Easter

Easter was filled with all the things it should have been.  General Conference was exactly what I needed and once again Paul and I received answers to our questions. We've been so blessed to have Heavenly Father's hand in our lives.  This last year we were supposed to head back to Houston.  Paul talked it over with his supervisor and found a job here that would work for another couple years.  The whole time we were praying that if it was the right thing that things would just fall into place.  They did and as evidence Paul was blessed to not lose his job like many in his group did in Houston.  We also weren't in Houston during the pandemic which seemed crazy in comparison to our small town here. I also was able to have this sweet baby here in a small hospital with the most amazing midwives and Paul was able to attend the birth.  I might have been able to do it without him if I had to, but I wouldn't have been happy about it and everyone at the hospital would have known about my unhappiness.  :)

This year we had a similar decision to make and once again I saw things fall into place.  I'm so grateful for the ever present influence of Heavenly Father in my life, especially when it comes to big decisions like moving or having a baby.  

Easter was also filled with good food and lots of baby snuggles.  This year we were a little behind time with naps and conference and Audrey kept reminding us of all the traditional things we usually do.  Of course we got them all done but it took a little longer.  Hopefully next year I'll be a little more on top of things.  

I'm reminded daily of the beauty of the atonement and the plan of salvation.  Losing my nephew Wyatt is ever present in my mind and the joy that will be felt when we all get to see him again as well as my grandparents and Paul's will be overwhelming.  In a year when my good friend also lost her sister who left behind seven young children and her husband I'm grateful that I'm here today and that I get to watch these girls grow. 

I LOVE Easter and the chance we get to celebrate all these gifts given to us by our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Look a those bright eyes and those cheeks I get to kiss everyday!  I'm living my best life right now!

Nightly Reading

Reading is so important to me.  I hated it when I was younger.  I never wanted to read.  I'd find my older sister sitting and reading all the time but I couldn't understand her love for it.  It wasn't until I got into college that I started to find things I enjoyed reading and now I love reading.  If I had the time I would always be in the middle of one.  I also have a thing for books.  I have collected more than I should, considering the space I have.  I can't help but be drawn to the book section at Costco.  Some of them have such beautiful covers and a lot of them are stories I have read and want I want to share with Audrey.  

My most favorite thing to do with her is sit on the couch snuggled up to a good book.  I read to her and I can't help but choose a voice for each character.  In some books Audrey has been known to correct me if I mix up my voices. :)  Since Raelyn was born we've tried taking time to read to both girls.  I lay down every night and read to Rae.  Most of the time she ends out turning her head to look at me and not the book but I love that she seems to enjoy reading with me just as much as Audrey does.  

In the afternoon I sit down with Audrey toward the beginning of school and read a few chapters of a book with her.  Some of the books we've read over the last two years have are as follows:

The Tragical Tale of Birdie Bloom

Caterpillar Summer

The first two Harry Potter books

The Narnia Series

The Witch at Blackbird Pond

A Single Shard

The Island of the Blue Dolphins

The Penderwicks

Indian and the Cupboard

Number the Stars

and I'm sure many more that I'm not remembering.  

Even with all the reading I do Paul still gets his chance to read too.  Audrey can't seem to get enough and I secretly hope that Raelyn is the same way....but if not I'm sure we'll find our thing, whatever that may be.   

 

3 and 4 months

It's been increasingly difficult to get blogging done between teaching Audrey school and the busyness of having a baby.  So you'll have to settle for foggy memories at best.  Rae has become very vocal.  It's hard not to know what she wants. She's more spoiled than any other baby I know.  She doesn't spend much time on the floor or crying because someone is always willing to hold her.  

She went from staring at her hands and barely moving them to putting them to her mouth and sometimes holding toys for a short period of time. Now that she can get them to her mouth, she never stops eating her hands.  She also likes to find my hands and suck on those. She has tricked me many times into thinking that she's teething when she's not. 

She still likes baths although she doesn't mind being without a towel now.  She has grown a liking for the dog and follows her with her eyes wherever she goes.  She's mildly obsessed with the fan on our bedroom ceiling but only when it's moving. She only calms down for two things: David Archuleta and Nearer my God to Thee by Vocal Point.  

When we went to take pictures of Rae at 3 months I had to pull out the dress Lisa made Audrey that we took Audrey's 3 month photos in.  It was fun to put the pictures side by side and see the differences.  Pinch me!  I can't believe I get to be a Mom to these two girls. 

Of course there has been difficulty.  Raelyn is getting better at sleeping during the day but hardly sleeps at night.  I feel like a walking zombie and I often sleep in to try to get even just a little bit more sleep.  She is so gassy and it's been hard to nail down exactly how to remedy it.  We've tried just about everything, but all in all I still wake up to this smiling face and I'm so happy that she's here.  I'm hoping six months is the magical number for sleep.