun summer. She is signed up for ballet lessons, and is so excited! She loves doing the summer reading program as well. They will earn prizes for every four books we read together, and Braden is already being a big help by filling out her book logs for her after we read books. They will also go to Story Time once a week, and family activities, like puppet shows, story tellers, dancers, etc., every Friday. We are hoping to enroll her in the next session of swimming lessons with Braden, but her age/level requires a parent to be in the water with her. So hopefully Morgan will be able to do that with her since I will probably be too bouyant to be of much help.

Summer in Alamogordo is hot and long, but the community provides a lot of activities to keep it fun and interesting for the families. Every week the movie theater has two days of free children's matinees. This week we saw "Robots". Other movies we will see are "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Madagascar", and "March of the Penguins". The schools also offer free breakfast and lunch to all children in town. Last year we enjoyed meeting friends at school and eating meals together, then playing on the school playground. That starts again this coming week, and I am looking forward to not having to do as much grocery shopping or cooking during this last part of my pregnancy.

I am getting very big and uncomfortable, but I still have a tremendous amount of energy. I feel very driven to get everything ready for our baby's arrival. I have been washing baby clothes, putting together baby gear, rearranging closets and storage to make room for all of the stuff, and deep cleaning the house. We are preparing for our first yard sale next Saturday to make room in the garage for a mini van. My official due date is August 3rd, but if the baby is measuring big when I go in for my 38-week check-up, my midwife will induce me. That will be around July 20th. Since I have gone early with my other two pregnancies my midwife believes I will go early with this one as well. So I am hoping to have the baby sometime at the end of July. We will definitely keep you updated, and hopefully there will be some pictures of another adorable Hanners baby on this blog very soon!

Hanners Family in the News


A member of our family has again been featured in the local newspaper. This picture was printed on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Alamogordo Daily News. Morgan volunteered for Career Day at Braden's school last Friday, and he showed several very interested elementary school classes how to dust for finger prints. I stayed to help for the first few classes, and he did a great job. He had the kids line up and then, one by one, come up and put their finger prints on a piece of plastic with big white labels on it. After they did that, he showed them how he uses dust to find the finger prints, and special tape to lift them. Each class got their own set of finger prints to keep in the classroom. Braden seemed so proud to have his Daddy there.

It's a Boy!!
On Thursday, Morgan and I went to the doctor for our ultrasound. I had been so excited to find out what the baby is. He wasn't shy at all, and we got a lot of good looks at all of his little parts. He is growing perfectly, and is definitely a boy.

Our tradition, started with Braden, is to go out to dinner on the day of the ultrasound, and then go to the store and buy the baby's first outfit for coming home from the hospital. This time we decided to bring the kids with us, so we went to Sonic for dinner and then to the mall. We hadn't told them yet whether they were having a baby brother or sister. While they were looking at baby girl clothes (Lydia had taken about five pink outfits off of the racks), we told them that we should probably look at the other rack (where there were blue clothes). Braden said, "It's a boy!?!", but Lydia just made a face like "I don't know what to think about this" and then wanted to bury her face in my shoulder. She had her heart set on a baby sister, and I felt so bad! Morgan said he thought we were both going to cry. I was just so sad that Lydia was disappointed. But a few minutes later, she was going through the pink rack again saying, "After this baby you can have another baby, and that will be a girl, and she can wear these clothes!" I know she will be just fine.

In this picture, you can see our little guy's profile. He has already got the cute up-turned nose that runs in our family. We haven't decided on a name for him yet, but Morgan's Dad suggested Festus. Don't worry, he was just kidding (I think), and we aren't seriously considering it, but for now we call him "Festus the Fetus".

This picture is a little harder to decipher. It is a birds-eye view as if he were laying down and we are looking straight down at him. You can see the top of his head and his face, an arm, a leg, and his boy parts (if you look closely). He measures at exactly 17 weeks, 6 days, which is exactly how far along I was on Thursday. The technician said that never happens. So we are happy that he is growing just right, and looks very healthy.

Hanners Family Update

Wow! It's been a long time since I last posted to this blog! So much has happened lately, so I will try my best to catch you up on our comings and goings.

Probably the most monumental thing that has happened in the past couple of months is that we found out that we are expecting our third child. Morgan and I found out a couple of days after Thanksgiving, and we shared our news with our family on Christmas Day. Santa helped us tell the kids, by filling an extra stocking with baby toys. They were ecstatic! Lydia is so excited to be a big sister. I am finally starting to have more energy and less nausea, so hopefully I will be able to keep up with this blog better from now on.

We had a nice Christmas at home, and left the day after to go to St. George, UT to spend the rest of the week with my family. It was wonderful to be with my parents and brothers and sisters. It was the first time in eight years that we have all been together. My brother Spencer had just returned from his two-year mission to Washington State.

Morgan is busy with work and church responsibilities. He is the first counselor in the Young Men organization. Work keeps him out late a lot, but he manages to balance it all and spend time with the family as well. The kids are so happy to have him home.

Braden is losing teeth like crazy. I will post some pictures of our toothless wonder soon. He is getting really good grades in school, and is reading really well. He recently started Tae Kwon Do, and is enjoying that.

Lydia is constantly dancing, and we are going to enroll her in dance classes again soon. They are both taking a break from soccer this season. She keeps busy with Joy School, and enjoys playing with her friends.

I am just trying to keep up with everything and everyone. My new calling as Relief Society president at church keeps me very busy, but I enjoy it. Since I am starting to feel better and more energetic, I am really enjoying my pregnancy now. I have felt some little flutters, and look forward to feeling more movement. Feeling the baby moving and growing inside me is my favorite part of pregnancy (but check back with me when I am as big as a house and can't move or get comfortable in the middle of summer in the desert!)