More milestones

For the last several years Kate has been getting growing pains at night. She gets them several times a month. She was crying before she went to bed tonight, so I gave her Tylenol. She came out of her room a few minutes later and told me she needed to do exercise. She said the same thing last night and I just sent her back to bed. Tonight I said, Okay, you'd better go do some. She did about 6 mock pushups and then went back to bed. I grinned to myself and thought, "I want to remember moments like these forever."

The dinner-table discussion the other night was focused on what Amber does at recess. She chases boys! Yeah! Amber chases boys!!! I asked what she does when she catches them. Her reply, "I don't catch them." "So, you just chase them to make them run?" "Yeah." The next day, my neighbor friend Tyanna said, "I have to tell you about recess." She informed me that she was shocked to see Amber chasing boys at recess, then, moments later when the kids lined up to go back to class Amber had a boy twice her height and three times her weight pinned to the side of the building; she was cuddled right into him. The sagga continues. We had friends over for banana splits Friday night. Amber announced to all that she kissed a boy at lunch! AUGH!!!! Yes, I freaked out. She has reassured me that she only kissed him on the cheek (I was calmed just a little, but not enough). I told her she's just not allowed to kiss boys until she's 16. She's confused. "Mom, it was just a loving kind of kiss." OH BOY!

Poor little Jessica has become dependent on a binkie against her will. Yeah, we're binkie pushers. Now she can't sleep without them, but she doesn't like them. She's learning to hold things. It's so fun! But, nap time is trauma now. She pulls her binkie out of her mouth and then cries for it.

Rich is on campus taking his first test. Wish him luck. I'm really proud of him for going back to school. I've sometimes wondered these past few weeks how he's keeping his head above water with school and work. He seems to be keeping a good balance.

Recommitting

I finally went to the temple last night. It was only the second time I've been since Jessica was born. As I was getting ready, I experienced pure joy & excitement. I love the temple because of the many times I've received clear inspiration and felt pure love there. The matter on my mind last night was, "How do I teach my kids all that they need to know?" The catalyst was this scripture: D&C 68:25 25 And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. I don't think I'm feeling motivated by guilt, but a pure "I'm willing to do anything for my children" type of love. I want them to suceed at life, the true purpose of life. I know we are here to go through experiences that will allow us to develop a Christ-like character. How can I prepare my children to learn through their life experiences; to allow their tough experiences to build their character rather than embitter them? How can I teach them that life is wonderful and we're meant to be happy? Aha! It's those 3 things we're supposed to do: family home evening, family scripture study, & prayer! So far, Amber & Kate love family night and scripture study. I just need to be more diligent in making it happen. It's ironical to me that those things, which have such eternal significance, continually fall at the end of my daily priority list. My other "Aha" is the importance of parental example. As I learn to be a happy person, my children will mirror that;as they see me live with faith, they'll follow. If they see me cherish the scriptures, they'll some day turn to them to see why I think they're so great. So, the bottom line. . .It's back to regular family scripture study at out house.

Blog Tag

Tag. You're it. The rules of the game. Go to your pictures folder and take the fourth picture from the fourth file and post it. That's it. (I'm not sure how this works if your pictures are subfiled 1,000 times like mine, but here's a photo from the 4th file of this years photos.). I was so excited to have a photo of our family at the Rexburg temple during the open house in January. Jessica was still a bump in the belly.

They want Mamma to make it all better

How do you feel about the feds bailing out the big banks? Watch this video clip.

Kate

Kate's dreams came true. She started preschool this week. She is so ready to be with other kids and be entertained. She's attending the school district's special need pre-school as a peer student. They have 5 teachers in the classroom with 15 children. Kate was crushed when she found out she only goes three days a week. She loves preschool, I'm enjoying the time at home.

Kate's into letters and homework lately. A couple of times a week we sit down and she tells me a sentence to write. I write it, we talk about how many words it has, etc., then she reads it to me. She then practices writing an alphabet letter & circles her best example. Then, she draws a picture about her sentence. She loves it and I feel like I'm doing a "good mommy" thing. We finish up by reviewing the letters she's already learned and their sounds.

Kate brings home her pre-school projects in her little backpack. Anything she didn't get to finish, she calls homework. She quickly and neatly finishes up.

Kate and Amber both started ballet classes this month. Kate just seems like a born dancer. In my mind, Amber's a gifted artist and Kate's a gifted dancer. Kate frequenly dresses up in dance clothes and requests dancing music (that means classical music). Then she'll dance around the house. She loves the Barbie princess movies, especially if they include dancing. Both girls were in a jazz class last year that my friend taught. At the end of the school year, they both decided they'd prefer to do ballet. People frequently comment on Kate's grace, coordination, and princess mannerisms. I was certain she's love ballet. It was a nightmare to schedule piano lessons around dance classes. But I did it because I believe it's "her thing." After two lessons (and a new dance outfit, new shoes, a deposit, & a month of tuition), Kate's declared she doesn't like it! What!?! I suspect I'm now trying to guilt her into loving it. Sigh. We'll give it a few more weeks.

Our Amber

Rich & I stayed home from church today, sick. It's SOOO boring!! (being sick, I mean, not church). I was grateful for a wonderful Primary President who took over my sharing time last minute. I called my Mom at 8:45 am to let her know we wouldn't be coming for Sunday dinner. I told her Amber was disappointed she wouldn't get to go to church, so my Mom offered to take her. Amber got ready in 10 mintues! I was so proud of her for choosing to go. She told my mom, "I chose the right, didn't I Grandma?" Now, 6 1/2 hours later, we're missing Amber. Grandma took Amber home with her after church. There's nothing like one on one Grandma time. Did I mention my Mom is wonderful? Our day has been spent playing Kate & Jessica tag. "Tag Rich, you're it, I'm taking a nap."

If you ask Amber what her favorite thing is about school, she'd reply "recess." She spends her recesses collecting lady bugs. When recess is over, she tucks them in her backpack to bring home. She brings home about 5 a day. They live in a jar in our kitchen. She's learned to give them fresh leaves and little drops of water. The other day she couldn't locate the ladybugs in her backpack, so she just left it open. We found them. . . on the refrigerator, in the bathroom, on the table, and in Rich's hair. Too bad I threw my house plants out last week. (I really did, I chose not to care for them any longer, or maybe I chose not to neglect them any longer. Same thing either way, right?) All those ladybugs would have been good for them. So can anybody tell me, why is it that if bugs are red they're cute?

Yesterday we made a deal with the girls that I'd take them to kid-heaven, yeah, McDonalds for ice cream when their jobs were done. We arranged to go with some friends, but they couldn't go until 5:30. So, at 10:00 I gave the girls the option to play outside or stay inside and do their jobs. They're smart. They stayed outside all day. Guess what they did? Yeah, they caught ladybugs. Then grasshoppers, then butterflies. Amber was disappointed I wouldn't get her two more jars to keep her new pets in. Grasshoppers in my kitchen? I don't think so.

Blessings

This was one of the best days of my life- Jessica's blessing day. It was the culmination of miracles and answered prayers. Richard, supported by many wonderful family members, gave Jessica the most beautiful blessing. It was simply wonderful. Jessica is such a blessing to our family. It's mind-boggling that before you have a baby you simply can't imagine them, then after they arrive you can't remember them ever not being a part of your family. A whole family is re-defined and it's just right. I love watching Amber and Kate in their big-sister role. They love their baby, and she loves them. I love watching Rich in his role as a dad. He can be so tender and gentle with his girls. I also adore the way he kindly cares for me during pregnancy and after child-birth, when I desperately need his companionship.

Last fast Sunday a sister in our ward encouraged young parents not to wish away their childrens' early years. With joy I realized, I don't. I really love my little girls (not every moment, mind you), but there are those moments when I just want to freeze them and hope they'll stay little just a little bit longer. That's why I love to take pictures, journal, and scrapbook. I don't want the wonderful memories to fade. It's such a blessing to be a mom.

A free writing exercise

Rich & I struck a deal this week. If I can be in bed by 10:00 10 out of the next 14 nights I can buy a new workout DVD. It's almost 10:00, so I'm not editing, proofing, or deleting my entire entry & starting over tonight. You get it straight from my brain. Going to bed by 10:00 is nigh unto impossible for me. I just want to stay up later and later each night, enjoy the time that by kids are sleeping blissfully in their beds. But, the tired-er I get the worse I sleep and the hungrier little Jess gets the next day. (More than you wanted to know?)

Why a workout DVD as a reward? Rich gave me a gym membership as Christmas present almost 3 years ago. It was a little hard to justify, financially, but I've loved it! It makes me a better/happier person and I used it faithfully. I decided to renew it for another two years when it expired last December. I was pregnant at the time, but figured I could bring the baby to group classes in a carseat, because for two years I've watched everyone else do it. I hit the gym 6 weeks post-pardom, only to be informed that the night before, the new manager had made a new policy. No babies on the floor. Did they really think I'm going to take my 6 week old into the child-care room to be poked and sneezed on by up to 40 little toddlers and preschoolers?!? (She's 3 months old now, but I'm still not taking her in there). I wrote a nice lengthy letter, but it did no good. So, tomorrow I'm freezing my gym membership for three months. I'm so sad about it. But, I did just order my first workout video to try at home, and, I'm kind of excited about it.

Well, that's a bit of a boring post for y'all, but I'm going to bed. Be sure to ask me how I'm doing on my new goal. Let me know about your goals & I'll check up on you too.