Photos of the cuties

These are mostly for Jeremy, but I hope you enjoy too.

We went to the park with Addie's friend Eliza and her mommy (last time before they move :( we will miss them)

 

Sunday I told Addie that we needed to get her dress on. She runs into my closet, finds Jeremy T-shirt and throws it on and tells me she is ready. Guess she thought the construction was close enough.

 

My cute boy sleeping. For some reason it turned on it side and won't turn the right way.

I was doing Addie's 3 year interview and asked her what her favorite song was. She said it was a blankie song. I asked her to sing it and this is what she sang.

It is amazing the progress babies can make in only a matter of weeks. Here is barrett last week and then yesterday. (His doctor told me I need to engage him during tummy time because he would just lay there and do nothing the entire time)

Do you like his warrior call? It was so cute.

 

A day in parenthood

Last night I went to bed a little late. Not because I consciously did so, but because I was trying to finish part of a project I have been working on the last couple of weeks. It wasn't till I glanced up and looked at the clock did I realize it was 12:37. Well I immediately got up and shut down the house and closed my project.

Sleep is very important to my productivity on a normal day so with these extraordinary circumstances, well you know.

Last night, even though Barrett slept through the night, Addie had a nightmare. At about 5am she was knocking on my door. I was so tired I could barely comprehend what she was saying. I was able to make out "Can I be with you, Mama?"

Of course I agreed. She hoped on Jeremy's side of the bed, tried to chat with me, to which I promptly replied it was nighttime and to go to sleep. When I woke up to feed Barrett at about 7, she was sound asleep cuddled up as close to me as possible.

We ended up waking up about 8:15.

---------------------------------------------------

I apparently wasn't paying enough attention to Addie when working on a different project. She came up to what I was working on and poured milk on it. At first thought it was an accident till I looked up and saw that she had done it intentionally. 

I took a moment of...course correction...and sent her to her room. Two minutes later I hear, "Mama, I happy. Can I please come down?" She had to wait her allotted 3 minutes before she came down.

I took those 3 minutes to re-prioritize what I was doing (also taking a moment to reflect on my own behavior) and put away what I was working on and then I opened my computer to lds.org and looked up controlling emotions. I came up with the talk "Agency and Anger" by Lynn G. Robbins (great talk by the way) and read "A cunning part of his [Satan] strategy is to dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion that we cannot control.  

When Addie was allowed to come back down stairs, she got special Addie and Mommy time.

Please don't judge...I was taking the photo and don't actually look this big

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Today, Barrett had his 5 month check up (He is healthy and strong, by the way.) The doctor noticed that he is rather attached to me. I was like, "Well, ya, duh." 

She elaborated, saying that he looks at me and say "Mmma Mmmmo Mmma." She said that it was rather early for him to do that and that he must love his mama. 

Ever since she told me this I have noticed him doing it all day. I don't know why (okay maybe I do,) but this has made me smile each time.

I added this last photo for Jer -- Barrett was holding Addie's hand! So cute.

Living the Dream

  "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage;

be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God

is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

-Joshua 1:9

--------------------------------------------------------------

My last week has been a little stressful. I was trying my best to prepare for Jeremy leaving. Laundry, Groceries, small fixes around the house, and trying to squeeze in a date were just a couple things on my page long list.

I kept asking that time would go slower. I wanted time to go slower, and yet it seem to keep just racing by me. I somehow was able to get it all done but it was on the heels of Jeremy leaving.

I dropped him of at the airport last night. I told him how much I loved him and to be safe (I might have shed a couple of tears as well.) I rallied my spirit and drove away.

 

As I drove away from my husband and home to my kids I talked with my Heavenly Father. He comforted me just like He always does. He listened to all my worries and fears, even those that were totally unrelated to my current "crisis".

I walked in my door with my spirit strengthened. I know I can do this. I have done it before and I know I will have to do it again. This will hardly be my last trial in life.

One of Jeremy's favorite answers when some one asks him how he is doing is "Living the dream." Several times this week people have said this to me.It always makes me smile for I really do feel like I am living the dream.

I am so grateful for this life. And even though my dream is far from perfect, I am striving for it everyday. It requires sacrifice, courage, perseverance, and every ounce of prayer and faith I have in me. I know that at the end of all of this, each moment of hardship, will shine through not only myself but (hopefully) my children too. 

I really am living the dream. I get to experience joy and strive for something beyond myself.