Traditions

We are on church cleaning duty again this month. It's a wonderful opportunity to serve! The kids like it because after their jobs are done, we get to go for ice cream. As Camilla put it, "It's tradition". I love traditions that include ice cream, and I think Finley does too!

Oliver: Six Months

 It's amazing how half a year can go by in the blink of an eye! This boy is six months old and loving life. He brings me joy every day and I am so glad that he's a part of our family! He is such a special boy, always happy, always smiling even when he's struggling through teething and a cold. 

 He gets more fun every day! He has almost mastered sitting, is sleeping better at night, and has even started babbling non-stop. He carried out a whole conversation with someone the other day. All he said was "Ba-ba-ba" but man it was hilarious! It's so fun taking note of new things that they weren't doing the day before. It all goes by so fast!

 He has recently discovered his toes and they have quickly become his favorite thing to play with. They are always tucked up where he can reach them while he rolls around the floor. Sometimes he will even suck on his big toe.

 He adores his siblings and anyone who will give him the time of day really. People often comment about how happy he is, and he really is. I joked the other day that he's such a good baby that he makes it hard not to want more! We are seriously lucky with this boy. My very favorite thing though is when he wraps his arms all the way around my neck and presses his face against mine. He just learned how to blow raspberries on my cheek and it leaves us both laughing. I am so glad to be his mamma and can't wait to watch him grow!

The Sniffles

The snow has returned in full force. This morning after Camilla left for the bus I grabbed a shovel and started clearing the walks. Joseph was quick to join me and after explaining what was left I had to go back inside to sooth a crying babe. Joe came running in a few minutes later, frustrated that the snow was so heavy and he wasn't strong enough to push it. He stomped back down the steps and tried again. The next time he came in with a smile and exclaimed,"Mommy, I said a prayer and Heavenly Father made me strong! I can push the snow now!" I beamed with pride at my little guy, set a contented babe in the lap of his big brother, pulled my mitts back on and joined him in the driveway again. 

I spent the rest of my day surrounded by little people. I cleaned up the kitchen, baked some bread and put dinner in the slow cooker. I also wiped this boy's nose about a hundred times. We've all got a pretty bad case of the sniffles over here. 

Sowing Seeds

 I am ready for Winter to be over already! I've been looking at cute little herb gardens and pots of spinach on pinterest and can't wait for Spring to come. I have loved the idea of having Spinach growing indoors all year round and now that the stores are bringing out their soil and seeds again the boys and I spent the morning buying seeds and planting things. It was fun to answer all of their questions and see how excited they were about the growing process. 

I'm still on the hunt for a cute little herb planter, but for now these pots will do the trick!

 One thing I love about having Hyrum home for Kindergarten is the spontaneous opportunities we have to learn and practice. 

He got to use his spelling and writing skills to label the pots for me and I was super impressed with his neatness.

 Joe especially loved getting dirty and spraying the water!!

 We were fascinated by the different shapes, sizes, and colors of the seeds. I love the way their curiosity teaches us each day!

After Joe photobombed the tenth picture of the morning I decided he was too cute not to capture. I sure do love this boy and his zest for life!!

Toothless

After we arrived at the chiropractor this morning Camilla came to the front to show me a cool trick. She could twist her loose tooth all the way around and she thought it was hilarious! Loose teeth gross me out for some reason!!

She spent the rest of the afternoon playing and twisting it and wishing Daddy was home to pull it out. 

And then to her brother's delight, it came out while they were playing Wii. As I nursed the baby to sleep they all whooped and cheered for that dear sister of theirs. Now I just need to remind the tooth fairy to visit tonight!

Sweet Potatoe

 Ollie loves food! I cracked open a jar of sweet potatoes at lunch and scooped out the top quarter of the jar for his first try. He ate it up pretty quick and cried for more. So I scooped out another quarter for him to eat and he excitedly waved his arms around as I spooned it into his mouth. 

When that was finished he protested rather loudly. I cleaned out the rest of the jar, warmed it up, and fed it to him. Once we were finished his hungry tummy was satisfied and he had a nice, long afternoon nap!

This kid is growing up way too fast!!

Finding Renewal

 It's happening. The morning sun is greeting us earlier each day. We wake to soft rays of light sneaking through the curtains, and clear skies painted in pastel pinks and yellows.

As I tidy the bedrooms I crack open each window and take a deep breath. My nose tingles and my senses rejoice at the faint smells of Spring in the air!

At just about six months post-partum I am finally starting to feel like a normal person again! The combination of my new discovery of essential oils, a four year old who finally sleeps through the night consistently, and the added measure of light in each day has definitely played a part. My hair is still falling out like crazy but my emotions are leveling out and it feels nice to have a familiar flutter of joy in my heart once more. I have been waking up with more energy and a greater desire to live in the moment.

 It's amazing how quickly life can pass you by when you're preoccupied with the doing. Sometimes I find myself so busy and consumed by my mothering duties that I forget to look up and gaze upon their sweet faces as they tell me stories or share exciting things. I've been really trying to work on that one little thing lately and it has made such a huge difference. When they know that I am listening they are more prone to listen to me later when I ask them to help out. And when I stop to look into their eyes and really focus on them, my love for them deepens and so does my joy as a mother.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I am to be at home with them. It comes with it's fair share of challenges, heartache, and sometimes loneliness, but there is also a lot of amazing moments that I get to share with them because I am here. I love that I get to know their little quirks like the way Finley loves ketchup with his nuggets while his brothers prefer plum sauce. I also know that Joe likes his sandwiches with "just peanut butter" while Hyrum prefers plain honey. I know the way they like them cut and I also know that one of them really likes to change their mind a lot when it comes to making decisions.

I adore the way Finley plugs his nose when he eats cinnamon hearts because they're "picey". That boy is so grown up lately it hurts. The other day I set the table with a plastic fork for him and he was quick to protest, "I no want a baby fork please!" And when I told him it was naptime the other day he responded with a "yep-pease" and tucked himself into his bed.

If I wasn't at home all day I would miss Joe running inside from the yard to relieve himself in the bathroom and saying, "Whew! That was a good call!" It made me laugh. He also told me the other day that he loves everything that I cook for him and he will always eat it all gone. When I sing him to sleep at night he will rolls over at least three times to hug me, plant a kiss on my cheek, and tell me how much he loves me. I know he is feeling loved when he expresses love.

One of the biggest things I've noticed lately is how quickly they are growing and changing. Each day this week they have woken up looking a little bit older with fresh ways of thinking about the world around them. When I see my beautiful, blonde girl with curls in her hair and lipstick on for fun, a voice inside my head screams "Stop growing up!!" Her wisdom, quick whit, and concern for others amaze me every day!

Oliver greets me with smiles each morning and as I scoop him from his crib and wrap him in a hug I feel a love so deeply it hurts. His baby coos and newfound babble melt my heart and make me want to hug the stuffing right out of him. I hold him close enough to feel his baby breaths on my cheek and let him wrap his arms around my neck and grab a hand full of hair. I adore the way he sticks his lips out and arches his back after a satisfying nursing session. He loves to bounce in his jolly jumper, grab toys, and sit up in his highchair. He changes every day and my mother heart can hardly handle it! He is definitely my most clingy baby and always has a handful of my hair when he's propped on my hip. I remember getting the impression that he was going to be a special soul, and I definitely notice things about him that make this clear.

Hyrum will be going into grade one this year and is excited to ride the bus. I'm already anticipating how odd it will be to only have three kids at home (sounds strange, I know). The house feels more empty just thinking about it! He is such a tender soul with a genuine concern for all in the house, and especially the puppy lately. He went to bed practically in tears the other night because he was feeling bad that he hadn't played with Reese much during the day. As the tears tumbled from his cheeks, Reese moved in closer and nuzzled his hand. "She still loves you soo much!" I said. He laughed and quickly wiped his tears on the sleeve of his jammies and pulled her in for a snuggle. He takes after his Mamma big time and I can fully relate to his feelings and concern, because sometimes they are mine too.

There are some nights where I lay awake with tears tumbling from my cheeks after a hard mommy day and feel badly for spending so much time keeping up with the laundry and not enough time playing with the children. But even though I mess up on silly things day after day, or I raise my voice one too many times, they still climb up on my lap and give me the love I need to press forward. There is so much to be learned from these littles of mine and I am so grateful for this opportunity to glean from them! And to quote L.M Montgomery "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Practise Makes Perfect

 Just a boy...

 his dog...

and a piano.

Before my Eyes

Dear Camilla,

Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder how I got so lucky to have you as my oldest child. You are so passionate about life and have such a big heart! You have special willingness and desire to help that goes above and beyond what a seven year old should possess. You always want to be doing grown up things and most days I wonder if I expect too much of you.

On Sunday as I was using the rear view mirror to put on my lipstick you unbuckled yourself and came to the front, wishing out loud that I had pink lipstick like Auntie Naomi. The closest thing that I could find was my tinted lip gloss and you shrugged your shoulders and rubbed it on your smirking lips.

You are an absolute joy to be around with your witty sense of humor! I hope that you never lose that. If I'm ever having a bad day you are quick to cheer me up with a joke or kind word.  And if I'm having a moment of tears you quietly distract your brothers and play the role of big sister so well.

Always remember that you are talented! You possess many admirable qualities and are capable of so much. Perhaps this is why I push you so much. I can see your great potential! You have a talent for rhythm and music. You have a talent for dancing. You have a talent for making people laugh. You are amazing at seeing the needs of those around you and putting them above your own.

Never forget that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you very much! You have a divine role in this plan! In a world where chastity and moral purity are seen as old-fashioned I want to instill in your little heart a love for the Gospel and the importance of keeping the commandments. Even though it's hard to do what is right in a world of diminishing values, I want you to know that choosing the right will make you happy! I love that your personality is that of a leader and I hope that you will always strive to be a good example to those around you of a happy, virtuous life. 

Even though you were blessed with all brothers, there are many women in your life setting good examples and cheering you on! I am so glad that you have wonderful Aunts who spend time with you taking pictures, going on icecream dates, and setting good examples. You have wonderful grandmothers and great-grandmothers who have spent their lives relishing in the joy of motherhood. Enjoy their sweet spirits, feel of their love, and learn from their wealth of knowledge. And I hope that as you grow you will remember your own mother who sometimes loved you a little too much and pushed you to learn and grow.

A Loving Father

This afternoon as I watched Mr. Stannix and Ollie rock in the nursery I was filled with gratitude for the man who loves our littles. There is nothing I love more than seeing his strong arms wrapped tenderly around a child. I love when he hugs them, reads to them, and shares special moments with them. He plays the tough guy card pretty well, but he is a tender soul with a big heart. I am grateful for him and all that he does for us each day!

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families."

The Family: A Proclamation to the World