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.    

1 and 2 months

I've found myself not wanting to blog.  All I want to do it sit a soak in everyday.  Everyday is new and full of challenges but I'm loving it.  I finally figured out the sources of my constant infections and it's felt good to have four full weeks of no mastitis.  I feel good and that makes me all the more grateful for my health. Rae is growing and with it we have seen more of her personality.  I love this little munchkin, even when she keeps me up all night long.  She is full blown smiling now.  It's never a half smile, it's always an ear to ear smile.  Sometimes she'll forget she's sad and change her expression from crying to smiling and then back to crying if I'm smiling at her.  

She started standing and now grows impatient when we lay her down in our laps instead of letting her stand. She's found her voice and she's not shy about making the cutest noises as loud as she possibly can.  If Audrey is in the next room she will rush to listen and watch.  We all oo and ah over every new thing she does.  She's definitely not lacking attention...which I might regret later...or not. :) 

She's already using her eyebrows to support her new found expressions just like her sister.  The double brow lift is a popular one but the best if you can catch it is the single brow lift.   I always wonder what she's thinking when she does it. 

She is champion hair puller.  When I had Audrey I cut my hair off to avoid baby hands getting caught in my hair.  This time I left it long and I'm constantly having to unravel her hands from hair whether it's Audrey's or mine.  She uses it as her security blanket and always has two handfuls while I'm carrying her around.  

You might not believe it but she got her first hair cut.  She was sporting the old man hairdo where one section in the back grows but nothing else does, but now everything is evenly bald.  :)

She loves baths but she thinks she's a princess and it has to be done a certain way.  She must be wrapped in a towel when she takes the plunge or she screams.  With her towel around her in the water she is the happiest most relaxed baby.  For now I'll let her be a princess but eventually she'll have to accept not be wrapped in the water.  Bath time is Audrey's favorite thing to watch. She is obsessed with Rae and often tells her friends how cute and how special her baby sister is.  I'm not sure they care but I love that Audrey wants to shout her love from the rooftops.  Rae is equally obsessed and follows Audrey with her eyes wherever she goes.  I love that they love each other.  This little relationship is all I ever wanted for Audrey and I'm so glad that she has someone to call sister.

We had Raelyn's blessing on Sunday.  I was so grateful for Covid because it allowed us to have our families on Zoom.  It was nice for them to be there even though it wasn't in person.  Paul's parents were able to make the long trek up here and it was good to have them. I think Paul appreciated having his Dad be apart of the blessing.  

It was a beautiful blessing and I found myself crying before it even began.  I still have difficulty believing that this is my life and that she is here, but these bigger events in her life make it all the more real.  My friends were such a great support to me.  I invited each of them to her blessing but I didn't expect them all to show up.  The primary room was full of people that came out to be my stand in family.  I'm so grateful for them.  I couldn't have ever survived without living near family if it wasn't for good friends that Heavenly Father has blessed me with in each place I have moved to.    

The week Rod and Anne were here Paul enjoyed doing many projects and car maintenance with his Dad.  Audrey enjoyed spending time with her Anna.  It was so fun to come together each evening for games.  Audrey cried when they left.  Sometimes I don't realize how much living away from family can be hard on her too.  She often talks about wishing she could step through the I Pad to visit cousins and grandparents.  I have to agree with her, it would be pretty great.  Hopefully we can get down to visit them soon.  Until then facetime with have to do.  

Sadly I didn't get any photos of our family on her blessing day.  She was pretty sad all day long and when we got home to take photos she only made it through a few.  

I'll Be Home For Christmas

 This year we spent Christmas and Thanksgiving at home.  I was not about to not have a Thanksgiving meal so Paul and I cooked till 3:00 in the afternoon amidst diapers, naps, and feedings.  At 4:00 we enjoyed a delicious meal together, just the three of us while Rae slept.  I was missing family and the Thanksgiving festivities because it would have been a day with more rest and less time in the kitchen but we still enjoyed ourselves. 
December was just what we needed. We enjoyed serving all month long in ways that we could.  We always try to do Light the World and this year was no exception but we did less because it was harder to get out.  A few of my favorites for the month were taking our neighbors treats.  They were all so kind and so excited to see us because Covid has kept them in and to themselves.  Also making gingerbread houses, we started making the gingerbread together last year and it has been a fun tradition to continue.  This year we added jolly rancher windows which was so cool.  I also enjoyed going out to see lights at the zoo.  They were simple and there wasn't a lot but it was fun to get out and drive around together.  For the first time this year Audrey was able to be a Santa for someone else which was so fun.  She enjoyed picking out gifts and delivering them quietly to a little girl who wouldn't have gotten very much for Christmas.  I'm sure she will remember her first time being Santa for years to come.  
Audrey spent an entire month at the table this year making gifts for us.  At times I got frustrated with her about my dirty table.  Her crafts were piled a foot deep and filled the entire table for weeks on end.  I was always instructed to not look.  I tried to be a good Mom and allow her creativity but sometimes I was overwhelmed.  As I was putting presents under the tree on Christmas Eve I was overwhelmed with emotion.  I had been on her for a month about my table and she was just doing the best she could to show love to her family on Christmas.  I cried as I laid each of her boxes under the tree.  I think Heavenly Father was trying to teach me a lesson...a much needed lesson.  I was overwhelmed with his love for her.  I felt the spirit whisper quietly of Audrey's love for me and each member of our family.  It was such a beautiful feeling and I hope that next time I will have learned from my experience and let the dirty table slide.
Christmas morning was quiet and full of excitement from Audrey.  I took pictures of the girls in their nightgowns with my phone and then put Raelyn down to sleep while we opened presents. 
Audrey made Raelyn a book which was so so sweet.  She made Paul a bunch of airplanes and she made us some activity books.  The highlight of her gifts was a nativity made out of popsicle sticks.  I wish I had of gotten a photo of it.  I know all of her creativity was poured into it and I was surprised at the beauty of each piece.  I placed it on the shelf next to my other two small nativities and carefully took it down and packed it away for next year.  I want her to know how much her effort means to me.  I hope it lasts for years to come. 
Later in the day we played games and facetimed with family while eating a lot of pie.  It was pretty much the best Christmas ever.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been seeing more family but this year I was grateful to keep it simple.  

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Please excuse the phone photos.  I was being lazy.