Grandma Morgan

Grandma Morgan passed away January 2019:

Grandma was a very busy woman.  She was always up to something and working on
something.  Even when she was resting and watching a show, she had a sewing project
in hand.

She was very kind and gentle.  I don’t remember her ever yelling.  Or even her “yelling”
voice was softer and gentler than most.

She always told you exactly what she thought.  Very straight forward and no beating
around the bush.  

She would say, “I sure love you” whenever I gave her a hug or kiss, usually to say
goodbye after a visit.

With a big happy smile, while shaking her hips and moving her arms from side to side
she loved to ask, “Don’t you want to make some cookies?”

This meant that you needed to make some cookies. ☺

One time when I was living there as a young girl, she had to run to a
RS meeting and biscuits needed to be made for dinner.  

She said, “Erika I need you to make some biscuits.
I said, “But I don’t know how.  I’ve never made them before.”

She replied in a matter of fact manner, “Well it’s a good day to learn.”

Then she showed me the ingredients and where to find what I needed and
walked out the door.  

I figured out really quick how to make biscuits!

A similar situation with biscuits happened one Thanksgiving with pumpkin pies. 
I figured out how to make pumpkin pies really quick too.  

She showed me how to weed a garden.  She attempted to teach me how to
cross stitch, quilt, and embroider.  

She encouraged lots of cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, and washing dishes.

She liked to make sure I was busy. 

I remember her reading aunt Lynne the Book of Mormon every morning in the
bathroom while Lynne got ready for work. 
Acts like that, impacted me with the importance of the scriptures, especially to her.

If she thought a joke, or something I said was a little inappropriate she would always
say, “Oh Erika.”  But she would be chuckling along as well. 

Grandma made many delicious home cooked meals for me and her family
over the years.  And her home was always loving and welcoming.  

Being at grandma’s was just like being at home.

I was able to visit her a couple of months before she passed. I loved every moment. One of the things she said to me at this time was that I was a, "Ray of Sunshine." I loved that so much and those words spoken to me will always be held dear to my heart.
I hope I can always be a ray of sunshine for others.
She left me a piece of her jewelry. It was a necklace with an apple core on it. My aunt Lynne said Grandma wanted me to have it so that I would always remember I was a teacher. Especially on those days that maybe I wasn't feeling as "special" being a stay at home mom. Sweet lady. I know being home with my kids is the most important thing for them and my specific family. But sometimes you can feel like the world does not see you as much. So it was the perfect necklace and message to come with it.
I might not be a teacher at a school anymore, but I do teach in my home. Teach my children the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing more important to teach than that.
Love you Grandma and I can't wait to see you again. Although I have felt you near often since you have left. <3
Recently, I said something ornery to Skye and I heard clear as day in my mind. "Oh, Erika." It was spoken just how she would always say to me. My grandma was there to let me know to reign it in. Lol Thanks, Grandma!

Skye - 1 year old!

Skye's First Year!

Skye's Ultrasound

Newborn

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months

Skye is one year's old today!!  What a crazy, busy time of my life.  I feel bad that I have not been good at updating this blog.  I surely could be better.

So my last baby has been on this earth for an entire year.  She is such a precious, joyous bundle of joy.  I love her more than words can properly say.  She is the light of our little family.  Daddy's girl, and her siblings adore her.

She started crawling around 5-6 months.  And has been cruising around ever since.  She is kind of like a puppy she crawls around and scrounges for anything to put in her mouth.  She chews on furniture, shoes, and anything she can wrap her jaws around. lol

She loves to eat solids!  But only if she is feeding herself.  If anyone tries to feed her things with a spoon she is not nearly as interested as she is feeding herself.

Just like her siblings she doesn't hold her bottle but prefers to lay motionless while you hold the bottle for her and feed her. lol

She is my quietest baby.  She babbles and baby talks here and there, but not very often.  She only has two words that she says consistently...dada and baba.  She calls me and her dad...dada.  She will not say mama.  Hopefully soon!

She has attempted other words and sounds, but nothing consistent yet.  Hoping she starts chattering more soon.  Or maybe she will always just be a quiet observer.  She would definitely be the first of my kids to have that personality!

She loves to play with her siblings, and they love to try and make her laugh and smile.
She has the brightest, biggest smile and lucky for us she smiles often!


She has started to take steps around the house.  She is probably just a week away from being a full-fledged walker.

She loves to watch Mother Goose Club.  She does a little baby singing along and dances and smiles the entire time it grabs her attention.

She loves to clap her hands and sing patty cake.
She likes to play peek a boo.

She loves to be outside getting pushed around in the stroller and will cry out whenever you stop the stroller for any reason.

When she wants something, she knows how to holler and yell until you figure out what she wants.

She recently started giving cute open mouth kisses and lay her head on your shoulder snuggles.

She is a pretty good sleeper.  She hates going to bed but has been sleeping pretty well.
Soon she will start whole milk and sippy cups.  Hoping the transition from bottles and formula will go well.

She is an absolute joy with the most beautiful blue eyes around.  She is perfect.

Kid update 2019

Thought it was a great time for a little bit of a Starits' children update.  Noah is 9 years old and is growing up quick.  I feel like he has really grown taller lately.  Although he is still a small fry.  He loves Jurassic Park and playing computer and video games.  He is taking piano lessons and is blowing us away with his natural ability.  He is playing the clarinet at school.  He is a bear in scouts.  He seems to have many friends.  I just signed him up for flag football.  It will be his first time playing, but he is excited.  He is mostly a great big brother who enjoys pestering just a little bit more than anyone else in the family.

Makenna is 7 years old.  She is excited because with some new changes with church programs she was able to start going to Activity Days in January.  I am just recently called as one of the Activity Day leaders and so we are both excited that we get to hang out together at activities.  She loves to do anything artsy or crafty.  She can often be seen coloring and creating.
Makenna is an amazing big sister to Skye.  She takes to little toddlers, and they take to her.  She seems to already have quite the motherly extinct.  She's a smart and friendly girl.  Makenna can be the sweetest child on the face of the planet, or she can be as ornery as they come.  She definitely keeps things interesting around here.

Kayleigh is 5 years old.  She started Kindergarten this year.  I cannot believe it.  She has really grown a lot in the past year or so.  She is still such a funny quirky girl.  She loves to laugh and joke.   She is often found laughing and giggling.  She lives with her head in the clouds and can be caught daydreaming often.  Especially in the morning when it is time to hurry and get ready for school. ;-)
She is a sweet loving girl, but sometimes can be extra sensitive.  She also enjoys coloring and drawing and playing with her big sister Makenna.
(Kayleigh stuck a carrot in her nose and said, "Look, I'm Frosty the Snowman."
She calls her forehead her headboard.  She calls nipples...nibbles. Age 4)

Skye is 14 months.  She still does not say very much.  Mostly screeches and yells and points.  She has acquired the new word "this."  She points to anything and everything and says, "this."  We are somehow supposed to always know what she wants and means with her one word language.
She still says Dada.  And recently began saying MaMa.  But she doesn't really call me Mama yet.  She loves milk.  She loves to play with her older siblings.  She has the most beautiful and bright smile and gorgeous blue eyes.
She hates to be left alone in a room and is usually found at my feet or in my arms. Unless her siblings are home and then she is content to be in a room with them.  She is very demanding and sure knows how to get her way.
She tries almost all foods, but actually only eats a few varieties and what she will actually eat tends to change from day to day too.
She is really good at giving loves and snuggles. And will lay her head on the shoulder of people who pick her up to hold her.  The other day she snuggled and loved on the leg of some random mom at the park.  She gives hugs and pats your shoulder or arm while she loves you.  She loves to play with and pull hair.
She will not keep pretty hair things in her hair.  She instantly pulls them out.  Stinker.  We all love her.

We have been doing very well as a family.  I worked for a little bit in the mornings from 4:00 -6:00 AM teaching Chinese children English online.  It was actually pretty awesome, and I met some super adorable children.  However, the early hours with an inability to take any proper naps was hard on me.  Plus being the only one of your family on that kind of schedule made it difficult.  So, we were able to catch up on some monetary things and I've decided to just be a stay-at-home mommy for little longer before diving into the working world.  I have a sweet baby who needs me and 3 others who need a mother who is not half dead when they get home. haha

Tom is still working for Chase and creates training materials for the company.  He is currently serving as Young Men's President.  He is an amazing guy, father, and husband.
We are coming up on our 15th year anniversary and it has been quite an amazing 15 years together.
I am teaching primary and doing activity days.  It's a fun life.  Soon Noah will be in flag football and the girls will be in dance and tumbling.  So we will be busy.
Of course, we will make time for teaching the gospel and hanging out together as a family.
I've been blessed with a beautiful life, and I hope and pray for continued blessings on my family and I each day.

Skye Rebekah Starits

We had another baby!  I thought I might be done having babies after Kayleigh because she was soo hard on me.  However when Kayleigh was 3 1/2 years old I started thinking that I wanted another, one more.  Maybe another boy to make an even two boys and two girls.  I started remembering that I really did always want four kids. So I told Tommy and it didn't really take much convincing...he was on board for having another one too.  So the next thing I know I am pregnant!  I got pregnant in February and was super excited and feeling great.  Pregnancy symptoms slowly crept up on me....but then by the end I was so miserable, fat, and done.  Just like I always am when I am pregnant.  I absolutely LOVE feeling a baby grow and move within me.  I recognize that it is truly a miracle to grow a baby in your body.  It truly is an amazing thing.  However, I hate being pregnant.  I love the baby....I don't necessarily love the process and how tired and miserable I feel.  I gained tons of weight and like 15 pounds of water weight too...I was sooo swollen by the end of this pregnancy!!  In April I started bleeding quite a bit and ended up going to the hospital fearful of another miscarriage.  I was devastated.  After a day at the hospital it was discovered that I had a subchorionic hemorrhage.  It could increase my chance for a miscarriage, but she was alive and well and still moving and beautiful on the ultrasound at the ER.  And luckily she ended up being just fine and growing perfectly.  My due date was November 4th....but I was blessed to deliver our baby girl earlier than my due date which made me very happy.  Although, my lack of patience in pregnancy and even delivery let me know....this would be, without any doubt, my last baby. :)  Skye Rebekah Starits joined our family on October 23rd at 6:02 AM.  She was 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long.  My water broke Sunday evening and since she was my 4th child and I had already been having contractions....and since the doctor had literally felt her head at my appointment earlier that week...I was positive she would just come so fast and in no time.  Wondering if I would even make it to the hospital on time.  Not the case!  My water broke...but I ended up needing to have Petocin and...from water breaking to having her it was a long 14 hours or so.  And most of those ours were in the middle of the night.  Talk about starting off tired and then heading into a newborn exhausted.  That is one thing I definitely feel more this time around...I am soo tired getting up with a newborn.  I think it is because I have three other kids and two of them have school so I have to get up early each morning to make their lunches and help them get ready.  I was definitely super exhausted at first and felt like it was taking forever for me to feel normal.  One thing that was funny about her delivery was that I was feeling large, fat, and unattractive and every nurse that was working was young, thin, and beautiful.  I was also the oldest woman having a baby that night.  The only one in my thirties.  Guess it was a clue that it was definitely going to be my last. haha Well now at seven weeks I do feel more normal, but I am definitely tired!  Luckily Skye does not cry all night like Kayleigh but she still gets up plenty to eat or because she needs to burp, etc.  She also takes forever to finally fall asleep at night.  Her fussy, cluster feeding time lasts anywhere from  8:00 PM-1:00 AM every single night.  So that is exhausting.  So now I just resolve to being tired, catching sleep when I can, and hopefully work on losing all my extra baby weight now. :)
Tom and my mom were there for her birth and when they handed her to me I was full of emotion.  So much relief at her being here and joy at seeing her perfect, beautiful face.  I instantly fell in love and have just been falling more in love with her ever since.
Her name is a little different.  Skye is not a super popular name, but Tom and I both just really ended up loving it.  Then we always do a family name for a middle name.  My grandpa Medina's mom was named Rebecca.  So we spelled it the biblical way but she is named after my great Grandma Rebecca Medina.
She spent her first month mostly sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.  Waking to eat, get changed, and cry.  She was not a great "latcher" and she was definitely very difficult to get started on the nursing front.  Which was weird for me because she has been my worst breast-feeder at the beginning and I thought I would have no problems being a pro at four kids now. Yeah right! Just shows you never know what to expect and you are never a pro. haha
The kids and Tom love her so much.  We all take turns being in her face and loving on her.  She is still a temperamental newborn so she doesn't always appreciate her siblings right now.  But I look forward to her being more fun for them too.  They can't wait to hold and play with her...and her actually enjoying it for longer than a few seconds.  Around 6 weeks she definitely started smiling more and being more alert when she is awake.  Right from the beginning she has had very good neck and arm strength.  She is a pretty easy baby.  Seems to have a touch of reflux and gas that upsets her here and there, but mostly she is pretty easy.  And I am so thankful for that! I know that emotionally and physically I could not handle another baby that cried 24/7 like Kayleigh did!   Heavenly Father most have known I could not have handled it either. :)
Skye was blessed this past Sunday.  My brother Jeffrey, Chelsie and their sweet, cute son Leo were visiting so we wanted to bless her while they were here.  It ended up being Stake Conference so we got special permission to bless her at my mom's after Sunday dinner.  Tommy gave her an absolutely beautiful blessing.  Some things that I remembered was that she was going to be kind.  That she would be a light to others around her.  That she would marry in the temple. And so many other great things.  It was perfect.  She was quiet and happy during the blessing, but as soon as it was over she started crying. ;)  Some cute things about Skye is that she completely loves little butterfly kisses on her cheek.  She also love to have her diaper off to just air out and lay with a happy look on her face.  She has the brightest smile and has tried to baby talk a few times and her voice is precious.  She is an expert rooter and really roots when she is hungry...she even latched on to my lip once when she was hungry.  So an expert rooter, but still not an expert latcher.  But she is getting there.   I am so joyful and feel so blessed to be given another daughter.  I know with out a doubt she is my last baby.  Our family is complete.  We didn't end up with the perfectly even 2 boys and 2 girls.  We ended up with the perfect family for us.  One handsome son and three beautiful daughters.  We truly have been blessed.  Noah originally wanted a brother, but was surprisingly just fine when he found out it was a girl.  I said that now he would always be my one and only special boy.  Maybe that helped!  And Makenna wanted a boy, but I think mostly because she wanted Noah to have a brother and "someone to play with."  But they were all very happy she was a girl.  Words cannot express my gratitude for the four sweet babies I have been given on this Earth.  I love them each so very much.  I know that I am not a perfect mom and sometimes they literally make me pull my hair out, but they are truly my life.  I am so thankful I can stay home with them as they grow each year.  My cup truly runneth over.
Pictures!

My Grandpa Medina

I realized recently that I never wrote about my Grandpa Medina.  He died in August 2015.  His health had really been deteriorating, but of course he was still always trying to do as much as possible despite his bad health.  Always moving, always working as much as he could.  He had actually died while he was walking outside.  It happened suddenly.  But of course he was outside trying to be busy.  He was a hardworking, busy man.   I remember my Grandpa Medina with a happy smile on his face often.  He smiled, he sang, he danced, he cracked jokes.  He was full of personality.  I actually think a lot of my personality comes from the him and the Medina side of my family.  That side is full of smiling, laughing, joking, and cracking people up.  haha  When I was a child he would often take his grand kids fishing.  As an adult I have reflected on how it would have been so much easier for him to go by himself.  Especially because I remember snagging and tangling lines.  And more than likely being a pain.  But he would just walk over and fix it and he did it very patiently.  Every fish I have ever caught was fishing with my Grandpa Medina.  He and my grandma loved to gamble and go to Bingo.  I remember going to Bingo with them a few times.  It was fun hanging out with them and tagging along.  They would buy me nachos or treats.  Driving in his car he was always listening to Spanish music and singing along.  He loved to sing along to the radio.  He actually had a great voice.  At this grandpa's house we would often play cards.  He and my grandma were always up for a game of Go Fish, Rummy, or 21.  They would often take the time to play cards with us grand kids.  I have many memories being at their house playing cards, eating good and lots of food, and laughing.  Always laughing. :)
He was a mechanic and always had broken down cars on his land.  Ones he was going to fix "one day."  One time I found an old hammer and for some dumb reason broke one of the car's windows.  I was soo scared to tell him what I had done.  But he was so kind about it and said thank you for telling him and to be more careful.  He was a nice, fun guy.  He is greatly missed.  I miss seeing his happy smile.  My last born daughter is named after his mom.  His mom's name is Rebecca and although we spelled it the biblical way, we named her Skye Rebekah after her.  I cant wait to meet her one day.  I also can't wait to see her son, my Grandpa Lawrence Lee Medina one day again too.  I am sure it will be a reunion of smiles and laughs.  <3
I was not able to see him as much after getting married and having kids and living so far away.  And my parent's being divorced definitely made it more difficult to get to see him as much too.  But growing up, I have many great memories of him to hold on to.  And I am so happy he was able to meet my children.  All of them except for Skye who was born after he died.  But I am sure he gave her a great, big hug before she came down to Earth. :-)