5 Months Old Already

Gideon has now hit the 5 month mark.  He is my sweet little boy and I just love every moment I have to cuddle and play with him.  He is really beginning to enjoy toys and will grab at anything that comes near enough to him.  He loves to pull out his pacifier and then put it back in his mouth and we all love watching him try to do this.  As he was sitting on the counter this afternoon as I was making dinner I handed him a spoon and from his expression you would have thought it was the greatest toy around.  This occupied him for quite some time.  When I pick him up he wraps his arms around my neck and grabs at the back of my neck and just holds on.  I love it...it's like he's giving me hugs.  He babbles a lot now and loves to chew on his fingers.  He recently found his toes as well so he is often seen grabbing at his feet and pulling on his toes.  I have been a bit confused the last few days because I would look over at him as he was playing on the floor and think to myself, "I need to go over and wipe his nose (he has had a runny nose for a few days now)."  Seldom, however, do I get over to wipe it right away as I seem to get sidetracked quite easily by our other kiddos.  When I would go over to wipe his nose I would discover it didn't need it anymore.  Yesterday I finally figured out why!  Scout is taking care of it for him.  Scout will go over and lay down next to  Gideon and lick his snotty nose until it is all clean!  And, Gideon doesn't mind one bit.  Now, if I could only get Joshie to let Scout help him too I would have it made!

And, last but certainly not least, Gideon can sit up by himself now!  He can last about 15 seconds before toppling over!  We sure love this little man and his smiles bring me such joy!

Milk is All I Need

This afternoon we decided to let Gideon try out some rice cereal.  It was very evident that he was not a fan of it at all!  All kids struggle with their first attempt at eating solids but his reaction was priceless as he let us know that all he is just fine with living on milk for now.  I really don't mind either because it is much easier for me to not have him eating solids yet.  Although Gideon's reaction was priceless, I think the funniest thing happened when Joshie came into the kitchen.  He saw Joel with the bowl of cereal and he got so excited.  He was saying to me, "Nummy!  Giddy food nummy!"  He had the greatest smile on his face and was so excited.  I asked him if he wanted some of Gideon's food and he immediately agreed so I sat him up on the counter.  While I was getting the camera ready he was all smiles and excitedly saying, "Nummies.  Yea, nummies!"  As you can see from the video, he was sadly disappointed!  Joel and I got quite the laugh from it though.  I just love our little kiddos.  It is so fun to see them try new things and to see them react to different funny situations! They definitely make life fulfilling.

Spring Break?

Our kids have been out of school this week for spring break, although it really hasn't been much of a "spring" break.  It's been super cold and snowed a couple days.  The warmest day was about 35 degrees outside so we went to the park for a couple hours.  The kids acted as if they had never been to a park before.  It is the first time we've been to a park for quite a few months so they were in heaven.  Joshie is such a big kid now and knows exactly where he wants to go and what he wants to do.  It was so fun to watch him. 

I've enjoyed having the kids home with me this week.  It has been a little difficult of a week for me; however, because it has reminded me of how far away we are from our family now.  Even though the kids had af ull week off school we live too far from family to go and visit.  So, we just spent time at home together.  It was fun to play games with Thomas and Spring during naptime and to have them so eager to help me prepare dinner each night.  Our kiddos are growing up and I love the people they are becoming.  I am truly blessed to be their mom.

Sunday Walk

This afternoon it was beautiful outside and a whopping 52 degrees so we decided to go for a walk.  According to the kids it was so "hot" outside that Thomas and Spring wore flilp flops and jackets were soon shed during the walk.  Joshie kept dragging his coat behind him regardless of how many times we put it back on him.  As we were walking we realized that this was the first walk Gideon has ever been on and he is almost 5 months old.  I guess that is a true indicator of living in a much colder climate than we are used to.  I'm glad we enjoyed the weather today because it has started to rain this evening.  This next week is spring break for our kids and rain or snow is forecasted everyday!  According to Spring, "this isn't much of a spring break!"

Sunday Snippets

I love Sundays that we can just spend time together at home doing fun simple things together.  When we first got home from church Joshie was supposed to be getting changed out of his church clothes.  He found a wonderful diversion in Thomas' hat, however.  He was putting it on and saying, "Look..I Thomas.  I funny!"  He is just too cute for his own good.  Later in the afternoon, when Joel got home from meetings, he taught Sammy how to polish his church shoes.  Sammy loved being able to do this with his dad.  Thomas and Spring have been wanting to learn how to blog as well so this evening we sat down with them and helped them set up their own blog.  It was really fun to watch them excited about being able to write on their own blogs.  Today has been a wonderful day.

Crazy for Cupcakes!

We went "Crazy for Cupcakes" at the library yesterday.  It was a program geared for children ages 4-6 years old focused on cupcakes.  The librarians read some fun stories about cupcakes to the kids.  Then the kids played a game with cupcakes pictures, used an I-pad to "make" cupcakes, and then got to decorate their very own cupcake to eat.  Sammy and Mary were so excited to have their very own program at the library.  Joshie was able to join in as well.  Thomas, Spring, and Joel joined us partway through and Spring was able to use the I-pad as well.  (They had spent the morning at work with Joel.)  It was a very fun morning together.

So Many Good Days

I am so grateful for Sammy.  The last few months I have really been struggling with him.  He was fighting against me on everything he was asked to do.  He was teasing his siblings, being mean to them, and just being wildly disobedient all day long.  I struggled all day with him and by the time Joel would get home I would just say to Joel, "I'm done with him.  I don't know what else to do.  I'm just done."  Then, at night when he was asleep and things were calm again I would recommitt to starting a new day with him and making it better.  The problem was it just never was any better.  The next day would just be a repeat of the day before and I began to feel like we were reliving day after day of bad days.  I struggled with feelings of not wanting to be around him.  I love him and that love never faltered; however, I did not like to be around him.  I found myself actually thinking, "I just can't wait until he goes to school and I get a break from him."  It broke my heart that I was having these thoughts and feelings because I have never looked forward to my kids going off to school.  I felt like a failure as a mom, especially as Sammy's mom.  I continued to pray for the patience I needed so desperately with him but I just wasn't seeing any improvement.

One morning I got up early before any of the kids were awake and prayed hard for guidance throughout the day.  I prayed for help to see Sammy through our Father in Heaven's eyes.  I know Sammy is His son and Sammy has divine potential...I just couldn't see it because I was blinded by my frustrations of his actions.  I stayed on my knees for a really long time that morning and found myself in tears as I thought of my dear Sammy and how scared I was for him if we could not find a way to turn the corner in our relationship.  I once again committed to having a better attitude toward him.  The day started much the same, however, with him pestering and picking at everyone and seemingly ignoring all my requests, pleas, and eventual threats to stop and treat others kindly.  I was feeling like once again I failed.  Later that morning, in a rare quiet moment, I picked up the recent conference edition of the Ensign and it literally fell open to Sister Wixom's talk entitled, "Stay on the Path."  What a tender mercy this was to me.  It was as if she was speaking right to me.  This particular passage hit me to the very core:

For children all over the world, we say: “Take my hand. Hold on tight. We will stay on the path together back to our Heavenly Father.”  Parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, Primary leaders—each of us can reach out to hold on to the children. We can stop, kneel down, and look into their eyes and feel of their innate desire to follow the Savior. Take hold of their hands. Walk with them. It is our chance to anchor them on the path of faith.

I needed to stop, kneel down, and look into Sammy's eyes. He does have a desire to follow the Savior.  He wants to do what is right...he just needed me to take hold of his hand and walk WITH him.  I needed to take more time to show him of my love and my faith in him that he could do the right thing.  I realized this was the answer to my prayer.  I needed to help him want to have good days.  I needed to find the good things he did each day and focus on that and then when he needed correction, I needed to stop, kneel down, and look into his eyes to talk with him.  I started right away!

Whereas we don't have perfection (which I don't expect to have), we have had countless "good days."  I once again not only love Sammy but I can wholeheartedly say, "I love being with Sammy."  I love having him around.  He is still our fun loving, silly, goofy, and energetic child which is what makes him who he is and we never want to lose that part of him.  On the other hand he is responding right away to our requests and corrections. He will say, "OK, Mom" and then do what we have asked.  When he is beginning to get out of control and take things too far, it only takes a moment of me kneeling down and reminding him of the "good day" he wants to have and he replies, "Oh ya.  I forgot." and then his behavior changes.  He is so proud of the many good days he has been having.  He asked me the other day how many good days he has had in a row.  I had to honestly answer him, "Sammy, I don't know.  You've had so many good days that I can't even remember how many anymore!"  He just beamed, you know the beam that only Sammy can give...the beam that just makes me want to hug him and hold on to him forever.  How eternally grateful I am for the guidance I was blessed with, in answer to my prayers, that I was the one that needed to change in order to help Sammy want to change too.  These precious children we have been given the stewardship to raise are indeed our Heavenly Father's children.  He wants us to love them, teach them, and guide them back to Him and He will give us the inspiration we need to do this.

Thomas' 1st Ribbon Festival

Thomas participated in the Ribbon Festival on Saturday as well.  He performed 2 pieces, "Sonatina in C Major" and "The Mad Hornet."  I am amazed by his nerves of steel...he just never seems to get nervous.

Spring's First Ribbon Festival

Spring participated in the Ohio Music Teacher's Association's Ribbon Festival yesterday at Kent State University.  She played a memorized piece of music for a judge and received a ribbon for her participation.  Each year they earn a different color ribbon and this year's color was purple.  She was so happy to get a purple ribbon as it is her current favorite color.  She was very nervous waiting for her turn; however, you wouldn't be able to tell once she began playing. She did a wonderful job.

4 Months Ago...

...we welcomed Gideon into our family and the time has just gone much faster than this mother wishes it would have.  Although I love each new stage of life that we experience, a part of me always longs for more time of the sweet, cuddly newborn stage.  We are so blessed to have his sweet spirit in our home.  He is happy and joyful all the time, so content and happy to be in the midst of the chaos and noise.  I love to cuddle and hold him close.  I love that he will turn to me and flash a full smile and coo when he hears my voice.  It seriously makes my day!  He weighed in today at 13 pounds 10 ounces (25th percentile) and 24 1/4 inches long (35th percentile).  He is growing, thriving, and blessing us each day!  He enjoys tummy time and is beginning to grab at toys and put things in his mouth which is resulting in lots of slobber too!