Meet My Siblings Day 6: Meet Ethan

Ethan is my little brother. My little brother that has dark brown hair and big blue eyes. He is my little brother that was quiet and reserved as he watched the happenings unfold.  He grew up too fast. I say that about all my little siblings but seriously he did. One second he is a little runt, the next he is dunking a basketball.

He has always been the quiet one, but when we get talking, he can laugh and talk with the rest of us.

Don't worry he isn't a complete recluse. 

He recently sprained his ankle in an alumni game.

I keep getting pictures from family members of it.

Grossy josie.

He is in the middle of track season where he has been winning the high jump left and right. He is just a junior-so its not the end of his high school season.

Like I have said before, sometimes I feel like I still think all my siblings are 6 years younger than they really are, I still see them as they were when I left home. But I try to call home and if a sibling answers I try to talk to them for longer than "Hey is mom home?"

Once I called Ethan to talk to him and got an entire 45 minutes of conversation out of him.

My mom was in shock when I told her.

Granted half the conversation was me asking questions and him responding with "ermmmm I dunno."

So it may not have been a full blown convo, but it counted for something. 

I was asking him about his career choices, he talked about maybe a police officer maybe too dangerous, maybe a fireman, maybe a farmer, then we got down to the grind-he likes engineering stuff. 

Okay sweet-engineering. 

My mom was in pure shock when I told her that.

The things that can happen when you talk to someone in true real intention to get to know them.

By golly.

I asked what Ethan wanted for Christmas/or his birthday pretty much jerky and gatorade. 

Well that must be a hot item there.

Well when you live 30 minutes away from a little dinky convenient store and a gatorade probably cost $3.75 and a small piece of jerky is $1.75, ya that would be a good gift.

You see if something yummy is at my house it is gone in less than 20 minutes.

I brought home some 'sugar' cereal once.... it wasn't even breakfast lunch or dinner and every person in the kitchen poured themselves a bowl and it was just gone. Bam.

Candy has to be hidden and disguised or it will just be gone in 2 minutes.

Jerky-jerky doesn't even last 1 minute.

One time I ripped open a bag in front of probably 10 family members, and every single person swarmed me and took a piece or two. Gone. Before I can even reach my hand in.

So that makes sense why Ethan would ask for jerky or gatorade.

When the store is so far away you get delicious fever, and no toast and jam is going to give you your fix.

So basically what I am trying to say...he isn't completely crazy for asking for it.

He acts like he doesn't like Miles, but he for sure does. I saw him playing with him when nobody was looking. And Ethan is a girl magnet. 

This is at my wedding reception in Standrod I think....

See I JUST GOT MARRIED....(4 years ago) and how did he turn into a MAN since then.

He's taller than Brad!!!!!!!!

I love seeing Brad bond with my brothers...brings a warm feelign to my heart.

This was over a year ago, so he has grown a bit. And I think I was tip toeing.

Ethan is number 11, and a good one at that. Quiet, reserved, can laugh at anything, still lets me call him eefee, and doesn't mind if I kiss him on the cheek.

He will still be my little brother, as tall as he is.

Meet My Siblings Day 4: Meet Ammon

So last time I did this...I posted every consecutive day..but seriously don't make me do that again.

So as I sit here and eat my graham cracker DRENCHED in nutella, I decided I am ready to do this one. This might me my hardest sibling to do...because #1 how do I get you to TRULY understand this sibling. It's difficult but as Ammon's favorite sister-he told me- Just kidding he didn't-because he can't really talk- I feel like I can sum him up. Or try to. When he was a baby I saw him for the first time in a room we call the Piano room now, he was in his car seat and I fell in love immediately.

At night when I heard him crying I would run to his room and rock him back to sleep or get him a bottle. He was the sweetest little thing. 

Can a person be hard to love? Can a person make life harder?

Can a person make life harder but more meaningful at the same time?

Ask my parents.

Ammon is number 13 child, and Ammon is autistic. 

ha! You know you hear that thrown around like it is icing on the cake.

Oh so and so is autistic.

Oh so and so just was diagnosed with autism.

Well friends...

Ammon is a whole new level of autism.

His forms of communication are:

Biting

Clawing

Scratching

Screaming

Screeching

Raptor scream

or banging his head on hard wood floor till he gets a bloody nose.

He doesn't know how to communicate so he has these above tendencies.

He knows the meaning to a lot of words, he just doesn't have the capacities or skills to communicate what he means. He is good at mimicking someone though.

I love how Brad is yelling at him to fold his arms...just so he can say our favorite thing..haha. 

He loves to streak...
Landon's wedding reception he ran through completely naked and rubbing himself....Think what you will of that.
He also has the 6th highest world score in Temple Run..some game.
He's pretty awesome.

He is getting so big, I cannot even contain him. 

I don't have a video of him freaking out-which may be the best way to understand him. But only pure strength can stop a freak out.

He was freaking out at Thanksgiving in the hot tub in AZ and some lady said, "What's wrong with him?"

I wanted to punch her.

Like seriously but instead I said, "He is handicapped, clearly."

As Ammon was tearing my hair out and biting my shoulder and I was trying to restrain him from running away and screaming in the public area.

Then she said again, "But why is he doing that-whats wrong with him."

Then I said probably ruder than I have ever talked to anyone, "He is autistic!"

Then Brad turned to her and said, "He is pretty severe."

She then asked what autism was and I learned quite quickly she was an uneducated soul.

We always joke about what Ammon will think of each of us when he can tell us in heaven.

He will say, "Mom- wasn't scared of you, you couldn't chase me or hold me down."

"Dad I was terrified of you."

"Miles I loved your baby hands and just wanted to bite them all the time, sorry about that I had a thing with biting."

I was on the phone with my mom today and Lad (Number 15) came in and said, "Mom can you PLEASE get Ammon to stop biting me?- he keeps saying, "Bite Please" and then bites me wherever!"

Oh Lad, just get over it and take the bites.

I wanted to take a picture with every sibling of mine that was home holding Miles. We knew Ammon would be tricky.

So Landon helped out-sometimes pure strength is the best thing to take with you when you have Ammon.

He kept grunting and grimmacing. And even bit Miles hand a few times.

Then a miracle happened.

And he just turned and smiled like he was a normal kid on a normal day.

We were all shocked and showed everyone.

He hardly ever looks at you or acknowledges you exist, and never smiles for the camera. And they were combo-ed. Best combo ever.

Then he went to biting his hands and grabbing Miles' hand to bite it.

We let Miles touch his face and play with him for a minute.

See how Miles is laying here? Shortly after Ammon pulled up his right hand to his mouth to bite and that put Miles in a complete choke hold. Ammon was rocking and biting all the while Miles is getting choked. But that's why we brought Landon around.

He saved Miles real quick. And we all had a quick laugh and I scooped Miles up to the rescue.

Ammon goes to a school in Utah now where the rest of my siblings go to Idaho-we live on the border.

My mom drives him everyday the distance of about 3 hours round trip.

Good mom.

He is FINALLY getting the help he needs with trained professionals.

God Bless them.

Seriously for their safety.

My mom casually tells me that several of them have been sent to the hospital from Ammon, and its a normal thing.

One lady was bit by him. And she was older so they were worried about the blood vessels or something.

Another lady was restraining him and was standing behind him with her arms around him and he dropped quickly to the floor and that put her back out and she couldn't move.

And I think all the others have just been bit by him.
But these ladies love him with all their hearts, they told my mom they put his name in the temple, and my mom constantly apologizes to them and thanks them, and they just love him.
He has his own room at school, with a swing and padded walls and there is even a rock climbing wall.

Now you think we should teach him how to not bite.

Well people always give us advice, and they are just passerbys. 

Me a Kindergarten teacher-college degree of how to teach children........

would say to you, "You take him for 15 minutes, then you will give him right back and say, sorry I ever gave you any misplaced advice."

My mom said today he took a box of lightbulbs and started crushing them all over the house.

Our house has probably hmmmm over $40,000 of damage throughout it from him.

Mostly caused by flooding and smashing and unscrewing things.
He runs away constantly, and my mom said on the other day on the phone, "Oh Ammon is running through the snow drifts barefooted again, Oh wait! He has socks on!"
Perfect, glad he is protected from frostbite by socks.
Ammon is known for just taking things off of people's plates, or their plate altogether.
At Thanksgiving dinner this year, he just sat down by me while Brad was getting a drink and just started eating Brad's food with his hands.
My mom laughed and said, "Oh sorry, Ammon get away that is Brad's plate."
Brad graciously said, "I'll get a new one, no problem."
Haha. Ammon is KING of picking at everything.

These videos I had to split up but they are just awesome..and show a tad of his frustrated side, nothing comparative to what he can do, but he gets frustrated when things are out of order, not how he wanted them to be, when he can't have or do something, or when his 'stemming' (autistic word) is interrupted. 

So he has a robotic voice, freaks out and screams and bites his hands a lot (as you can see the damage to his hands in this video)
But he against all autistic standards, loves to cuddle and be held and give kisses.
He does love to unscrew anything in sight and Brad and Landon love to joke and make fun of his crazy dancing and jumping he does, but I think he will laugh in heaven, because they are quite funny and amazing.
Sometimes he will just come and sit on my lap and be still and I talk to him like he was a little baby again, and someday, he will be able to tell me he loves me in a non robotic voice where my mom or dad tells him what to say to me.
I hate it when he gets sad, I mean his freak outs are one thing, but sometimes he gets really sad when he hurts someone during his freak outs and realizes it.
So he is in there, he is a little boy in there, its just buried really deep and really hard to find, but it does come out sometimes.
He makes us laugh, makes us stressed, makes us not be able to go to any public places without feeling like we are being scrutinized and judged, but he also makes us humble, and better, and stronger and faster for chasing him and restraining him from hurting others and himself.
He makes us be able to deal and love people who are handicapped and different.
He is somebody's brother, son, nephew, grandson, and loved one.
My mom has been through all the grieving stages of having a handicapped child, several times over again but ultimately she knows one day she will be able to have a conversation with him and he will be able to hug her and say, "I love you mom."
But until then, she will ask him to go open the garage door, and wait outside in the car in a rainstorm for 20 minutes just hoping he will actually do it...... someday mom.
We love Ammon.
And his name really is a warrior name.

Meet my siblings Day 3: Meet Ian

Ian has always been a character. He LOVES dressing up and when he was super little he would MAKE his own costumes...like he made a jedi knight costume and cut it all out himself...

He hadn't even seen star wars. Brad and I decided that only smart people obsess themselves with star wars...Hence Ian's attraction to it.

Once he wrote his letter to santa in Star Wars language which he memorized.

He was 5.

See his previous SIBLING post HERE.

(Ian Far Right)

He is very serious and intellectual, and always has important things to say.

But he is still a kid and loves Legos.

Like obsessively loves legos.

Just watch a little of THIS

And THIS

And there is FIVE parts to it...so we could go on forever. 

To see what a little cute nerd he is.

He FORCED me to film his entire star wars battle with legos...

IT was about 15 minutes long.

Then somehow I deleted it. 

He cried and cried.

Then Brad re-filmed it.

I was burnt out.

He loved playing with Miles over the Christmas break. 

He thought it was fascinating that he would eat and chew on anything within reach.

He also asked all sorts of developmental questions....

Is he walking?

When will he talk?

What does he eat?

Like he was a research project...

but that's how a lot of things go for him.

Here is cute Ian and Lad (Number 15) at Brooke's (Number 1) wedding

So lucky to get a little shot with these two comrades. 

The way Ian talks is something else. He speaks as if he is so well rounded and edified and sophisticated.

About a year ago I had him for Christmas.

First we had an email conversation

Ian's Email to me: I was wondering what Lego star wars set you were getting for me. Well I've figured out what sets I've wanted. 2258 and 2112. Thank you. That reminds me of Thanksgiving. Are you coming home? Bye!

My email back to him:

Well I already bought them so I guess u will have to wait and see, nope we are going to dallas tx to visit brads sister but we will be there for christmas!

His email back to me:

Yeah, whatever. Its good to not know your presents for Christmas. Well thank-you anyway. See you next month!
PS, 2258 and 2112 are ninja-go sets, and I corrected your letter.

(my previous email was after his email, all corrected notice how he changed you, added capitalization HAHA)

Well I already bought them so I guess you will have to wait and see, nope we are going to Dallas, TX to visit Brad's sister but we will be there for Christmas!

So that was the start of something that I never could have expected.

He then called me at least once a week to see if I had gotten it, and he then sent me a list of about 20 options for lego sets he could have.

One conversation went like this:

Me: Hello.

Ian: Hello, I was wondering if you and Brad have bought my Christmas present yet.

Me: Ian, its November 20, I still have a month.

Ian: Well I need to send you an updated list of all the ones I want. What is your budget for me? If $50.00 is too much I have included some lower priced ones, $25.00 ones, $20.00 ones..

What is your budget?

Me: Ian, I have to talk to Brad, he wanted to help choose the set we get you.

Ian: Where is he, talk to him now.

Me: Well he is playing basketball.

Ian: In this weather?

Me: No he is playing at a church.

Ian: Okay, well what is his number I will call him.

Me: Ian, he won't answer his phone and I will talk to him when he gets home and we will decide and we will buy your present and it will be a surprise to you! So stop asking me, and stop calling me.

Ian: Bye.

He is smarter than all of us put together this kid.

Over Christmas break he was telling Brad all of the body systems and what they do.

Hello? I don't even know that, and I am married to a med student and I am 24 and have a bachelors degree, and my little squirt baby brother knows it? Well who memorizes a star wars language when they are 5?

Ian used to make paper people, and he would spend all of this time drawing them and cutting them out and making them stand up, and obviously it drove my mom crazy because he used to make hundreds and he would have a full room of paper people. They were so mini like the size of a baby carrot. Now in his spare time he still builds those, and also legos is his main consumption of time.

When I was home a few times ago he asked Brad to teach him Powerpoint. He thought Brad was so smart because he is, but Brad said to him, "What? I don't even know how to use that, ask Brittany."

Ian was shocked that I knew how to use it, he thought that only SMART people could use things like that, and me being a teacher of 5 year olds, shouldn't know how to use something like Powerpoint. So I taught him and he was pretty amazed and made his own powerpoint within a few minutes.

Genius.

Because he is unique and brilliant, its so sad to me that he gets picked on at school and I was talking with his principal (because my good friend married this guy and moved back and her husband is now the Elementary Principal so we stopped by and saw him) and he said Ian is annoyed at their lack of desire to learn and they make fun of him because kids make fun of anything that is different and unique, and Ian is unique, he is creative and a designer and artistic but at the same time smart with everything else related to being scholarly...

Also, he told me some interesting things....that Ian INSISTS on being called Hans at school..

Bahahahahhahaa

So he has been called Hans at school for some time now, but at home we call him Ian and always have.

(His first name is Hans-Hans Ian Hansen.)

Oh Ian you are full of surprises.

Ian Number 14. 

Love him to pieces. 

Meet my siblings Day 2: Meet Lad

Remember how I am doing a montage of my siblings??

Well Lad is next. Number 15. Lad was named Matthew Lad, and I still call him that....and it is fun to tell people his name is Lad.

Its weird maybe a little, but it fits the little chap just perfectly.

Ever since he was little he was such a hard worker. I remember him working with Landon all the time. 

He would be following him along without saying one complaint but just doing what he was told.

He is quiet and kind, but has a temper of some sort.
See his previous SIBLING post HERE.

I was so surprised by him after bringing Miles home for Christmas.

He loved him. Truly truly loved him.

He would always want to hold him and play with him. He would go check on him for me over and over again while he was sleeping.

He also would run up 3 floors just to go get me his Sophie the Giraffe, or his blanket, or a diaper.

Truly a gem little Lad.

Its sad to me that I am not around my siblings to watch them grow up, but Lad is obviously number 15, so he is the bottom of the patch, meaning he is the littlest boy, which means he probably gets left out a little, and he probably has to fend for himself a lot.

My favorite part of Christmas break is when we were all playing Uno (like 13 of us) and I laid a draw 4 on him, and he couldn't handle it, it was too much, he put his head down and started to cry. Brad tried to console him and Landon drug his head up and said, "Toughen up."

Then it started happening on anything, when he got skipped or sometimes he would get a draw 16 after they all piled up. He was just in and out of tears that entire card playing experience. (Ian as well-number 14)

Finally Tanner (number 4) said, "These two just can't handle any type of defeat, they are too tired."

So then Sally (number 8) (maybe Echo (number 10) I can't remember) said, "You guys just need to go to bed." And they both ran out of the room crying going different ways.

Clearly they were gamed out.

He is a passionate little boy and loves kids, loves legos, and loves his family.

He is a hard worker and good at taking care of things.

My prediction is that he will be successful in life.

My mom says he will get home from school (ever since he was in Kindergarten) and get his homework right out the minute he walks off the bus and starts working on it. Then finishes it and puts it right back in his backpack. Oh I love him. He was my little sweetie baby. My Miles reminds me of Lad when he was a baby. Chunky and sweet.

Love him.

Lad Sibling Number 15.

Meet my siblings Day 1: Meet Faith

A long time ago, I posted about my siblings. In 2008. Wowzeroni. Now I want to do it again. Starting with Faith again of course. My family has loved looking back at their personalities and even used it for projects and such. I love all of my siblings-yes even the flatulent ones. (Brad will say I have no room to talk-he says the Hansen's have gastrointestinal problems-whatever that means).

The first time he met Sally-she farted. The first things she ever said to him was, "Sorry that reeks."

So my family is special in my heart. Very special, and being here in Lubbock makes me appreciate them and love them more than ever. And having a little boy grow up without being around his dear extended family constantly, breaks my heart. So this will suffice until Landon, Tanner, and my dad and MAYBE my little Faith, will travel to OK 5 hours away to do a pivot job. More on that later gater.

PS I have this SERIOUS rhyming problem right now. Everything I say last, I throw in a non-word rhyme. I know its strange and disturbing burbing.

So my siblings go as follows. Brooke, Tosha, Hannah, Tanner, Summer, Landon, (me-Brittany), Sally, Shad, Echo, Ethan, Chandler, Ammon, Ian, Lad, Faith

Faithy-poo.

The first thing I can say about her, is that she loves to hug and kiss and be all up in your face. She turned 5 in June, and my mom wasn't ready to send her to Kindergarten because the class was going to have 40 kids, and I advised her against it, and my parents live 30 minutes away from the school (its country folks) and it was going to be half day. So my mom just said-can it. Really I think its because my mom has a little attachment issue, but that's okay for a mom of 16 to have that problem with number 16.

Faith has this thing about saying the cutest things in the world. When we were getting Miles' ultrasound at 20 weeks, she came with us. She was talking and talking on the way there then we got there and SILENCE. She was in shock or something. We told her we were going to LOOK at the baby. Then as we were walking out she said, "Brittany, where's the baby?"

I said- In my tummy, silly.

She said, But I thought we were going to see the baby today.

I said, We did on the screen.

She said, But I couldn't see it, why don't we get it, let's get the baby out.

I continued to tell her that I was not HAVING the baby today. We were just having an ultrasound to find out if it was a boy or a girl.

She then said, Ohhhhhhhhh Why didn't you tell me!

Oh Faithy poo.

My favorite video of her ever is one I took while I was driving.....ya sketchy but I was looking at the road in my defense.

Click here for Faith

If you aren't facebook friends with me you probably will not be able to watch it.

Faith loves her sisters, and its like she has extra moms. She also loves my mom and goes with her everywhere. The other day I called my mom, and my mom handed her the phone and after talking to her I said, Ok where is mom? She said, Oh I she went into a store.

Me: What! She left you in the car? Are the doors locked? Where are you?

Faith: Hmmm I don't know I just see a building.

Me: Oh perfect aren't you scared? A bad guy could come. Make sure the doors are locked.

Faith: Okay hold on, I'm watching this movie and I gotta push pause so I'm setting the phone down.

Long pause, hear scuffling. 

Me: Faith? Where is mom?

Faith: I don't know but now I am scared, is a bad guy going to come?

Me: No, well I don't know.

Faith: Well I'm going to go find her.

Me: No no no no just stay in the car.

Hear a door slam.

Faith: How does this snow get so dirty?

Me: Faith what are you doing? Go back to the car.

Faith: I'm going in this store but I can't see her....hmmmmm.

Me: Okay go back to the car right now.

Phone cuts out...

Awesome I just helped my little sister get lost who knows where they are.

My mom did end up calling me back saying that Faith did go back to the car and my mom came right back out and apparently they were not at a real like grocery store but some honkey donk print shop. So...it was all going to be okay.

But I did realize I am more paranoid than both my mom and Faith apparently.

Faith is so serious about being tough and winning and she loves everyone.

So many times she has just thrown a total fit when I have left, so mostly we sneak out without saying goodbye to her...its easier.

She obviously is spoiled being the youngest of 16, but also kinda independent. 

She cried when she found out Miles was a boy. She went to the ultrasound that day as mentioned previously and she really didn't like it when we cut the cake and found out it was a boy.

She started to cry right away. I don't like playing with BOYS!

Well she actually does....hence why Miles got the Chicken Pox from her.

All her kisses behind our backs.

She went through this stage of grrrrr smiling.

She still calls me Brinnee.

I don't mind.

She loves to tease and kiss and hug.

She also loves junky things...hence why she went crazy with my jewelry a few years ago at my house.

She has the blonde and blue like nobody's business.

She wants everyone to hold her and hates being left behind, which is ironic her being the rear end of our family.

But she also is the highlight of our family. She makes us all laugh and not take life so seriously.

She is a bit spoiled by all of us.

I think my parents are tired frankly, so they have loosened up in their old age, so Faith throws a fit and they just watch her and go on about their life.

If I would have thrown a fit like that I would be apologizing to everyone and kissing whoever I just punched....but she has spunk and more personality than all of my siblings put together.

She has 5 older brothers....so Echo who is almost 19 is her closest sister...so she is boyish.

She's long and lean, and will probably be taller than me so I officially will be the shortest sister.

She is so observant and doesn't miss a thing.

She loves her niece Jemma and probably sees her the most because they live the closest.

She is so helpful if she wants to be. With Miles she will do anything and play with him forever.

She can be quite moody at the drop of a hat. That's just her fire.

She is such a thinker and always saying things that make you go hmmmm.....I have really NEVER thought of that Faithy.

She loves life, and doesn't like it when she isn't involved in everything. (PS I'm pregnant in this picture-so excuse the lardy)

She is adventurous and hasn't been scared of anything. She is silly and happy and kinda clingy actually.

Sometimes she just never stops sitting on your lap playing with your hair and kissing you on the cheek. Its so funny because my mom is NOT like that at all, and yet Faith is like that to her, and to me and to her sisters. She is everyone's favorite sister, and how could she not be, her energy and excitement is contagious, and I love her.

Faith Sibling Number 16