Half a Year

For the last 6 months our family has been blessed by Sara's sweet spirit and smile.  Sometimes as I am rocking her I look down at her and wonder where my newborn baby girl went.  I love her chubby legs and giggles that make her tummy shake.  Her smile reminds me that our time here on earth is to find joy in all we do.  I don't want to miss any moment of our children growing up and I try so hard to document the little things so I can remember as they grow and change so quickly.  So, to help me in this cause, here are some highlights of sweet Sara halfway through her first year of life:

*She can sit up on her own.  I actually didn't know she could do this until Joshie called me in one day saying, "Look Mom! Sara can sit up all by herself!"  I came running into the room afraid to find her flat on her face but, sure enough, he was right.  He had sat her down on the floor and I saw her sitting for the first time with a big smile on her face.

*She scoots all over the place, backwards!  She can now twist around too so she scoots all over the place but it is always in a backward motion.  She is beginning to get up on her hands and knees and rocking so I'm sure crawling is in her near future.

*She loves to get up on her tiptoes and her fingers with her bum high in the air in a pike position.  She reminds me of Mary in this regard because Mary, to this day, still walks around on her curled under toes.

*I discovered today, while she was chewing on my finger, that she has her first tooth!  Not sure when that came through as I didn't even know she was teething.

*She has begun to eat vegetables and really enjoys them.  The first time I gave her some she could hardly get it fast enough.

*She is very ticklish.  I love to hear her giggles.

*She is the apple of Joshie and Giddy's eyes.  They constantly want to be on the floor talking and playing her her.  They will say, "Hi Sara" and give her kisses.  She absolutely lights up with their attention.

*She has found her voice and fills our home with shrieks of excitement.

*She loves to be held.  She will play on the floor or quite a while as well as long as she has someone within reach of her.  She definitely does not like to be alone.

STATS

 

15 pounds, 12 ounces

25.5 inches long

Father/Son & Mother/Daughter Weekend

All our children anxiously await the weekend of the Ward Father/Son Campout...including our girls.  The boys love to go camping with "just the boys" and the girls look forward to our "girls night" that they get to help plan.  This year the day of the scheduled campout turned out cold and wet.  There were major thunder and lightening storms and torrential rains causing the campout to be canceled.  Sammy and Joshie had packed the entire bus that morning before school so they would be ready to go as soon as Dad got home from work.  When we found out it was canceled there were many tears shed by many children and those that thought they were too old to cry, tried to hide their tears.  Joel promised the boys that night that he would take them the following weekend on their campout so that helped a little.

 

So, the following weekend FINALLY arrived!  The boys took off camping at Silver Springs Campground.  They enjoyed roasting hotdogs for dinner and making smores all night.  Joshie really wanted me to get the big marshmallows but after using them the boys all decided they are a little too big for smores and they are really messy!  The boys played kickball, baseball, games, and of course played with the fire as well.  Sammy loved the fire!  I am so grateful this is something they all look forward to so much.  Joel is an amazing dad and he finds so much joy in spending time with them and teaching them and listening to their endless stories.

 

The girls and I went to Steak N' Shake for dinner.  We had burgers and fries and then we had milkshakes afterwards.  The milkshakes were really big and we couldn't finish them which they thought was funny.  Then we did some crafty things at home while we talked and laughed.  They convinced me to let them paint my toenails.  Spring said to Mary, "You know the only reason Mom is letting us paint her toenails is because she can wear socks to hide it!"  I even wore flipflops the next morning so they could show off their handiwork.  Boy, were they excited about that!  The next morning Spring set the table really cute for us to have breakfast together.  She and Mary had been planning this for weeks.  Then we went grocery shopping together.  I love the time this gives me to spend with my girls and help them feel special.  They are amazing girls and I am so blessed to have them as my daughters.  They really help me so much in the little things at home and usually they just know what needs to done and they do it without needing to be asked first.  I so appreciate this in them.

Ice Cream with Representative Roegner

 

A few months back all the 4th graders in the area, about 400 total, were invited by Ohio State Representative, Kristina Roegner, to draw a picture that represented Ohio.  Spring loves art and anything that has to do with drawing so she was very excited about the opportunity.  She made a collage of things that represent Ohio.  Representative Roegner was then going to choose her favorite one to display in her office in Columbus.  A couple weeks ago I received a phone call informing us that Spring's artwork was chosen as a finalist.  Come to find out Representative Roegner narrowed the choices down to 8 pictures and could not choose between those so she decided all 8 would be winners.  The 8 winners were invited to have ice cream with her.  After getting their ice cream they went across the street to a park where they talked with Representative Roegner and she allowed them to ask her all sorts of questions and she taught them a little more about the job of a representative.  Spring loved the afternoon.  Her artwork was framed and a plague attached with her name and school.  The artwork will be on display in Columbus for a few months and then they will mail it, framed and all, back to her. 

I am so grateful she had this opportunity.  It has been fun to see Spring's excitement.  She accomplished something wonderful. She was disappointed after the Reflections contest this year because she didn't place in the visual arts category.  It was a disappointment and it is always hard to deal with those life experiences.  She worked through it though and realized there are many more opportunities.  When she was chosen for this she said she would much rather win this than the Reflections contest. I am grateful she has an amazing talent with drawing and that she looks for ways to magnify the talent and share it with others.

For my Mom

I find it difficult to put my heartfelt and tender thoughts about  my mom into words. She is my example of facing difficulties and struggles with optimism, courage, and grace.  She helped to shape my life in so many ways from the time I was a baby in her arms to today when I hold my babies in my arms. 

I always knew I was important to my mom.  She was there each and everyday as I came home from school excited to tell her about all the amazing things that happened that day or to express frustration or hurt over things that happened. I knew she would listen and she had the power to make all things better.  She had this way of making me feel like everything I wanted to tell her was momentous and grand. When I think about it now I realize most of the things I couldn't wait to tell her were really "small" things with little eternal consequence; however, she never let on that she knew this!  She would be awake waiting for me as I came home late at night from youth activities.  She packed my lunch each day and she was awake with me each morning even during all those years of early morning seminary.  She talks now about how much she doesn't like mornings but I would have never believed that when I was growing up because she was up each morning.  She drove me to countless activities and sporting events.  She cheered me on and consoled me when I didn't live up to my own expectations.  She would leave me a letter or note in my lunchbox or in my room.  How did she always know when I needed that and exactly what I needed to hear?  She found ways to spend special time with each of us.  Most importantly, she taught me the doctrines of faith, patience, repentance, forgiveness, the Atonement, and charity in her daily life.  I grew up seeing the gospel being practiced in a natural way and I wanted to me like my mom.  She taught me to work and to serve others. She made my life so easy while still teaching me the skills and work ethic I needed to be successful in my life.  She taught me the power of testimony.
 

I remember being so excited to go away to college. I was toatlly prepared and ready to make that next step in my life with no worries, or so I thought. She helped me move my stuff into my dorm room and we spent some time together getting ready for my first experience away from home.  I was so excited and so sure of myself.  Then it came time for her to leave.  I remember the moment vividly.  She drove me over to the field that I was to meet in for Freshmen Orientation.  There was a huge crowd of students there.  We talked for a few more minutes and then it was time to say goodbye. We hugged tightly and she told me how much she loved me.  Then I got out of the car and watched as my mom drove away.  I realized I wasn't brave and I wasn't ready to be on my own.  My heart dropped and I cried as she drove away.  I missed her so much.  All that time I thought I was ready to be on my own and I wasn't.  I needed my mom.

 

I realized that day that I will always need my mom and that has definitely not changed. I know she is always a phone call away.  There is that special bond that I know she loves me and she will listen and I can call her anytime and she will make me feel like all my "small" talk is "big" talk.  How blessed I am that I have a mom that prepared me to be on my own but is still there because I will never be ready to be without my mom.

 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! As I watched this video my eyes feel with tears and I realize how blessed I am that you put the music in me. I pray each day, through the struggles, fun times, heartaches, and joys of motherhood, that I will be able to be the strength and soft place to land for my children that you are to me.

On the Move

Sara has recently discovered mobility!  She moves all over the floor, backwards!  Just the last couple days she I have found her actually inching forward a couple of times but her usual method of movement is still backwards.  We often find her stuck under the couches...her legs all the way under the couch and not able to move.  She also finds herself stuck under her swing and in corners of the house.  I'm not ready for her to be moving so much but when I look over at her and she catches me watching her she just smiles the biggest toothless grin and I can't help but smile back.  I love this little girl and I love to watch the interaction our children have with her. 

Spring's Shadow

Gideon and Spring have become even closer buddies lately than they were before.  Spring is usually the one that gets Gideon out of bed in the morning and he hangs out with her while she is getting ready for school.  Part of this is because he can always convince her to carry him down the stairs when everyone else makes him walk down on his own!  He loves to hang out with her before school and is very excited when she gets home from school as well.  Spring is so cute with him and she takes the time to play with him and talk with him like he is the most important person to her.  Ofttimes when he is upset from being told "no" or not getting what he wants Spring will quietly walk up to him and kneel down by him.  She talks softly to him and he usually stops crying or whining almost immediately.  It's great though because she reinforces what he was told by Joel or I but he will listen to her and she is able to distract him enough to help him get over his frustrations.  I think my favorite thing about their relationship right now is that he ALWAYS wants her to change his poopy diapers.  When he needs a dirty diaper changed he will take wipes and a diaper to Spring.  She tries to get out of it and convince him to let someone else change his diaper but she is never successful.  Gideon just replies, "You!" and will chase her around the house with a new diaper.  At first he is laughing but if she doesn't give in quickly enough he will start to cry because he wants just her!  I LOVE it and hope he continues to want her; however, I think Spring is hoping this part of their relationship will not continue!

Even Better Than Conference

Last Friday we went to an Akron Aeros game because Spring was singing the National Anthem with her school choir.  All the kids were excited all week long for the game but Joshie's excitement couldn't be contained.  All week he would tell us how many more days until the baseball game and the fireworks.  Since it was a Friday game there were going to be fireworks after the game.  Well, the day of the game finally came and he was disappointed to learn he had to wait until after dinner to leave for the game.  Then, after the 1st inning he started asking when the fireworks were going to start.  We quickly realized it was really the fireworks that he was excited for.  Finally, the game ended and the fireworks began.  He was so happy!  He never took his eyes off the fireworks and we heard all sorts of "oohs and aahhs" from him along with some "WOW's!"  After a couple minutes into the show he said, without taking his eyes off the fireworks...

 

"Mom, this is my favorite thing ever.  It is the best.  It's even better than Conference!"

 

Who would have ever thought that General Conference and a fireworks show were so comparable to a 4 year old!