Happy Birthday Whitney!!

Our blonde hair, blue eyed beauty turns seven today! Can't believe it. Whitney joined our family on a Saturday morning. We didn't have a name picked out for her yet. We had several names and couldn't decide which one. So, we each drew a name out of a hat and we both pulled the name...Whitney. It fit instantly, though it is not uncommon to hear the name "Whit Whit" around our house. Whitney is a blessing to our family in so many ways but here are a few stand out memories of Whitney:

1. When she was younger, I would have to sing her a song every night at bedtime. Whitney loved the song "the Little Drummer Boy". I would have to sing this to her each night, even though it was no where near Christmas time. Then she was introduced to a glo-worm doll and that became the new song list. She would play the worm songs and I was not allowed to leave her room until she had completed all the songs glo-worm could play.

2. The first time we took the kids to Disneyland, Whitney was only 2 years old. We had a great time there, as well as playing at the beach. On our last day at Disneyland, my parents had come with us and decided to take her to see some family for the day while we took the other kids on rides. Whitney was still quite attached to her binky (pacifier) and we had already replaced it once on this trip. In the afternoon, my parents came in to Disneyland and we all sat by the castle to wait for the daily parade. We were right on a bridge over one of the small streams that goes by the castle. As we waited, there were some ducks that kept swimming under the bridge. I think the kids were trying to throw some food to the ducks. Little Whitney just watched this for awhile, working away on her binky. Then, out of nowhere, she pulls her binky from her mouth and throws it at the ducks. We then just watched in amazement as binky floated down the stream with the ducks. Then she wanted it back. But we could only explain that the ducks now had binky, and to this day, we still joke about ducks at Disneyland swimming around while sucking on a binky. We all hope that one day we will return to Disneyland to find a duck with Whit Whit's binky!

3. Whitney is a natural athlete. She just seems to have perfect little form in everything she tries. Perfect little running form, swings a bat well, plays soccer well, etc. She hadn't been riding a bike with training wheels very long before she decided it was time to lose the training wheels. I took them off and before I even had a chance to put away my tools and help her, she was taking off down the sidewalk on her own. She learned to ride without them very quickly. I have no doubt that she will accomplish great things in whatever sport she tries!

4. Carter can't stand throw up. If someone is throwing up, gives the hint they are going to, or resembles anything close, he will exit the room faster than you can blink! Takes after his mother because she does the same thing! Anyways, when Whitney was 3, we were sitting at the dinner table at our house in Lehi. She picked up on Carter's little throw up phobia and she started making choking/girgle sounds. Carter bolted from the table and into his bedroom. I couldn't help but laugh as I sat in amazement that my little 3 year old had enough smarts to get one over on her bigger brother!

5. A year and a half ago, we went to Chari's parents for the 4th of July. We spent a week there and on one of the days, we went to Mt. Olympus theme park in Wisconsin Dells. This is an awesome theme park with our all time favorite roller coaster - HADES! Since the last time we had been there, they had added a new wave pool called Posieden's Rage. This is not your typical wave pool where some smaller waves come rolling in wave after wave for 5 or 10 minutes. Instead, every 5 minutes, you get one gigantic 10-12 foot swell that just levels everyone. It is awesome! And tad bit dangerous. You can't even go into the half of the pool where the wave comes from. The kids were having alot of fun in the more shallow end of the pool. Inbetween waves, I decided to take whitney (who was 5 at the time) in my arms and I carried her out to the deeper end of the pool. I thought it would be fun for her to experience the bigger part of the wave. I got a little over confident and waded out to where the water was up to my chest. There are a ton of people all around you, especially when you hear the bell for the upcoming wave. Well, I heard the bell, and then I saw the wave coming and I instantly realized I had taken us too far. There was no way for me to get to the shallow part as the swell is on you within 10 seconds. The wave lifted me off my feet and started turning me upside down. I wrapped my arms around Whitney to protect her from the sea of people we started bumping in to. Without the use of my arms, and being horizontal at this point, I was powerless until the wave carried us all the way across the pool to the shallow end. As I realized we were getting to the shallow end, I lifted Whitney out of the water with my arms and "surfed" until I felt my back scrapping the bottom of the pool and realized we had made it to the toddler section. Finally...I had some air! Between coughing out water, trying to stop my now bloody nose and patting Whitney on the back, I had the nerve to ask her "Was that fun?" She gave me a look that assured me I wouldn't be winning any Dad of the year awards any time soon and I was happy to let her experience Posiedens Rage from the shallow end. Lesson learned.

Whitney has been a daredevil and always wanted to try the things the big kids are doing. On that same trip, we got her up on water skis for 5 - 10 seconds....just long enough to get a picture! But she tried! She always does and she makes me so proud to be her dad. She has taken our moves across the country in stride and her teachers always love having her in class. Whitney will accomplish great things in life and I'm so glad that I get to be a part of the journey. Love you Whit Whit! Happy Birthday!!!!