Beutler Days: Christmas Eve

Monday, December 24, 2018

Christmas Eve

Christmas is finally here! The kids have been counting down for weeks and weeks and I wonder if they ever thought it would get here. But here it is and one of our favorite people came to spend the holiday with us. Uncle Greg came to town and we were lucky enough to have him for Christmas Eve and on! Keen attached himself to Greg's hip and everyone was happy. We also had my mom and dad and Andy and Kristi stay over with us so we had the best houseful for the holiday!!

Christmas Eve for us is all about yummy food, reading the nativity story and caroling. Caroling is a Beutler tradition that Josh says is one of his favorite memories of Christmas. We have taken that into our family too and we all love it. This year we graduated from fake candles to the real thing - and it was a hit! The kids LOVED having their candle lit and keeping it lit while we sang. This is by far our favorite thing every Christmas Eve.

After caroling, pjs and off to bed to wait for Santa.

These darling stockings (all made by Aunt Hayley) were hung by the chimney with care - even our visitors added theirs to the mix!

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Rhen

Rhen's favorite songs on the radio are "Call me maybe" by Carly Rae Jepson and "Too Close" by Alex Clare. Her favorite movies right now are "The Lorax" and "The Last Unicorn." She wears size 5 clothes and size 10 shoes. Rhen is funny, happy, loving and so fun to be around. We love our 3 year old! December 2012
We have been trying a parenting style that gives the kids a chance to make their own choices. So in a certain situation I'll give the girls 2 choices and let them choose one of them. I usually make the choices so that they will choose the one I want them to. It has worked out pretty good so far for all of us. Rhen let me know one day that I must do this a lot. I was making scrambled eggs for lunch for myself and had already made the kids a sandwich to eat. Rhen asked if she could have a bite of my eggs and I told her that she already had her lunch and this was my lunch. So she proceded with the 2 choices scenario. "Mommy I'll give you 2 choices. You can either give me a bite of your scrambled eggs or make me some of my own. What's your choice?" Well I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. She continued, "Hurry and choose or I'll choose for you." I'm still laughing. "Okay I'll choose then. Make me my own scrambled eggs." She is hilarious! October 2012
Rhen knows that whenever I go to the bank she gets a sucker from the teller. So one day I took a box of canned food in the car to donate to the food bank. When I went to deposit a check I noticed that the bank was also a food bank donation spot. So I pulled in and took the box of food inside to donate. When I got back in the car the girls were asking what I did with the food. I explained to them what the food bank is and where the food goes. After the explanation Rhen looked at me and said, "So this bank is a food bank and a sucker bank?" October 2012
I was going to rent the movie "The Lorax" for the girls tonight and Rhen got really excited when she heard that we would be watching a movie. She said, "Mommy are we going to the movie feeder to watch the Rolax?" October 2012
Our friend and neighbor Jill was watching the kids one night for us and told me that she couldn't stop laughing at some of the things Rhen said. Once when Jill was changing Keen's diaper Rhen came over and was watching her. After a minute she said, "Keen has a boy bum." Jill nodded. Rhen continued, "My daddy has a boy bum too but his is much bigger." October 2012
Josh has been teaching the girls that we drive Honda vehicles and showed them how to tell which cars are Hondas by the H logo. They are getting pretty good at spotting them. One day we were driving past the auto mall and Rhen said, "mommy look a Honda store!" I told her she was right and that's where people can buy Honda cars at. She said, "I want to go to the Honda store someday. Maybe when our Honda breaks we can go there and buy a new one." September 2012
Rhen always wants to hold Baby Keen. One day she asked me if she could hold him but I was just putting him down for a nap so I told her that she could later. She went to her room and came out with a handful of Hot Tamales that she had been saving and said, "mommy I'll give you all these treats if you let me hold Baby Keen." Well I couldn't pass that one up! September 2012
I said to the girls one day "Girls, its a mess in this toyroom!" Rhen looked at me and said, "I know. We have to make a mess so we can play with everything!" August 2012
Nolan and Wyatt have been down at Grammies a few times this summer and Rhen and Rease have loved playing with them. One day after playing in the sprinklers I put all 4 of them in the shower together to rinse off. Afterward Rhen said to me, "mommy, Nolan and Wyatt have boys bums!" July 2012
Rhen loves to give "the baby" kisses (my belly.) Yesterday when she was talking about and patting my belly she looked up and then put her hands of both of my boobs. She said, "Mommy, why do you have babies in your boobies too?" May 2012
Rhen and I were watching Aladdin together and halfway through the movie she turned to me and said, "Hey mommy Jasmine has big boobies just like you do!" April 2012
I was getting the invitations ready for Rhen's birthday party and asked her who she would like to invite. She thought for a minute and then said, "I think I'll invite Santa." Good choice. She knows he brings presents for Christmas so why not for her birthday too? March 2012
We have been talking a lot about testimonies in our family home evenings lately. The girls have expressed interest in bearing their testimonies in church so Josh and I decided we need them to learn about it at home first. So the past few weeks they have been thinking and talking about things they believe and how they can bear their testimonies in front of the ward. Fast Sunday came around and they felt like they were ready. So Rease went first and then Rhen followed closely behind. They both did a really great job and brought the spirit with them when they bore their testimonies. After the meeting I was talking to Rhen and asking her how she felt when she was up there and talking in front of the ward. She said she felt really good. I reminded her that when we have a good feeling inside that is the Holy Ghost telling us that we are doing the right thing. She looked at me like she really understood what I was saying and then said, "yeah mom, after he told me I was doing the right thing the Holy Ghost said 'Boo' to me." She was very serious and sweet when she said it. I know she knows the Holy Ghost is good but she also thinks that he is a Ghost and says what ghosts say - Boo. February 2012
Rhen and Rease got Despicable Me and Megamind for Christmas this year. Since then, they have been on a streak of watching these 2 movies over and over and over. I watched it with them one day while folding clothes and I noticed that Rhen can quote almost the whole movie. She is a silently smart girl and remembers everything, including every word to her new favorite movies. February 2012
Rhen is constantly asking questions. I try and answer them the best I can but sometimes I just don't want to talk. One day in the car, after about the 95th question from Rhen I said to her, "Rhen no more talking tonight okay." She responded, "But mom, I love to talk!" January 2012
Rhen's favorite movies right now are Sleeping Beauty, How to Train your Dragon and Tangled. She loves to listen to mom and dad's music and the song she always chooses from the ipod is "Down" by Jay Sean. Rhen is smart, loving, kissable, curious, easily distracted and witty. Rhen is our girl. December 2011
Since Rease has been in school, Rhen, Liev and I have a few hours to ourselves. It has been a fun time for me to spend some one on one time with my Rhenner girl. She is such a sweet little thing. Her favorite songs to sing right now are Old McDonald and The Wheels on the Bus. She knows her ABCs and sings it all the time too. Now that she is potty trained she says she is a "Big Girl." And she is. She is definitely growing up! October 2011
We were at mom and dad's new house and trying to get everyone into the car to head home. I sat down on the porch next to Rhen and looked at my foot where I had a sliver. Rhen asked what I was doing and I said, "oh just getting a little sliver out of my toe." She then looked at her own feet and said, "mommy I don't have a lizard on my toe!" October 2011
The girls both have gotten into the habit of asking for treats whenever we are at the store. Most of the time I cave in and get them something. This week at the store Rhen chose Reese's Pieces or in her words "Rease's Pizzas." October 2011
Today we were about to go into Costco. I said to the girls, "Can you both be very good in the store today? No fighting? No crying? No teasing? Can we please have a fun time in there today?" They both agreed that they would be good. Rhen then asked, "What about no kissing? And no hugging?" May 2011
Rease has a little friend down the street named Ruby. We were in the car on our way home and Rease asked if she could go play with Ruby. I said she could go see if she was home and Rease jumped out and ran down the street to find her friend. Rhen wanted to join in on the fun and asked, "Mommy can I go play with booby too?" May 2011
The other day the girls were watching American Tale with Fievel. Rhen asked me why Fievel was crying. I said, "Well, Fievel is so sad because he lost his family and can't find them. Rhen wouldn't you be sad if you got lost and couldn't find mommy or daddy or Rease or Baby Liev?" She agreed that would be sad. So a few minutes later she asked again why Fievel was crying. I said, "You tell me why he's crying." She replied, "Cause he lost his mommy and daddy and his Reaser and his Baby Liev. That's why Fievel is sad!" I couldn't argue with that reasoning! May 2011
Rhen got lost today. We were at a homecoming dinner in Orem at Josh's cousin's house. All the kids had gone downstairs to play and eat and us adults were hanging out upstairs. When it was time for us to leave, I went downstairs to get the girls. When I called for Rease and Rhen, Rease said, "mommy Rhen went upstairs a long time ago." My heart dropped because I knew Rhen and if she had been gone for a while and no one knew it, then that means she had wandered off somewhere. The worst part about it was that I had no idea how long she had been gone, because I didn't even know she was gone! Josh and I started on a franctic search for her, I went one way and he went another. After about 10 minutes, I saw Josh walking back from across a big park in the back of their house carrying Rhen in his arms. When I got to them I grabbed her and gave her the biggest hug and said, "Rhen why did you go to the park by yourself?" She answered with her typical answer, "Cause my want to." I went throught the whole mom speech of "don't run off on your own" and "you scared me" and "I thought you were lost." She looked at me and said, "Sorry mommy" gave me a kiss and jumped down to go play. So much for my speech getting through to her! Josh said he found her with a couple that had been walking around the park and noticed that she was by herself. They played with her for a few minutes thinking that her mom was going to come find her any second. After they didn't see anyone coming to get her, they called the cops to report a missing girl. Josh found them just as the cops were pulling up. Yeah, I'm a terrible mom! Luckily she was okay and the people that found her were kind enough to keep track of her until we found her. I have to keep on eye on this girl, that is for sure. March 2011
Rhen is a great talker - all day long her and Rease talk nonstop. In the process of learning how to put sentences together, she somehow mixed up using "I" and "my." So whenever she says something with "I" in it, instead she says "my." "Can my wear it?" "Can my play with it?" "Can my come in?" It is so darn cute I hate to correct her! March 2011
Rhen is in the phase of asking "why" or "why not" to anything. "Rhen come up and eat." "Why?" Or "Rhen don't hit the baby on the head." "Why not?" Seriously at least 100 times a day. March 2011
Rhen is super clumsy. She doesn't really cry when she falls or gets hurt but we always say, "oh did you bonk?" So now she tells us what she "bonked" - "I bonked my head" or "I bonked my finger." Yesterday though she fell and came running over to me and said, "mommy I bonked my diaper." I guess that means she fell on her bum? February 2011
Rhen loves Snow White. For some reason her favorite princess is Snow White and she always wants to watch that Disney movie more than any others. We got her a Snow White doll for Christmas and she has to have that to sleep with. January 2011
We bought Rhen her own big girl bed. With baby Liev on the way and the fact the all three kids will be sharing a room, we decided it was time to switch her over. She loves it and loves that she is big just like Rease now. So far she stays in bed and we haven't had any escapees yet. There is plenty of laughing, talking, singing and playing that goes on after we lay the girls down, but hey that's what sisters do right? January 2011
Rhen loves her big sister and loves being old enough to play with her now. They have their own games they play and their favorite one is running back and forth from the front door to the back door. Noisy activity but it keeps them entertained. December 2010
Rhen talks like a maniac. She imitates anything we say and is starting to put her own sentences together. November 2010
Rhen loves to dance. Any song that comes on she is jammin to it. The best part about her dancing is that she doesn't move her feet - she stands in one place and moves side to side at the hips. August 2010
Rhen has her animal sounds down: Doggy (oof oof), kitty (mow mow), duck (cack cack), cow (moo), horse (heeee), sheep (baaa), bear (raaah) and she just learned fish which is just moving her mouth up and down in an O shape. So cute! August 2010
Rhen has all sorts of teeth popping in now. She has her upper laterals, her 4 first molars and her lower right lateral just broke through and I think the left is not too far behind! August 2010
I took Rhen off the bottle this week. She loves her bottle so it took her a few days to figure out what was going on but she is adjusting fine to the new change. Good thing for sippy cups! July 10, 2010
Rhen has learned that "Daddy" is also "Josh." She thinks it's hilarious to walk around the house yelling, "Josh!" Ha ha. July 2010
At 15 months old Rhen still has just 4 teeth - 2 top and 2 bottom. June 2010
Rhen is getting good at saying please and thank you when she's supposed to. Thank you sounds like "tay-too." June 2010
Rhen knows all the parts of her face - eyes, nose, ears, hair, teeth, tongue. June 2010
Rhen has mastered the stairs. Thank goodness - she had plenty of falls from top to bottom but now has learned her lesson and goes down on her tummy. May 2010
Rhen has a list of words that she can say now: daddy (her favorite), mommy (once in a while she'll throw this out just to make me happy), puppies (thanks to Grammie), bu-bye, Rease (which comes out more like "ees" but we know what she's trying to say), poopy, nose, hi and thank you. April 2010
Right after Rhen's birthday tooth #3 poked through. The top left central tooth is now on its way in and the right one is about the bust through too. Poor girl has been crabby for a week straight because of these darn teeth. March 12, 2010
Still only 2 teeth for Rhen. She is about to turn one and has no top teeth yet. I think they are getting close, but so far haven't poked through yet. March 2010
Rhen is wearing size 18-24 month clothes and size 3 or 4 shoes. March 2010
Rhen is an expert walker. Just in the past 2 weeks she has gone from walking a few steps here and there to basically walking all over the place all the time. She's funny cause when she walks she always pats her tummy with both hands. Don't ask me why she does it but it is cute. March 3, 2010
Rhen is left handed. We are pretty sure of it.
Josh discovered this little trick that Rhen does. She will not poop until she has a clean diaper on. It's true. If she gets a diaper change first thing in the morning - next thing we know, she's poopy. If we stick her in the shower first thing - dry diaper: poopy. It's the craziest thing. It's like she knows we have to waste a clean diaper. Why not just dirty the already dirty diaper? No - it has to be a clean one for this girl. March 2010
Rhen has started saying a few words. Mama and Dada are her most regulars but bye-bye, Rease, boo and uh-oh are common ones too. February 23, 2010
I don't know if there is a crazier girl than Rhen. She is everywhere, all the time, non-stop moving. She won't sit on your lap for more than about 10 seconds because she is off the the next thing that caught her attention. We just love her to death but can't seem to keep ahold of her! January 2010
Rhen is so tall and has outgrown all her clothes. She is wearing 18 month clothes for the length now. December 2009
Still just 2 bottom teeth for Rhenner girl. December 9, 2009
Rhen is all over the place. That's the only way to describe her right now. Into and on top of everything. December 2009
Rhen started pulling herself up to standing by the furniture and in her crib. December 1, 2009
Rhen learned how to clap her hands and does it on command now. November 20, 2009
Rhen is a watcher. She watches and observes anyone and everything. So she has now started imitating some things that we do. One thing she does is shake her head "no" when we do it. It is the cutest thing. We'll say "Rhen no, no, no" and shake our heads and she shake hers back. Then Josh started sticking his tongue out at her and she copied that too. So fun! November 1, 2009
Rhen has now learned how to crawl on her hands and knees instead of just the army crawl. I just saw her do it for the first time today. November 7, 2009
Rhen cut her first tooth today. Lower left central incisor is starting to poke through. October 1, 2009
Rhen officially started being mobile this week. She army crawls all over the place. She can get up on her hands and knees but can't go anywhere from there so falls back onto her tummy before she moves anywhere. She's getting pretty quick at getting from one place to the next. October 1, 2009
Rhen can zoom around the house in her walker now. She gets frustrated with obsticles in her way and runs over our toes plenty. September 2009
Rhen rolled from her tummy to her back today - I was stunned! I don't know why but I didn't remember that babies start rolling at this age. Good for you Rhenner girl! July 6, 2009
We decided it was time. Last night we finally moved Rhen into her shared bedroom with Rease. I'll admit, I was a little worried that they would wake each other up and we would have both girls up in the middle of the night. But they both did great and slept great. Rhen woke up at 5:30 and Rease at 7:00. My girls are getting so big! Big enough to share a room and do okay! June 12, 2009
Rhen was basically bald when she was born - a few darks whispy hairs around the side but not much else. She is very obviously getting blonde hair on top now. I think she'll definately be a light haired girl. May 12, 2009
1 full week of sleeping through the night! She has had nights here and there for the past few weeks, but this past week was a full-weeker and that's when I consider her an official sleep through the nighter! What a girl! May 3, 2009
Rhen is officially smiling. Not just gassy smiles, but actual grins when we talk to her. She is so darling! April 25, 2009

Liev

Even though Liev can't talk, he loves to sing. At church during the hymns I hear him humming along. Or in the car while the girls are busting out a song I can hear him mumbling along too. He is such a sweet little thing. December 2012
Liev is just starting to say a few words. He is good at mama and dada, papa is pretty recognizable, Rhen and Rease are sort of understandable and a few others that he just mumbles. He usually gets the amount of syllables right so that's a good start. Thank you, amen, bye bye, hi, I love you - those are a few that he is working on but still at the mumble stage. He'll get it - he is getting close! November 2012
Liev has a full set of teeth now. His canines just came in this month. A big toothy grin for our guy! September 2012
Liev is such a boy. I'm starting to realize that boys are boys from the very beginning. Liev loves to throw things, hit people, play in the dirt and just plain get into michief. The girls were not that way so I know Liev didn't learn his ways from them. He was just made that way and that's what I love about my little guy. All boy through and through. April 2012
Today is the day that Liev decided to walk. Not sure what made him finally take the plunge but all of a sudden he was off. Walked from one couch to the other at Grammie's house without us even prompting him. I looked over and he was walking. He took his time doing it, but now that he's walking I'm sure he'll stick with it! April 13, 2012
Liev loves to eat anything and everything in front of him. Josh keeps telling me that boys eat more than girls and I'm starting to realize that - even at this age! Good eating buddy! March 2012
I thought for sure that Liev would be saying some words by now but he doesn't even make a peep. He is the quietest little guy but oh so sweet. At Liev's 1 year appointment, Dr. Erickson asked me how many words Liev is saying. I said 0. He told me that anywhere from 0-10 words at this age is normal - 0 is just as normal as 9 or 10 so that we shouldn't worry. I'm not worried - I know he'll talk when he has something important to say! February 2012
Liev doesn't seem interested in walking. He pulls himself up to everything and is always standing, but when it comes to moving from there he just sits down and then crawls away. January 2012
Liev has learned to wave. He waves backwards though like he's saying "come over here" instead of "goodbye." So cute! January 2012
Liev says dada but not mama yet. January 2012
Liev is the most calm and collected baby I know. Most of the time he just sits and observes the world around him and doesn't make a sound. He doesn't cry unless he is really hungry or tired. He goes to anyone and everyone and is content to just hang out. He loves attention though and smiles, laughs and plays whenever anyone comes near him. We love our sweet 10 month old boy! December 2011
Liev can clap his hands now and does it all the time to try and get anyone to pay attention to him. November 2011
Liev's 2 top teeth just poked in this week. It's been a long time coming for those two. November 25, 2011
I knew it was just around the corner. Liev started crawling today. It's official - he is a mobile baby. November 10, 2011
Just this week Liev has started pulling himself up onto his hands and knees. He can't crawl yet, but I feel like it is just around the corner. But even without crawling he still gets around. He scoots backwards or rolls back and forth to get to what he wants. October 2011
Liev is at one of my favorite baby stages - sitting and playing with toys, but not mobile yet. It's awesome for mom cause I can leave him with a pile of toys and know he's not going anywhere yet. He loves his toys too! October 2011
Liev still has just 2 teeth - lower front ones. I feel like the top ones are ready to pop through any time but so far they haven't made an appearance. October 2011
Liev is now a free sleeper. Just this week he started sleeping without the swaddle. He lasted much longer than the girls, but he is officially free of the blanket! September 2011
Baby Liev is still a swaddled baby. He sleeps so good with his swaddle blanket and binky. I have tried a few times to ween him from it and he will sleep for about 30 minutes unwrapped, but then he's up again and I end up wrapping him up anyway. I keep thinking he's too old to be swaddled, but I don't know why I think that. Who says there's an age limit to swaddling? All I know is that he sleeps so good and that's great for me! July 21, 2011
Liev starting rolling from his stomach to his back today. July 3, 2011
Liev hates to sit. He is the straightest, most stiff baby I have ever seen. He would rather stand or lay on the ground than sit in someone's lap. I have started putting him in his Bumbo chair and he is actually starting to loosen up. He will sit for about 10 minutes at a time now - which is a big imrovement from a couple weeks ago. June 30, 2011
So I went to the doctor a few weeks ago with Liev for his 4 month check-up. Dr. Erickson held a stick in front of him to see if Liev would grab it. Liev just stared at it and didn't seem interested in taking it from the doctor. Dr. Erickson told me that most babies around 4 months are starting to grab at things but that it was nothing to worry about that Liev wasn't doing it yet. Of course, I automatically start worrying. So for the past couple weeks I have been holding anything and everything in front of Liev's face to teach him to grab at stuff. About a week after seeing the Dr., Liev just started grabbing for everything on his own and now I have to be careful because everything is starting to go in his mouth. No worrying for me! Our boy is right on track! June 22, 2011
Liev started smiling this week. I love it! It totally lights his whole face up when he smiles - and it makes a mama proud to see a sweet baby smiling up at her! March 25, 2011
Liev is officially sleeping through the night! Right on his six week mark he slept until 5:15 and the rest of the week has been between 5:15 and 5:45. I figure a whole week in a row means it's official right? Love this little boy! March 25, 2011
I got peed on for the first time today. It's obvious I have girls first - I was suprised at the distance he got with his little stream! February 21, 2011

Keen

Keen rolled from his tummy to his back today. He was tired of tummy time so rolled onto his back and was much happier. November 20, 2012
Got the first laugh out of our little guy today. He has such a big smile and a cute little giggle to go with it. November 2012
Keen started smiling today! October 4, 2012
Keen atarted sleeping through the night this weekend! September 16, 2012
Keen has peed on me quite a few times already. He came out peeing which was hilarious. Already now in his first 2 weeks, I've had to learn to cover him up when I'm changing his diaper. August 2012