Birthday Boy!

He turned 4. He really wanted a Grave Digger power wheels. By some miracle we found one 2 days before his birthday.I think Braden was more excited, but no surprise, Austin just doesn't "get up" for worldly things.

Austin is all about the party! He said the most boring thing about a birthday is eating cake because it takes time away from being able to play. That says a lot because he LOVES to eat!

It was a great day! That night we had ALL of our families (those who live in state) over. So fun! We took a quick trip across the street to see the "UP" house.
I feel honored to be a mother to Austin. He is such a special person and brings me sooooooo much joy! While he was getting his pajamas on he said to me, "Mom, there is invisible words on my shirt. Do you know what they say?" "They say I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!" He really melts my heart! Love that boy!

Random updates!

Since it has been soooooo long I thought I would just post a few pictures to try and catch me up to speed. Enjoy!!

Braden got the Principal's Pride Award at school.
Trevan went to his first Jazz game
Taylor, Austin, Avery, and Braden in Park City! We had a great time together!!
Trevan's Baby Blessing
Christmas morning
My personal chia pet . . . . . seriously grows like one!
3 months old and starting to smile!
The long awaited 1st haircut. I would have done it sooner, but daddy was not ready yet!
Braden's April Fool's day cupcakes with peas and carrots (starbursts and runts)
Smith Family Pictures
Coloring Easter Eggs
He turned 6!!!


So that gets me to the end of April and now I can start with May 2011 in my next post.

Good one!

Austin is full of personality - he says thing all of the time that make me laugh. I wish that I would have written them all down and maybe I will start doing just that. So here is one from yesterday:

I was cleaning the bathroom and he came to me (in his boxers and pajama top) and said, "Mom, I need you to wash this off my leg." I looked at his leg and said what is it? He replys "I don't know." Then I say how did it get there? "I'm not telling" was his response. So I smile at him and proceed to tell him that I will wash it off but I say Austin it is naughty to write on yourself. He quickly says, "I know mom, but I was just writing my name so I will know who I am!!!"


As a side note - he is learning to write his name and is getting very good at the A and that is what he was "practicing" on his leg.


(He doesn't like to wear clothes, can you tell?)

This is the finished crib bedding I had someone make for me. My mom and Brooke searched every fabric store in the valley with me trying to find just the right print and colors for the nursery. Then I roped Brooke into helping me put these vinyl circles on the wall to complete the project. It was way more work than I thought it would be but it all turned out great! Thanks Brooke for all of your help. I couldn't have done it without you!!!!

The newest addition

Introducing our 3rd son! Trevan Andrew Critchfield. Born 10.18.10 at 8:10 am and weighing in at a whopping 7 lbs. 3 oz. and 19" long. He has been the smallest of the clan so far. He seemed so tiny to me.
I had a c-section and the doctor said, "okay one more layer until baby time!" Then the next thing I heard (from about 5 different people in the room) was "LOOK AT ALL THAT BLONDE HAIR!!" He was the talk of the hospital - really. Every nurse that came in would say I heard about all his blonde hair. I guess it is really rare to have lots of long blonde hair. They kept saying they only see it with dark hair. I guess the old wives tale is true about the heartburn!
Here is the little peanut right after a bath. I tried to comb his hair down, but it looked like an old mans hair when I did that and it started sticking back up so we will just let that look go for now!

Toilet Cleaning!

I have had so much on my mind lately, but more personal thoughts that have been written in my journal. But I was so thrilled yesterday when I started the Saturday morning routine of cleaning the entire house and Braden came to me and asked if he could clean the toilets! He will sometimes watch me clean them and last time I remember him asking how I learned to clean a toilet. I told him that my mom taught me and then he asked if I would teach him so that he could do it himself. I am a BIG beliver that kids should be taught to help around the house. I remember growing up that the boys were expected to help clean just as much as the girls. I was never happy at the time that my mom made us clean certain ways to have it done to her expectations, but I really appreciate it now. I look at both of my brothers now and they are both hard workers and clean their homes with their wives and are not afraid to scrub them toilets!! I got my mothers genes and I like things cleaned a certain way, especially my toilets. I know most people use a toilet brush, but those nasty things don't exist in my house. I don't think my kids even know what they are. So (after all of that blabber), I wanted Braden to learn to clean and help around the house but in my mind I was thinking that maybe toilets should be for when he is a few years older. I mean he is not even in Kindergarten yet. But, then I thought who cares if he doesn't do it to my expectations, he is learning to work beside me and that is what is important, right? So I walked him through all of the steps in order of how to clean them, put the rubber gloves on him (we had to but rubberbands on them to keep them from falling off) and I cleaned the sinks while he did the toilets. We did all 3 bathrooms together and his little comments were so cute during all of it. Austin saw him cleaning and wanted to help clean so he got out the windex and cleaned all of the mirrors! It just made my day! They were the cutest little helpers and Braden did do a pretty good job for his 1st time. I didn't even go back and do any touch up, it was great! And I couldn't believe how much time that saved me that day having them help me instead of being in the way. He asked me if he could clean the toilets every week so maybe this will become a habit for him. His wife will LOVE him!!!! He was proud of his cleaning and I think he loved wearing the gloves too. Who knew that boys could clean toilets even before they start Kindergarten??!!