My Baby Sofia is 1

My Dearest Doo Tweet-ums Baby Sofia,

I am overcome with love and bewilderment that you are a year old today.  Time has sped by and my heart is full.  I am so grateful that I was given the privilege of being your mom.  I remember holding you when you were so new and straight from heaven.  With your dark mohawk hair,  your gorgeous eyelashes  and all your parts so perfect and beautiful.  I was full of wonder and a bit afraid of my responsibilities of raising you to be a confident, strong, regal, spiritual and responsible girl.  I examined and touched every inch of your tiny body.  Thanking my Heavenly Father that all was well and that my body had not destroyed yours.  I felt as if you knew me instantly and our hearts connected and were bound forever in that instant.  I am so glad I have a daughter.  Not just to fuss and dress up and play but to teach and love and be bound together as women.  I do love you so my sweet daughter.

From day one, you have not been content to just hang out.  You are so busy and have to be doing something, learning something or studying something all the time.  That is why we call you Baby Doo.  You want to learn everything all at once.  I know you have a great purpose on this earth and your spirit yearns to just get on with it.  We have found so much joy in watching you learn and develop your body and personality.  You are definitely going to keep me on my toes.

You have a huge heart.  You love being out and about with lots of people to watch and see.  You brighten up and acknowledge the people that you love and know.  You also respond greatly to people you know love you even if you don't know them well.  I love this about you.  Always strive to expand this love you have for everyone it will make your life richer and happier and full of great meaning.  

Your personality is starting to leap out at us.  Your laugh is contagious,  and your brother can get you to laugh more than anyone.  You are a very happy baby now.  I feel as if you have finally excepted the timeline of being here on earth and now you have chosen just to enjoy the ride.  Everyday we learn new and marvelous traits  that you have.  You have been called, a serious baby, but your really not at all.  You are maticulous, tenacious, calculating and driven.  Not just for knowledge but experiences, feelings and life.  And you find joy in so many little things.  

Thank you my sweet baby Sofia Caroline, for coming to our family. And making us whole and complete.   I am so looking forward to watching you grow.  I love you with all my heart can hold

Love you forever,

Mom

Our Christmas in Pictures 2008

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  

Grateful Sunday 12-21-08

A Very Busy Fun Weekend:  To hear more read the last three posts.  We also went to Bonzai on Friday night for dinner, which was delicious.  It was a fun and tiring weekend.  Would not have it any other way.  

My Grandmas:  I visited both my Grandmas today with my two kids.  I love going into their homes.  It reminds me when I was young and all the memories there are sweet.  I love these women.  I am very blessed.

Noah:   Even in the last three months he is just excelling in everything.  It is like he finally gets so many things we have been working on.  His speech is a bit better,  he is trying and gets more frustrated when we don't get it.  We do get it more than we used to also.  He has been pooping in the potty for almost 2 weeks and now wears his big boy underwears to bed.  Tonight it will be 5 nights in a row.  Hooray, save $ no more pull ups.  He is so joyful and helpful.  He comes up with so many fun ideas and he is starting to get a sense of humor and tries to tell jokes.  I just love him.  

Christmas Tree Twinkle Lights:  I was nursing Sofia before bed the other night and my heart leaped back a year.  And I have come full circle.  Last year I started feeding my daughter under the glow of the Christmas tree and now a year later the magic is still there.  It was a sweet moment with my baby,  who is my last. (sniff sniff).  I love the way that Christmas lights put a magic glow around the room.  I remember playing house underneath our Tree as a child and I still play house under my tree now.  

A Night with Annie and Peter

Last night my dear friend Annie and I went to the Peter Breinholt Christmas concert downtown.   We had the best time.  This summer we went to an outdoor festival where I introduced Annie to Peter and when she called and said we should go.  I jumped at the chance.  Usually when we hang out we have Lily, Noah, Jacob and Sofia.  It was really lovely just being us girls.  She has become a very dear friend,  we talk every single day.  She picked me up a bit early.  So we had time to go to Squatters and get wings and salad.  It was so yummy and it was fun to talk and talk.  It is what we do best.  We had great seats up on the balcony right in the middle.  She is fun to go to concerts with, for she wears her emotions on her sleeve.   It was a lovely evening.

I realized last night how much I miss music.  I have neglected this part of myself since college.  As a child I took violin, mandolin and piano lessons.  I took singing lessons in high school and sang in groups through college.  I loved watching the instruments and how their hands flew across the keys or strings.  You could see their love and passion for music as they sang.  My heart was full and I came away with so much more of the Christmas spirit and ready for the week ahead.  Perfect way to bring in the week of Christmas.  Thanks Annie

Babes In Toyland

My dad is in a play this Holiday season.  He plays the Toymaker and Santa Claus in "Babes in Toyland" at the Children's Theatre downtown.  Noah and I decided to make it a date.  So  we went to the Matinee with Nik and Lena.  It was a really cute play.  Full of lots of colors and fun for the kids.  Noah laughed and got upset at the bad guys and said he loved it.  He kept asking when we would see Santa Claus.  We had talked about it all day. 

So he was jumping with excitement when we were able to stand in line to sit on his lap again.

It was a perfect Santa moment.

When "Santa" saw  my son,  he exclaimed "Noah, come sit on my lap".  They talked about what he liked "Star Wars, guns etc.  When Noah came back to me afterwards,  he said "MOm,  he knew my name and what I wanted."  I exclaimed "Well, of course,  he is Santa Claus".  I could tell that got Noah thinking 
We waited until all the kids were able to sit on Santa's lap.  Then I took my turn.  This is the Santa I sat on since I was a kid.  I have pictures dating from the late 70's on this Santa.  As a kid I use to think I was really special for My dad was a special Santa helper since he could not be everywhere.  He could talk to Santa and let him know what was going on.  I knew the secret that my dad was the one under the Santa suit and he told the real Santa about all the little kids.   My brother Nik took his turn also.  It was really fun.  You did  a fabulous job, Daddy.  

Now a Yellow Belt

We have had a wide weekend starting on thursday night where Noah went to his karate graduation.    I was so proud and impressed that a four year old advanced from a white to a yellow belt.  The week before at his test,  once he focused he did all of the moves on his own and proved that he knew his stuff.  I was a bit emotional watching him accomplish this feat.  He is obviously the youngest in his class and he earned a perfect attendance star.  

Noah showing his old white belt and his new yellow belt

Spencer and Noah congratulating each other for getting their new upper belt

This fuzzy pic is Noah receiving his certificate and his yellow belt, with Sensai Gearold and Sensai Colton

Here he is with his teachers and new uncle and cousin.  They are really proud of him.

He is pretty young to advance so quickly.  Yeah,  I need to brag just a bit.  

Potty Time

There are a lot of potty happenings going on at our house.  These pictures say it all.  I have a girl that is obsessed with playing in the toilet.  She seems to have a sixth sense when the lid has not been put down and makes a beeline for it.  Luckily, I have a boy who helps me keep her out of trouble.  We laugh at how funny she is.  

In other potty news,  it has been almost two weeks that my boy has poopt and pee in the potty.  After the long, long road of toilet training my heart is hopeful but cautious.  He is doing so well.  I am a very proud mama.  Who does a celebratory dance everyday that we get to flush.  Hooray!

Zoo Lights...

The first Wednesday of the month, we went to the Hogle Zoo for the exciting event of Zoo Lights.  We paid the $1.50 for the exciting hologram glasses.   What happened when you put them on was that all the lights had hidden snowman glowing around them.  It was hilarious to watch Noah walking  around pointing and yelling all around "Snowman".  There was even a snowman on the Moon.  Worth every penny.  We now use them to see snowmen on our own  Christmas tree.  
It was cold that night or more cold than we were used to.   I prepared for all my kids to be warm and the husband but forgot my own hat.  So I now own a new brown, very stylish fleece Hogle Zoo snow cap.  I am pretty excited about it.  

There was these two cute men that would singing Christmas songs  in one of the pavilions.  We went over to warm up our hands.  When these two girls started dancing.  Noah my cute boy then asked me to dance.  It was so fun to twirl him in my arms.   A s Noah danced it was funny to see him incorporate in his dancing all his lightsaber and Jedi moves.  It made Kersten and I laugh a lot.  I danced with Sofia.  And finally my sweet husband requested a dance.  He teased that I kept leading.  I haven't danced for awhile.  It made me laugh.  We saw some fun friends from our ward and their kids asked if they would dance too and it made us all laugh.  

The lights were so fun and entertaining.  All of the animal displays were a big hit and being at the zoo made it so much more fun and exciting.  

Visiting Santa

Yes, we did it.  We ventured out to the Fashion Place Mall and stood in line, paid for pictures 

(forgot our own camera, left on counter,  seem to do that a lot lately I wonder why)  and our children got to sit on Santa's lap and let him know what they wanted for Christmas.  Noah has been so much more interested in Santa this year than ever before.  He was giddy with excitement.  He practiced what he was going to say in the car.  I reassured him that Santa understood all kids.  He also practiced what Sofia wanted since she can't talk yet.  It was good to hear what he told Jolly Old St' Nick.  He informed him that he wanted the Plo Koon Star Wars action figure (Sofia got it for him)  and the General Grievous Starship (oh, good we got it yesterday).  And apparently Sofia really wants a My Little Pony (who knew,  we had no idea,  it's a good thing that Noah told Santa).  It was successful and Noah was thrilled.  We check out ornaments at Hallmark,  shared an Orange Julius and looked at all the festive shops in the mall.  It was thoroughly enjoyable.  

Time Out

I said a bad word.  Yes, it's true.  I have been struggling a bit with my potty mouth.  I've challenged myself to stop and I am working on it.  It's really not horrible just more than I want.  But when the baby woke up after a half hour into her nap.  I was reading books with Noah and a naughty word just spewed from my mouth.  I was ashamed.  Noah pointed it out.  So I was put in Time Out by my four year old.  Our time out spot is in the corner by the front door.  Noah said I had to be in, time out, for 10 minutes.  He stood guard with his arms folded, making sure that I stayed where I was suppose too.  It was really cold in the time out spot.  I guess it is good to know that if he is there for a long time he will get cold.  I told him I was getting really cold.  So he went and got me his towel from his shower that morning to help keep me warm.  What a nice son.  He was watching Imagination Movers on Disney Channel so he kept getting distracted with watching it.  I was in time out for the entire show.  I asked him several times if I could get out and come talk to him about what I had done wrong.  His response was always "5 more minutes".  His sense of time is really off.  I finally just stood up and left time out.  He was really upset with me.  I apologized for saying my naughty word and that I would not do it again.  And then gave him a hug.  He pouted for a minute that I did not stay in time out as long as he thought was appropriate.  I have noticed that when he puts his animals or toys in time out,  they are there all day.  He is a tough task master.  Oh, the lessons we learn from our children.

St. Nicholas

Probably the most popular of Thomas Nast’s drawings of Santa Claus, “

Merry Old Santa Claus,” Harper’s Weekly, January 1, 1881. 

From The Ohio State University Library’s Thomas Nast Portfolio.

Tonight we had an Enrichment Meeting in our ward that centered around the 

myths, legends, facts and evolution of Santa Claus.

It was such a lovely evening with really yummy food

the most delicious cupcake I have had in awhile made with a Santa face.

It was lovely being with the women in my ward and visiting.

Our Enrichment leader had her brother come speak to us about St Nicholas.

He has researched an studying all facts containing to Santa his entire lifetime. 

 It is fun when you can tell someone is passionate about something.

It was really fascinating and inspiring.

I loved learning about St Nicholas who was born in the 3rd century

and all of his great works and his life.

And how he evolved through the centuries to what we know now.

Coca-Cola has a lot to do with that and bored housewives.

I could wax poetic about what I learned tonight but I don't want to bore you

You really should look into it if you feel so inclined.

It really got me thinking about this season and the feelings it evokes.

Not all those feelings are warm and fuzzy either.

Santa can really help you get into the spirit of the season 

and the real reason we celebrate this joyous holiday.

The real St Nic whole life revolved around Christ 

and doing good works in his name.  

If we take what Nicholas was really about and try to take the commercialism out of the holiday.

I think that it would be easier to focus on the real reason we celebrate Christmas. 

I find it easier to focus on Christ this year because of my young children.

They remind what it really is about.

Noah gets more excited to find the baby Jesus and talks about being good and kind.

I am just so grateful to have my two sweet kids in my life.

It makes this season so much more magical and reminds me what is really important.

Letters, Hair and Cuteness

This post is just about some random things.  I posted this picture just because Sofia is so darn cute in it.  And she is wearing the cute outfit that Achim and Louise E* gave her. She adores climbing into this chair.  She just chills in it thinking she is so big.  Because she is getting so big
I have been experimenting with my flat iron.  I have always had curly hair since at least 6th grade.  So that my hair is straight is quite different to me.  Kersten likes it and Amy, my sister, the hair genius, said I did a great job and I am now quite trendy.  Who knew?  I have not been trendy for  most of my mom years.  
I finally hung the cute letters I made for Sofia's wall.  I love the way they turned out.  Better than I thought.  So feminine and beautiful.  Noah now wants to put paper on his name in their room.  I told him we would look into it after Christmas.  Sofia has already tried to eat the letter A.  I had to fix it a bit but I don't think it looks to bad.   I love the ribbon hanging from each letter.  Someday their will be a colored wall behind these but until we own our house that will not be happening.  

Temple Square Christmas Lights

Every year, well at least since before Kersten and I got married,  Kersten's parents have rented a room at the Plaza hotel across from Temple Square the day after Thanksgiving.  It is one of my favorite traditions that they have.  We all gather together and have food in the hotel room and yummy desserts and then bundle up to see the "twinkle lights" at temple square afterwards.  As always the lights were beautiful.  Unfortunately for us we lost the rest of the family when we went around to actually see the baby Jesus.  
We ventured out on our own to see the rest of the lights.  Noah begged to see the Christus statue.  He said it looked like Jesus was giving him a hug.  It was a really special spiritual experience for me and him.  We walked all around with Noah pointing out all the colors around and Sofia kicking her legs and looking at all the people. My kids were in heaven.
The highlights were the reflection pond to see the temple and all the different navities to point out the babies. Noah informed us that he wanted to get married in the temple too so that he can be with his family forever.   That was good to hear.  It seems like we were a bit more hard core than the rest of the family.  When we returned to the hotel everyone had left.  So we chatted with the parents and took off for home.  Overall it was a beautiful evening. 

Sofia-11 months old

Sofia is 11 months old today.  I reallly am so baffled of where the time went.  This last month she seemed to have gotten busier and more curious.  She is so active.  She is a climber and will try to get up onto the tv console or the couch by climbing on her toys.  Once she decides she wants something there is no stopping her.  She is one tenacious little Doo.   She loves" helping"  with the dishwasher, the laundry and with any kind of scrubbing.  She loves all food.  She is a great eater.  She will try anything once.  Her favorite food is meat and black beans.  She loves chicken, hot dogs, beef or pork.  If it is protein she is all over it.  She also loves grapes and bananas. 

She loves water but hates taking a bath.  She loves to take showers though.  She tries to play in the toilet and loves to pull all the toilet paper down and rip it into tiny pieces. 
She now has 7 teeth.  The four front ones and three on the bottom.  Can you see the drool?  She is teething right now obviously.   She has mastered crawling up and down the stairs.  This has opened a whole new world for her.  She can get anywhere in the house now.  She can stand by herself for about a half a minute and crawls along the furniture.  She is so close to walking..  She loves to play with the magnets on the fridge and with the bobble head Star Wars toys from McDonalds.  Her favorites are R2D2 and Ausoka.  (In above picture she is holding R2, I think she got that from her brother).  She loves paper and cups and playing with the lids to our pots and pans.  She is so inquisitive and has to know what everyone in the house is doing at all times.  She is so joyful and happy.  She has the funniest laugh that sounds like it is in the back of her throat.  She  loves people and lights up when she sees someone she recognizes.  I  just love being her mom.  Life with her will definitely be an exciting adventure.  

Thanksgiving 2008

We had a fanastic, yummy fun filled Thanksgiving.

We went to Kersten' s parents  house

And hung out the rest of the day

This is Noah who at this time is being Anakin Ghost.  He had died and was invincible.  

He was very happy because he decided to  kill all of us so that we could be together when we die.

We are a forever family after all

Josh is Baby Mario in this picture.  He kept saying "Mama Mia"

Here is baby Sofia at the begining of her meal on her first Thanksgiving.

It was a heavenly day. 

Reno 911 Anyone!

Sadly my husband would fit right into that show.

He sported this baby for about 3 hours on Saturday.

He says he never had so many weird looks

from everyone but especially women.  

Birthday Weekend

My 32nd birthday was on Friday the 21st. I feel like 32 sounds so much older than I really am.  I guess that is what happens to most people as they get older.  I had a really good day.  I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast,  I snuggled with my kids and watched Imagination Movers.  It was a lovely laid back morning.    It was Noah's last Speech Therapy appt for awhile,  Ms Libbi is having her new baby this weekend.  Noah earned a blue Scout trooper toy.  My mom then arrived to take me to lunch to Cafe Rio.  It was so yummy, (I'm obsessed) and it was nice to spend time with just my mom.  We talked and laughed and ate.  My kids were in good form also.   

When we returned it was time to drop of my kids to Aunt Ginny so that I would not be late for 

Twilight

Our Financial Advisor  rented out a theatre for a viewing of Twilight.  We had six tickets.  We invited our friends Kevin and Kieran and my sister Amy and My brother Nik.   Kieran made us these one of a kind t-shirts to wear to the show. I  love mine it brings in so many things that I love.   We were giddy with excitement.  Kersten met us at the theatre.  Where we enjoyed free popcorn and drinks.  I loved being there with my love, my sister, my brother and my one of my bestest friends in the world.  
Here we are after the show.. We all took pictures like this.  To see more about the Twilight screening and to see the picture of Nik ( a must see)  click Here

I came home to kisses and hugs from my kids,  many happy birthdays greetings on my phone, facebook etc and this lovely, totally exaggerated post about me to read that click Here

I ended the day snuggling with my hot husband watching Love Actually on tv.  Lovely way to end another birthday.  

It was a lovely wonderful day

6th

I was tagged by Carrie to post the 6th picture from your 6th folder in your pictures. I also have IPhoto so I copied Carrie and did two pictures, first one is the 6th picture from the 6th folder and the second is the 6th picture from the first event

This pic is from July 2004 from the very first time Noah went swimming at our condo.

This was taken on a random camera that Kerst won at work.  

Our first digital and we could not get them off our camera for awhile.  

We took them off when we got our first Mac computer

So much easier and happier to use.

Isn't he so sweet..   What a cute baby he was  

This is Noah at 2, he is wearing his Buzz Jacket that he had to wear everyday or he would throw a fit.

In this pic, he is throwing a fit because he wants to take a picture with mom's camera.

I love that he has a  sword even back then.

He is such a boy

Now I tag anyone who wants to show off some pictures....Please we love to see them

Grateful Sunday 11-16-08

Fall Weather:   Oh, today is blissful outside.  As my little family walked to church this morning in our Sunday attire and Sofia in her fur coat.  The sky was clear, the air was brisk,  the smell of the changing leaves permeated the air and I  was overcome with the  beauty of the day and of my sweet family.  

Noah' s Imagination:  This boy has such a huge imagination.  especially if it pertains to Star Wars.  On our walk to church he was tracking Count Dooku's footprints to make sure he did not get into the church.  It is a good thing he keeps us so safe from the bad guys.  He even discusses with his bad guy toys how to make better choices so that they turn into good guys.  I marvel at his inventivness and his desire and ability to make things fresh and beautiful all around us.  I am grateful I get to be in his world and play there with him

Creative Days:  this week I was lucky enough to go to Kieran's house almost the whole day.  I LOVE being with her.  We talked and worked on Modpodgeing letters for Sofia's name to hang in their room.  It felt so fabulous creating something beautiful and something I have been planning in my head since she was born.  I am so lucky that I have a friend that fills this part of me. 

Kersten's help:  My husband  has really stepped it up the last couple of weeks helping me with household chores.  Every night he has spent hours folding laundry, doing dishes, bathing children or vacuming.  It really has lightened my load and I feel so much more centered.  He is the best.  

8 Things

8 Things...
These list are fun  for me to do as I LOVE life and struggle to document it. I love these tags because you learn lots about the people you love and it is great for journaling about ourselves.

8 FAVORITE T.V. SHOWS:

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Burn Notice
3. Clone Wars
4. Flight of the Concords
5. Life on Mars
6. Ben 10 Alien Force
7. Ace of Cakes
8. What Not to Wear

8 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS and what I order…
1. Cheesecake Factory- Avocado rolls and
2. Cafe Rio- Pork burrito or Pork salad
3. The Bohemian- Shnichel (spelled wrong)
4. Five Alls- Chicken Kiev
5. Lone Star- just for Buffalo wings
6. Neil's Halibut an d Chips- best cheesburger ever
7. Fries with fry sauce
8. Hires-Country H

(it is so sad you can tell we have kids)

THINGS THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY: (Thursday, November 13)
1. Sofia stood for almost 10 seconds by herself
2. Went to Kierans house and made Sofia's name for her wall
3. Went to Karate with Noah and he had the loudest yells
4. Inspired by Kieran's creativity and capacity
5. Read The Pigeon books over and over.
6. went to Costco and stocked up on essentials = expensive
7. Watched Noah and Heber battle with their light sabers all day long
8. Worked on Christmas cards a little

8 THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:
1. Thanksgiving
2. My Birthday
3. Christmas season- holiday lights
4. Seeing my niece Kristin in the Nutcracker
5. Sofia's first birthday
6. Spencer's baptism
7. time alone with my husband, Kersten
8. Having some scrapbooks complete

8 THING I LOVE ABOUT FALL:
1. Thanksgiving
2. My birthday
3. Cool crisp air, the sounds, the music, the sights
4. The start of the Holiday season.
5. Finally Jacket weather... I love jackets
6. Seeing friends and family in person or photos
7. Yummy treats 
8. It is hands down the best season ever… magical

8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST:
1. new black pumps
2.  A new rug for our front room
3. A new computer desk
4. time to paint my kitchen table and chairs
5. To have a 12 by 12 scanner and printer
6. To exercise regularly
7. lamps for my yellow end tables in my front room
8. To have the house organized with containers I want

8 WAYS I KNOW I'M LOVED:

1. Noah knocking me over with his strong hugs

2. Sofia giving me big open mouth kisses

3. Kersten helping me fold mounds of laundry

4.  My sister understanding the importance of the perfect doll

5.  When I get to sleep in on the weekends

6.when my kids brighten up after I have been gone

7. My mom cleaning my house every week when I was on bed rest

8.My husband still grabs at me as much as he used to

Tivo or DVR if we had one....

I was browsing, thinking and looking at blogs and noticed somewhere along the way someone wrote what is on their DVR. Well, Kersten and I don't have a DVR. We have talked about it, researched it, dreamed about it, and have coveted it a little when other people have it. (I know we have repented). But we just can't justify the cost. So we do things the old school way. Where we know when our favorite shows are on and try to plan life around it and if we miss it we search online and if it is still not available we live without it. Because of this we watch a lot of Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon and Noah's favorite tv shows (can you guess, Star Wars). We do still have our favorites and we are a bit sad when they overlap. So here it is... If we had a list of things we could record this is what it would be...
* The Clone Wars- Cartoon Network
*Dirty Jobs
*Wonder Pets
*Myth Busters
*Gilmore Girls
*Ellen
*Pushing Daisies
*Dancing with the Stars
*Ace of Cakes
*Diners, Drive Ins and Dives
*My Name is Earl
*Imagination Movers (our new favorite, both kids love it)
*Spiderman, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk Batman etc (cartoons on Jetex Disney).
*Ben 10 Alien Force (my new favorite cartoon)


*Man Vs Wild with Bear Grylls
*Iron Chef America- FN
*Burn Notice (new obsession. bought on dvd, love so much) -USA

*The Office

*Heroes

*Scrubs

*What Not to Wear

*Jon and Kate Plus 8

*Grey's Anatomy

*CSI Miami

*Life on Mars

*30 Rock

*Project Runway

*Charlie and Lola

*Word Girl

*Super Why

*Wishbone

*Curious George

*WordWorld

Okay so now that you know this useless information,  you also need to know that we do not watch all these every week.  These are shows we  watch sometimes or weekly but that we enjoy on occasion.

So what you you watching these days?

Another Quilt Giveaway.

Okay,  so I am totally jealous of people who have the natural talent to make beautiful things.

Especially quilts..

And another talented woman is giving away 3 quilts.

Yeah you heard that right, I said 3  quilts..

Can I just say that I am in love.

I am also in love with her blog,  Old Red Barn Co...

I have been a stalker of her blog for awhile

thoughts of my boy

I have had blogs racing through my head for days and now that I have a minute to write,  my mind is a complete blank.  Life is good and busy,  running here and there and everywhere.  So happy to be a mom and to be a wife.  I really am living my dream life.  It may not always be pretty, calm or very organized.  But my life is full of beautiful moments, wet kisses and lots of tiny fingers.  Really I can't ask for more than that. It is what I always wanted. 

Noah and I made cookies this afternoon to surprise Daddy when he gets home.  Noah was so excited he had to call Dad and tell him we had a surprise and he would see when he gets home.  The thing about a four year old is promptly after that he told him, that we made some cookies.  He is growing so big.  This time he had to measure all the ingredients by himself and make the tops flat.  I did the eggs and the wet stuff.  These were HIS surprise to daddy. He is growing so lean and so very independent.  I think I still forget although I remind myself, that he is big and not so little.  It is easy to forget when he gabbers all day long. He has big emotions and wants.  I am lucky enough that he still wants to snuggle and will still give me great kisses.    

I keep thinking about him.  This event keeps running through my mind.  I don't think it will settle until I write it down.  He was so brave during the primary program a couple weeks ago.  Waiting with anticipation to talk into the microphone.  He got to sit where the bishop does.  The entire time he was entertaining the ward by playing lightsabers on the stand, during each song.  He get doing force lightening and force push (from the game Force Unleashed)  at his Dad in the audience.  For FHE the next week we decided we needed to discuss reverence.    When it came his turn to talk he walked boldly forward and said right up next to the microphone  "Uhh UHh"  Pause "Uh Uh".  The audience members chuckled at his cuteness and I instantly started crying.  Tears streaming down my face.  He looks at me for approval with a grin plastered on his face.  I give him a two thumbs up while grinning through my tears.  Kersten at first thought I was crying because the audience laughed and Noah would not know that they thought he was cute.  I was just bursting with pride that he still after this last hard, trial ridden frustrating year that he still had the confidence and desire to get up and say his lines in front of everyone in sacrament.  I had lots of comments from some of his Primary leaders and the President called to say how proud they were of him.  They teared up also.  

Noah is working so hard with Speech Therapy.  Several people have commented that they understand more words.  His therapist that comes on Fridays is having her baby on the 23rd and we won't see her until the new year after that.  He promises her he will still practice.  As his mother it is heartbreaking to see him struggle with talking, maintaining his friendships, not being frustrated with himself or them for not understanding.  He is a delight and I thank Heavenly Father every minute of the day that I am his mother.  

This post did not start out or end up the way I thought it would.  Thanks for playing

Treasures #3- Blankets

Our Blankets....

 my son and daughter's blankets that is...

Noah's blanket was made for him by my sister Emilee.  He received it on his very first Christmas. 

 Both of her children loved their blankets and she has a firm belief that all kids need a blanket.  

Noah calls his blanket his "B".  

He has to sleep with is every night.  And really does have a restless night sleeping without it.

In the above picture it was taken in Sept.  when he could not walk.

B is such a comfort to him and if you ask him it is the thing that keeps him the warmest.  

Emilee surprised both Noah and Kara with a "B" that year.

I remember her excitement and satisfaction in making and giving this treasure to my boy.

I know if I asked him this would be one of his most valuable treasures. 

Thank you Em... for taking the time and for this treasure.

Sofia's blanket is hand crochet by my dear friend and her Godmother Carrie.

I love the color and the size.  I love that my Carrie made it.

I love the love, emotions and connection it envzoks.

Sofia loves to put her fingers through the holes.

play peek a boo with it and stare at you through the holes.

She thinks she is so funny when she does this.

And she is.

I honestly have to say I don't know if she is as attached to this blanket as I am.

I love it and find it so lovely.  Thanks again Carrie....