Thoughts on Baby...

Somewhere along the way, it hits me that we are going to really have a baby joining our family in about a month. I alternate between thinking "I have plenty of time..." and "Gosh! There's stuff to do! I'd better get on it!"
Last Saturday, I started digging stuff out of the storage room - cradle, swing (which I haven't actually set up yet because the moment I do, I am going to have 2 little girls trying to get in it), nursing gear, etc.
My thoughts have drifted to the reality of a newborn, and again I alternate: sweet, tiny fingers and toes, 3am feedings, funny faces while they sleep, crying, fussing, pooping, sweet new baby smell, burping, feeling attached at the hip (or I should say breast), watching their eyes fill with wonder at every new little thing, and feeling like I am living in a sleep-deprived, non-motivated fog.
Yes... they sure come with their pluses and minuses. Good thing that our love for them outweighs everything else, right?
So...as I ponder the first 9 months of my baby's new life, I wonder if there's a way to have it all when it comes to the sleeping thing. Here's what I mean: I wonder if there's some trick that will help my baby sleep just as good in her own cradle or crib as she would in my arms, in a pack-in-play, on a blanket on the floor, or in her carseat. With #3, it's unlikely that I will be home for all the naps - and we do travel to Richfield a lot, so how do I encourage her to sleep WHEREVER she is when she's tired without making her DEPENDENT on rocking, feeding, binkis, etc to get to sleep?
My girls have both done well getting to sleep on their own. I usually put them down before they're totally asleep, so they can learn to fall asleep on their own, but when they are out of that environment (crib/cradle), they do not do well. They have a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. This causes me stress. There's a lady in my ward whom I completely envy. Her children until they're like 4 just fall asleep wherever they are when they're tired and she can just lay them on a blanket and they'll sleep through anything. She has 6 children. I ask her how she does it, but she just shrugs and insists that they've all just "been like that."
I love "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "The Baby Whisperer." The Happiest Baby is basically what I go off of for the first 3 months of their life, along with the E.A.S.Y. system of the Baby Whisperer. These give GREAT sleep tips, but the Baby Whisperer stresses routine and really "encourages" the baby to be home for naps & bedtime. The more children I have, the more I do not see that as being completely realistic.
So - any tips would be great!
I still have most of my baby "to-dos" unchecked, but I've started, which is good. Would be nice for this baby to have a name when she gets here, huh? We're workin' on it.
And...even though I've technically only got a month left, nobody go getting excited, OK? Remember I was late with both of my girls, so I'm not PLANNING on this baby coming early, or even on time. I can't say that I'm not jealous because it seems like everyone I know is going early, but I'm trying to be patient and have a good attitude.
And as hard as it is, please try to resist comments like these:
-"Wow, Heidi, it seems like you've been pregnant forever!" (really? huh, that's funny, because it feels that way to me, too!)
-(looking at pictures from last year) - "Geez, I didn't even recognize you in this picture!" and "Look how skinny you were!" (Big morale boosters!)
-"A month left?! Wow! Can't you just make them induce you?" (Not that I would anyway, but this is not an option with a home birth :)

Family Pictures

We got our pictures taken at the very end of August by Katherine Jenkins and I think they turned out really cute! I grew up with Katherine & you can see her website HERE. I think she did a terrific job & her price is GREAT!

Also, check out the cute storyboard she did. It was hilarious because Ireland was supposed to kiss my tummy, which she did, but then she went & kissed McKinley's tummy, too.

I love to see how our family has grown & changed in the past 5 years. Check out the pictures at the end that show our growing family. We are truly blessed!

2004

2005


2006

2007

2008

2009

Costume Swap & Make-up Ideas

I realize that Halloween is over a month away, but I have been thinking about it and wondering how I am going to come up with costumes considering that we have ZERO $ for that sort of thing right now.
So... here's my idea: a costume swap! I have costumes from the past few years that I'll post below, from newborn to 4T. I am looking for newborn (just in case this baby comes before Halloween!), 2T, and 4T-5T costumes. Let me know if you'd like to swap or even just let us borrow.
THANKS!

Sweet pea costume. McKinley was only 2 months old when she wore this.

Flower/Ladybug costume. Ireland was ADORABLE in this costume. She was just over 3 months old & it fit perfectly.

Doggie Costume. Would work for boy or girl. McKinley was 1 year old when she wore it.

Sooo cute butterfly costume. It's a 2T, but was almost too small when she wore it. I think it would work for 12M-2T.

Cheerleader Costume. This was last years' costume - I think it's a 3T. Comes w/ pom-poms!

And...if you need any make-up ideas for Halloween, here's some from Ireland. That girl has been driving me NUTS getting into my bathroom drawers!

Yes, folks, that is MASCARA

And some up-and-coming eye-liner ideas.

Four?!

OK - so as parents, we may have varying opinions on many different topics: breastfeeding, co-sleeping, binkis, spanking, etc, but I think there's one thing we ALL can agree on: Our kids grow up too fast!!

Seriously, will someone please explain to me, how my sweet pea went from this:



to this:

in seemingly the blink of an eye?

It truly amazes and baffles me how quickly they grow!

My sweet Miss McKinley turned 4 years old yesterday - on 9/9/09! In fact, she was born at 9:24am, so that makes this a pretty special birthday!


This year, McKinley had SUCH a hard time holding in her excitement. The night before her birthday, she kept saying "Mom - I just CAN'T WAIT for my surprises!" She said it in an excited way, but also frustrated because she just wanted her birthday to be here NOW! I just love it, because I was the same way growing up. Birthdays were a big deal!

So - here's the re-cap of her special day:


We woke her up about 8am, singing happy birthday. She only took a second to wake up and said "You're right mom! It IS my birthday!"

("breaking through" to the next year)

Her birthday breakfast request (after we denied her request for pizza) was for ebbelskeevers (it's a family recipe - if you don't know what they are - they're like little puffed pancakes that you dip in butter & powdered sugar/cinnamon/syrup - or all 3 if you're McKinley). She got to wear her birthday crown, eat on the birthday plate, with her birthday tablecloth, & enjoy all the birthday decorations we put out for her. All through breakfast, she kept asking "What does a 4-year-old do? Do they go to Kindergarten? Do they reach the sink? Do they wipe their faces?" It was pretty cute.



After breakfast & she got to watch Super Why & Dinosaur Train, she searched for & found her presents downstairs that were hidden. She got a Mermadia DVD, a My Little Pony, and a Polly Pocket from mom & dad. She got some clothes, shoes & socks from Grandma & Grandpa Devenish (thank you!), and Aunt Keeley & Uncle Jeff got her another My Little Pony & a drawing calendar. Aunt Kim got her a princess chair.


After that, we were off to Sherrie Price's house, because mom had a prenatal appointment.


For her birthday lunch, she again asked for pizza, but settled for a ham sandwich and she got to watch her new Mermadia movie! She also helped mom & dad make her cake!


After the movie, we took off for Jumpin' Jacks - where she had her birthday party! What fun! We had the way-cute Castle Room & we decorated it & got everything ready for all her friends! Here's who came: Alyssa & her mom & sister Krysta, Jack & his mom & brother Sam, Amanda & her mom & sister Isabelle & brother Nathan, her friend Lizzy, Hendrix & his mom & sister Lilly, Michael, Aunt Cindy, Joshua, Aunt Trisha, & Uncle Darrin.

The kids had so much fun eating pizza (finally!), cake & ice cream, opening presents (she got lots of Littlest Pet shop stuff, a Mermaidia barbie, some foam necklace beads, some clothes, and an Ariel toy) and OF COURSE, JUMPING!


(the castle room)


(ready to PAR-TAY!)


(4 candles! No problem!)


(enjoying the cake & ice cream)

(Hendrix on the BBall "court")

(Sam hanging out)

(Jack lovin' the helicopter)

(Lizzy hugs!)

(gifts! I LOVE how all the kids gather round & want to help!)

(Some of the party-goers: Alyssa, Amanda, Michael, Krysta, McKinley & Isabelle!)

Happy Birthday sweet girl! And thanks to everyone who came to celebrate! We love you!

Yearning for the Living God

I just finished a wonderful book & wanted to share! - Yearning for the Living God, by F. Enzio Busche.
It's an autobiography, and includes so many amazing, faith-building stories - not only from his life, but the lives of those around him.
He grew up in Germany and was a member of the Hitler Youth. That alone was pretty amazing to read about. And the miracles of his life, his conversion story...wow.
I am including a few of my favorite quotes/stories below.

-"My spiritual insight let me see that we as human beings live far below our potential from day to day. One day we will be confronted with our true potential; and we will see what we have missed because we have not embraced the ultimate help offered to us from our Creator."

-"I believe one of the greatest challenges for members of the Church is to ensure that our lives are not led by routines. When we are governed by routine, we tend to become insensitive to the need to walk with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When we are blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we are protected in dangerous situations, and we become capable of making right decision and overcoming all fear."

His entire "Quiet Heroes" chapter is so faith-building. Just a couple that touched my heart:

-He talked about an extremely poor, elderly woman whose entire family was killed by the Russians. She walked 2 hours to church each way. He decided to ask her if he could drive her and this was her response: "Brother Busche, you cannot do this to me. I'm an old lady. how can I ever show the Lord how much I love Him, how much I adore Him, how much I depend on His atoning sacrifice for my salvation, and my desire to serve him? I'm too old and too ugly and too forgetful to serve as the Relief Society president or even as a teacher. The greatest joy of my life is on Sunday when I can get up early in the morning, walk to church, and take the sacrament. Yes, it is a long walk and, yes, my legs hurt and my back hurts, but every step I rejoice. Every tree and every shrub is my friend. I know every person behind every window. I greet them all with my heart and with my testimony. As I walk, I sing the hymns and when I arrive, I'm through the hymnbook and my heart of full of joy and gratitude because my walk is a celebration of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And you want to take this away from me? You can't do this to me. Let me walk."

-He talked about a man named Brother Birkhahn. He said he was "vigorous, positive, and full of enthusiasm for the gospel...He was a man who never permitted himself to be without the Spirit."

I could keep the quotes & stories coming. It was a truly uplifting book. And now I must take this knowledge and ask:

1. What am I sacrificing to show the Lord how truly thankful I am for this gospel and especially for the atonement of my Savior? I'm obviously not walking 2 hours to church each way. What can I do more? How can I serve more? What more can I give? These are all questions I am pondering...

2. Am I sleeping through my routines as a member of this church? Am I taking my birth into it for granted? I need to recommit myself and WAKE UP to the Spirit! He talks a lot about people around the world and their amazing faith and how they are so EXCITED about the gospel. This is something I am going to work on!

3. Am I listening to & OBEYING the promptings of the Holy Ghost? I read about these miracles that have happened when they have obeyed the promptings of the Holy Ghost & I wonder why I haven't experienced anything so miraculous from a prompting. And then the other morning, I woke up at 6:30 and the spirit was prompting me to get out of bed and seek my Savior. Instead I turned over & went back to sleep. How can He trust me with an important prompting when I can't even obey a prompting to just get out of bed? Another thing I'm going to work on...

Reading this book just reaffirmed to me that the Lord loves us! He watches out for us! He wants us to just listen and obey and He will make miracles happen!

August Slideshow, Family Miracles & Kids

Here are our updates from August. First, there's the slideshow, then I had to document some of the ways we've seen the hand of God in our lives this past month (Miracles), and then below that are the girls' adventures.

SLIDESHOW


FAMILY MIRACES (We have seen the hand of God so much in our lives lately. He has truly taken care of us during our time of "famine." We are SO blessed!)

#1: The Chiropractor (Dr. Wade Thompson) has been so gracious - not letting us pay for Jason’s 10+ visits while he's out of the job. His back is feeling much better.

#2 The power cord to our cell phone got stepped on & Jason tried to put it in his phone & fix it & it broke the cord & his phone. Then we tried a different power cord on Heidi’s phone & it fried her battery. Both of us were without cell phones. Jason went to St. George to talk with Towne & Country bank & as it turns out, Jeff’s neighbor had a new $400 iphone that she GAVE to Jason because she switched from AT&T!

#3 On the 29th, we went to the Herriman Beach for the first time & the girls had a lot of fun, except McKinley was in the baby floating tube & leaned all the way over & was head down underwater & could not get back up. We were on the beach. Jason ran into the water (fully clothed) & grabbed her. We are SO thankful she is OK!

#4 Apparently bad accounting on Heidi’s part, but we got a $446 check from our credit card company!!

GIRLS ADVENTURES

McKINLEY:
-We got a book called “Leonardo the Terrible Monster” from the library & she has LOVED reading it over & over this month!
-McKinley is big on playing “following the leader” this month – and she ALWAYS wants to be the leader.
-McKinley said “I love candy SO MUCH!” Mom said “Why?” McKinley – “Jesus made me that way.”
-Somewhere McKinley has picked up the phrase “YOU BUTTER!” She will yell it at someone when she’s mad at them.
-McKinley has gotten more into washing dishes. She will sit at the sink & lather up her dishes with the soap wand. The other day she said “Maybe I will be a washer when I grow up!”
-McKinley started Sunshine Square Preschool this month! It’s the preschool that her friend Lizzy goes to. She had a couple days of orientation & then started on the 17th. She has really enjoyed her teacher Miss Amy & her favorite new preschool pal is Lilly. She tries to sing all the cute songs & when she can’t remember she asks mom, but mom doesn’t know them all. One time McKinley got frustrated & said “I wish my teacher was in our family.”
-McKinley learned about the yellow deer signs & now whenever we pass one of the yellow deer signs, she will shout “Dad – you need to watch out for deer!”
-Instead of answering yes if someone asks her how she’s doing or how she liked something, her new thing is to give the thumbs up sign.
-McKinley has been big into “Dinosaur Train” on PBSkids.org this month & tries to sing the ABC Dinosaur song a lot.
-For an activity on Sunday, we came up with a story & drew pictures for our “book.” It is called “Holly the Moose learns to be obedient.” We had fun making it & McKinley talked about Holly the Moose like she was there with her for the next few days.
-McKinley had a great time at Moon Lake with the campfire, beach, sand, water & boat. She loves camping!
-Michael & McKinley were playing at our home the week after we got back from Moon Lake. Mom asked them what they were playing & they said “We’re playing Moon Lake!” apparently they couldn’t get enough!
-That same day when Michael was here, we were talking about McKinley’s approaching birthday. Michael told McKinley that he knew what he was going to get her for her birthday & he was going to tell her, but she had to promise to forget!
-Ireland was sick & so I took McKinley to church. When we were going home I asked if she had a good time at church. She said “yes, but I missed my sister!”
-McKinley gets a kick out of saying the “Why did the chicken cross the road?” joke over & over!

IRELAND: Ireland has been NON-STOP this month! We can hardly keep up with her & her messes! Other than that, here’s some of her latest antics:
-She likes to say “That’s funny!”
-She’s also into saying “Look Mommy/Daddy!” and pointing at a bird or flower, or showing us her latest trick.
-The other day, mommy heard Ireland singing “Follow the Prophet” – so cute!
-Ireland also enjoys playing and singing “following the leader.”
-Ireland loves to bring up a cup or a plate from the princess tent downstairs for mommy & daddy to eat and drink.
-We were looking at mommy’s big pregnant tummy one day & Ireland went over to daddy, lifted up his shirt & said “baby in daddy ‘s tummy?”
-Ireland has finally figured out how to get up on the barstools. She’s still a bit scared getting down from them, though.
-Ireland LOVES getting into mom & dad’s bathroom drawers. One day, she was smelling strongly of cologne & we found it in her room. Her room also smelled heavily of CK Cologne for the next few days.
-Mommy will ask Ireland “Why?” and she will respond “Cuz!”
-For about a week, Ireland was OBSESSED with carrying around this soap she found in mom’s bathroom. She wanted to take it everywhere with her – including in the car.
-One day, Ireland put her bowl & spoon in the dishwasher after breakfast without being asked. Big girl!!
-Ireland went poopie in the potty a couple times this month!
-Ireland is usually a really great sleeper, but one night at 4am, she was just up talking, yelling something to us & she wouldn’t go back to sleep. Mom walked in there to put her back to bed & then she realized that Ireland was stark naked & her bed was soaked in pee! Ireland said “Sorry mommy. Need a diaper.” Needless to say, we’ve been putting her to bed in onesies for the past week or so.
-Ireland is still obsessed with shoes, but she’s started being so helpful with others’ shoes. If we are going someplace, she will go get daddy’s shoes for him, mommy’s shoes & even McKinley’s shoes. They’re not always the pair we want, but she sure is helpful! She even tries to put them on your feet!

Bows

These were taken in July & I've been meaning to post. My sister & her friend make these bows & they're SO SO cute! Let me know if you're interested in buying.
Also, people have asked about a baby shower. Since this is a girl & girls can never have too many accessories, I thought it would be fun to have a bow-making shower. Let me know if you want to come! We're just going to have tons of ribbons, buttons, flowers, etc for you to come make some bows for yourself and maybe a couple for me. Should be a lot of fun!