Communication

Emma gets frustrated sometimes when she is trying to communicate with me. She knows lots of words, but she can't always tell me what she wants. So she resorts to a scream or tugging on my arm or doing something she shouldn't to get my attention.

Over and over I have explained to her that she needs to SHOW me or TELL me what she wants, that I can't understand her other forms of "communication."

The other thing that is frustrating for me is when she knows what she wants and knows how to ask, but won't. She just refuses to say, "Please." How often do I hold a couple of pretzels in my hand, waiting for her to utter the magic word? But I have to do that, because I want her to learn.

This morning it hit me that Heavenly Father feels the same way. He knows what I want, what I need, stands there ready to give it to me, but I am too stubborn or too busy to ask. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened."(Matt. 7:7)

Yes, that's my closet.

And no, I can't believe I'm posting a picture of it on the internet for everyone to see. I also thought I'd take a picture of my closet to help you understand why it is so important for us to keep the clothing levels relatively low. Umm, yes, that is the "master closet". It is so tiny, and we share it. And we survive. It's actually good for us. What you can't see in the closet(should have done 2 angles) is the rolling drawer that I store extra things in, and I have a hanging shoe rack on the back of our bedroom door for all of my shoes.

I learned something last week when I went through the closet. I have a LOT of clothes. And lots of them don't fit. I have several shirts, pants and skirts that are too small, and several that are too big(maternity). But I never part with them, especially the too small ones because "someday" I'll wear them.

Well, some of them are from high school. My body has changed a lot, and they probably never will fit. And I decided that if I DO fit into them, I deserve to BUY myself a new pair!! So this is the stack I gave to DI. I kept more than those between maternity, normal, and summer pants/capris. But I feel good about all the ones I kept, and I will likely get rid of even more later on. But I'm calling it good for now.

Day 1- Roadblock and Motivation

Dresser day! It is amazing how much STUFF I can fit in it! But I ran into a little roadblock- my husband's things. Do you sort through your husband's clothes? Because I'm not sure he would like that too much. Then again, he might not even notice! I also started on the closet and have 2 bags already! 1 of just garbage and 1 for DI. It already feels good.

So part of my motivation for our room is that it doesn't feel very welcoming. I've never done much decorating in there and I really want to. I finally have some ideas accumulated and plans to do the projects involved in my room transformation. But I want to get rid of all the STUFF first. I'm going to make this bedspread and these lamps(in a different color scheme, but this gives you an idea). I got the pics and tutorial HERE.



I also have a couple of fantastic ideas I got from Nate Berkus for my headboard and bookshelf. I seriously can't wait to get started but I need the clutter gone first!

PS- Husband came home and organized his dresser AND closet stuff on his lunch break. So now I have a head start on tomorrow! What a good man!

Kiss it good-bye

The clutter. I'm done. It's got to go. There is something about springtime that really makes me motivated, so I'm going to take the momentum and run with it. My friend and her links to THIS website are also inspiring me. I love the idea of doing a room a day until the house is done. And I'm not necessarily cleaning. If that happens, then great. My purpose here is to de-clutter and organize. So here is my list:
Week of 3/28
Master Bedroom Dresser X
Master Bedroom Closet X
Master Bedroom Bookshelf X
Master Bedroom Filing X
Master Bedroom Headboard/Under Bed X

Week of 4/4
Bathroom
Hall Closet
Pantry X
Kitchen Cupboards
Refrigerator/Freezer X

Week of 4/11
Living Room
Girls' Dresser X
Girls' Closet X
Business Stuff/Armoir
Business Filing X

Week of 4/18
Laundry Room X
Food Storage X
Armoir
Family Room
Playroom

Week of 4/25
Garage
Van
Car

Yes, I count our vehicles. They are one of my biggest weaknesses.

Also, my Mary Kay inventory needs to be sorted and organized, too. So I'll be having a massive sale. If there is anything you're looking for yourself or gifts(Mother's Day is coming up!), let me know and I'll find you something fantastic. :)

I'll keep you posted how this adventure goes! Starts tomorrow for me!

The Scare

Thursday was my first Dr.'s appointment. The appointment kept getting re-scheduled and before I knew it I found myself walking in for the first time at 12.5 weeks.

I'm always nervous at my first Dr.'s appointment. In November 2007, I went to my first Dr.'s appointment at 9 weeks, spent an hour talking to the PA and getting excited about my first pregnancy, walked in for my ultrasound to see my baby for the first time, and was shocked to see the baby at only 5 weeks with no heartbeat. It was an emotional experience.

I felt the same anxiety with my first appointment with Emma and Madelyn. I just brace myself so that it will never hurt that badly again.

But I felt pretty confident with this pregnancy. Still nervous, I was eager to hear that heartbeat so I could relax. After 45 minutes of the appointment, he searched for the heartbeat. All he could find was my heartbeat(I apparently have very strong blood vessels). He said that my heartbeat could just be too loud so it was hard to hear the baby's. Or maybe I wasn't as far along as we thought. But that I should schedule an ultrasound within a couple of days to make sure everything was ok.

Our awesome ultrasound tech(and mother-in-law) got us in only a couple of hours later that day. That first pregnancy I was sent away for 2 weeks to "wait it out". So this was a huge relief to be able to know so soon.

As he began the ultrasound, so many thoughts were running through my head. But in seconds a perfect baby with a perfect heartbeat became apparent. We hadn't planned on finding out what we were having, but there was no missing that it is a BABY BOY.

The baby was pretty calm until Jared brought Emma and Madelyn into the room. Then he couldn't stop kicking and waving and spinning. Those three kids have a special bond that I can't quite explain. It is humbling.

Some people think we are crazy. Or irresponsible. Or just plain naive. But I say we are part of a miracle. Truly it is a miracle that babies are ever formed at all, let alone that they continue to grow and develop as they should throughout the pregnancy. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has entrusted us with this baby. Are we excited it's a boy? Of course! But we walked into that room preparing to hear that we had lost the baby and walked out finding out he is healthy. We would not care one bit whether it was a girl or boy.

Sometimes almost losing something reminds you of how much you want it. No, need it in your life. I'm particularly grateful right now for this sweet spirit that is preparing to come into our home.

Under the Weather

The girls and I haven't been feeling well the last couple of days, so today we had a do-nothing day. We've been cuddling and watching tv and reading books and I've had the perfect excuse to completely neglect my house. :)

But after their naps they woke up looking much better and have much more energy. Emma's fever is lower than it has been(I've been trying so hard to keep her cool). So we played with bubbles and are headed out on a walk. Apparently sometimes it does pay off to rest and let your body heal a little, it almost seems like magic.

They love bubbles, and Emma loves to catch them. But the big ones pop in her face so she closes her eyes when she reaches for them. I think it's pretty cute.

A wrench in my plans.

Remember the triathlon I decided to do? Well, apparently I'm not a swimmer. At all. Like I need to take lessons before I can ever do any kind of public swimming. I have never learned how to breathe in the water the right way, so I don't ever put my face in the water. My swimming resembles something like this...

Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but when I was trying to find something on youtube to demonstrate the awkwardness of my swimming, Jared told me to type in "doggy paddle." Wouldn't you know, it is truly the closest thing! Sorry, mom, I guess I should have paid attention in swim lessons.

Doubling in size.

I ran out of my old bottle of prenatal vitamins, so I stopped and picked up another bottle of what I thought was the same stuff. It had been about a year since I last bought some, but really? The top one is the last one from my old bottle. Those massive things(on the bottom) are what I'm now expected to take. They remind me of the pills we give cows...

It's kind of a big deal.

I'm a wishy-washy potty trainer. I understand the benefits of going cold turkey, but my sanity and my family couldn't have handled that. So we have eased into it. But after only a couple of months, Emma is really close. She still has moments and even days where we both get frustrated, but she is pretty good at staying dry and telling me she needs to go. Last Sunday she stayed dry for all of church!

But our roadblock has been #2. Honestly, she has never gone #2 in the toilet. She knows eventually my wishy-washiness will result in a diaper and she'll be able to relieve herself. But tonight she did it!! And you would have thought we won the lottery at our house. We cheered and danced and partied it up, because you know what? I'm a mom and I love celebrating those little successes.

The newest addition to our family!!

(This is obviously not our actual van, ours will never be that clean again- but it's the right color, style, etc. so you can see what it is like)

We traded in our truck for a van!! It is a Dodge Grand Caravan. So now I drive that and Jared drives the Corolla. I got the Corolla in high school, and it is about ten years old. So comparing the van to the Corolla, I'm feeling very spoiled. Cruise, automatic locks, automatic windows, power seats, power mirrors built in carseats, stow-n-go, and keyless entry are my favorite features the van has that the Corolla doesn't. The biggest benefit of the van over the truck is the gas mileage. HUGE difference. We get double the gas mileage!

Best of all, we have some much needed extra space to make room for the new baby due September 26th! :)

Looking for the Good

"Have you ever noticed that people can usually find whatever they are looking for? Look hard enough, and you can discover both good and bad in almost anyone and anything." (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

I've been thinking about my attitude a lot lately, and how my attitude affects my day and my family. I really think it is key to having a happy home, and it is something I'm working on everyday, every hour, and sometimes every minute. :)

Dress Up Day

I've been promising Emma all week I would let her wear my necklaces later this week. But instead of just necklaces, they totally dressed up. Emma got a lot of dress up stuff for her birthday, so it was fun! Check out how RED Madelyn's hair is getting!! It is so beautiful!

Grateful

Today I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Do you ever have days like that? The last couple of weeks I have been really trying to think everyday how I have seen the Lord's hand in my life or in the lives of my family. Today I feel like there are so many!
-Our health.
-Jared's job. They laid off 3 employees last week, and it was really hard on everyone(it is a really small firm, so 1/4 of the company in one day)
-My friends. Sometimes I am just blown away by how amazing they are and how lucky I am to associate with so many amazing, inspiring people.
-Emma. I love her dance moves and her big grin. They are both contagious and we end up doing silly dance moves and laughing all day.
-Madelyn. She has been super cuddly lately(in between crawling and cruising everywhere) and I'm loving it. It's like she knows I'm not ready for her to be so independent so she cuddles to let me know she is still my baby.
-Jared. I'm in love. He's makes me a better person and treats me so well.
-Scriptures. Honestly, I always thought it was a little cliche when people said their day just goes better when they read their scriptures first. Seriously, I can't go throughout my day without them!
-My Calling. I learn and grow so much through it. I have sharing time all month and have really enjoyed preparing for it.
-Our Home. Watching everything on the news this morning about the earthquakes and tsunamis has really gotten me thinking. I'm so glad I have somewhere to go.
-Family. I love that I can call any of my siblings, Jared's siblings or our parents when I need something and they would do it in a second. I'm really realizing how amazing our families are and how blessed we are to be a part of them.
-The little things. There was a robin in my yard this morning. I woke up before my girls and was able to get lots done before they woke, mainly mentally. The sun is shining through my window. It feels like spring. My girls are giggling in the bath tub right now. I'm so blessed!

Is it too much?

I've been thinking a lot about the goals that I set for myself and for my family. Sometimes I wonder if I set them a little too high or put too much pressure on myself. I worry that I'll fail and be disappointed.

Last night I was having a conversation with someone much wiser than myself, and she told me that if a goal doesn't make you scared then it isn't worth your time. I'll be honest, when she said that I thought, "That's not a way to live your life. I want to be happy, not scared."

But I've thought about it since then and realized how much that makes sense. What decisions or goals have you made in your life that really intimidated you? Getting married? Having a baby? Having 2 babies 14 months apart? A new church calling? A new job? Moving to a new town? Going to school?

Those are all things that I remember being nervous about, to different degrees. But good has come from all of them, and I wouldn't take away any of the experiences that I have had.

And everytime we decide to sleep train a baby or wean them from a pacifier, potty train, etc. I'm nervous. And sometimes I wonder if it will be worth it or if I'm going through a lot of work for a small reward. Sleeping all night long? Isn't that irreplacable?

And I trained for the half marathon completely terrified of the actual race, wondering if I could actually do it. But guess what? I did it! And I consider it one of my greatest accomplishments, probably because I worked so hard for it.

So the next time you are setting a goal, think about what would be the easiest attainable level of your goal, and go a step further. Even if you don't hit that higher level, you're still better off than where you would have been. So why not?

Just a sweetheart

Madelyn is now 10 months old! This picture captures her exactly. She is loving her newfound waving, clapping and standing skills. She also really loves dolls. When she gets her hands on one, she hugs it tight with the biggest grin on her face. She is so much more content lately, and loves getting into and discovering new things. Nothing makes her happier than Emma, and they just giggle uncontrollably together, especially at bedtime. Love this cutie!