I am a child of God

We have been blessed with such a good, mild, flexible baby, it has been fun. She is such a little jabberer. She loves to make eye contact and just coo her little heart out.

I got to take her to work with me for a day of meetings, and in order to keep her quiet, I kept a pacifier in her mouth most of the time. When we had a break I tried to feed her but was cut short. On the lunch break I rushed to find a spot to finish feeding her, but she didn't want to eat. Instead she cooed and jabbered for about 20 minutes straight as if to say, "Mom, I have been quiet long enough, now I need to talk!" On several occasions when she wakes up at night to feed, or in the morning, instead of crying she just starts talking.

One of our bedtime routines is to sing I am a child of God.  When trying to get the older two to settle down while I was pregnant I would say, "Let's sing the baby a song".  Usually it was the song, "I am a child of God" which for years has worked to get them to sleep. 

 Several weeks ago we were invited to a loud birthday party, and found ourselves outside a lot to give baby a break from all the noise and help her settle down.  The video is of big sister helping her little sister calm down.

 

 

 

      The other night I fed her and put her in her crib, then got ready for bed.  I turned out the light and she continued to coo, however they seemed longer coos as if she were singing.  Lying in my bed I said to her, "Are you singing?  Do you want to sing a song?"  Then I started singing "I am a Child of God"  She cooed, long coos with me the whole way through the song, just singing along in her own way.  When I finished she let out two more long coos and then went to sleep.  It was such a sweet moment.  Today she cooed along with Ionut singing too.

 In her baby blessing she was told, "You came at this time to bless your family and your brother and sister. "  I belive that is true. She is Gary's happy thoughts!  The first thing he does every morning is run in our room to find her and kiss her.  It doesn't matter what he is doing in the other room, if he hears her, he'll run to take care of her.  He loves to sing to her and usually makes the words up as he goes. Usually they are cute lyrics about how much he loves her.  One time he was singing to her after she had thrown up.  I tuned in to his melody to hear him sing sweetly, "You eat like a little piggy and you stink too".  

    

This Great Deep

I have had several experiences where I felt like the scriptures have been direct answer to prayer, or where inspiration was given through the words, but the most recent was this past week. I was getting ready to return to work from maternity leave feeling overwhelmed with regret of having to leave my baby to work full- time. I decided to get my visiting teaching done before returning to work and picked up the Ensign and read. This month's Ensign is a special edition about the Book of Mormon, and I turned to an article and read,

"Said the Lord, ‘Ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come’ [Ether 2:25].

Those words comforted me and I thought of all of those dear to me who are struggling with major trials right now--my brother Mark's family and their son's recent diagnosis of Leukemia, my friend whose mom with Alzheimers recently didn't recognize her, another dear friend who's recently been diagnosed with Lupus. Other loved ones are dealing with the loss of a job and/or home, having to move far from family, receiving news that they may never have a child or another child, grieving the loss of a child, struggling with addiction. Some are experiencing marriages failing, families being separated, abuse, poor health, etc. It can be overwhelming, and as my mom said to me the other day, It seems like everyone is going through something really hard, and if you don't think they are, you just don't know. The words from that scripture comfort me and reassure me that God knows our struggles. The Savior has crossed this deep before us, He knows how to succor us. God has prepared us against the waves, winds, and floods that SHALL come, our duty is to endure faithfullly, FULL of FAITH as I see so many doing.

My favorite quote on my mission was by Elder Neal A Maxwell

When, in situations of stress, we wonder if there is any more in us to give, we can be comforted to know that God, who knows our capacities perfectly, placed us here to succeed. No one was foreordained to fail or to be wicked.

When we have been weighed and found wanting, let us remember that we were measured before and were found equal to our tasks; and therefore, let us continue but with a more determined discipleship.

When we feel overwhelmed, let us recall the assurance that God will not overprogram us; he will not press upon us more than we can bear (see D&C 50:40).

It's cute when they don't talk "bery well"

There are some things that I don't want to forget said in their 4 year old way...

• "lellow"
• "I can't say that bery well"
• "just lax mom" (relax)
• "We gotta read scrippers!"
• "Nobody's hugging me" :(
• I miss my grandma in "Mania"
• "Barbie pins"
• "Mushmallows"
• "Mom can we go to 'Old MacDonald's' and get a hamburger?"
• "Mom, how's the baby?" (which started when I was pregnant, and I think it slips still out of habbit.
• "Do it!" (like when someone stops rubbing her back or playing with her hair)
• "Stooop!"
• Every time she greets Grandpa she says "WHAT'S ALL THIS BRU HA HA!" because that's what he would say when he came home to the rowdy house.
• "Mom, is it a hot day, or a cold day, or a warm day?" (when choosing what outfit to wear)
• "This day?"--she'd get confused when I would tell her she could sleep over at grandma's today, she'd be upset that it was only one night when I said "two day" so now she asks, "This day?" then, "One day or two days?"

S- "Where's the peanut butter?"
Me- "On the Counter"
S- "What Counter Counter?" said in her little four year-going-on-13 year old attitude

S- "Mom!" (just checking to make sure I'm there when out of sight)

Me-"What?"
S- ... "I so love you"
Me "I love you more"
S- "Okay, we both win"

"Mom, Go Straight." Which had to be said everytime I left the house. I think it was her way of saying hurry home (as in go straight home after school). Gary told her that was stupid because if I went straight I would run into that house at the end of the road, so she revised it....
"Mom, Go Straight, when you see our house turn, if you don't see our house don't turn. Go straight." She would say it as she hugged me goodbye or run out to the car and tell me every time I'd leave for work. Once or twice she'd forget and then my cell phone would ring as I was driving out of the neighborhood she'd tell me she'd forgot to tell me something....

S- "Mom, can I_____?"
Me-"I don't know"
S- "What do you mean? You're my mother, you know everything!"

More celebrating!!!

We have a new precious addition to our family and we love her! The other cause to celebrate is that her sister who has now been out of our bed for sometime is officially out of our room and sharing a room with her big brother!!!

Video Game Dialogue

I was in the kitchen making lunch and overheard my kids playing the "motorcycle video game." It was so cute I had to run in and get it down before I forget.

Little sister- I'm not doing bery well
Big Brother- Don't worry, stay right there and I'll come get you. ... Wait, I'm coming......(a few minutes later) Whoo hoo! You won!
(round two)
BB- "I'm coming to get you. Get back on the track."
LS- "You don't have to."
BB- "I will so you can learn how to do it."

Faceam mancare la bucatarie si am auzit copii nostri jucand jocul video cu motociclete. A fost dragut si repede am scris sa nu uit.
Sara- "nu fac prea bine"
Fratele-"nu-ti faci griji, stai pe loc si vin eu acolo sa te ajut....asteapta vin...(au trecut cateva minute) Bravo!!! Ai castigat sara!!!!
(Randul doi)
Frate-"Vin la tine sa te iau. Du-te inapoi pe pista de cursa"
Sara-"Nu trebuie"
Frate-"Stai ca vin ca sa invet cum sa mergi pe motocicleta"

Cause to Celebrate!

Judge how you may, but at our house we are celebrating! We are going on night 4 with no kids in our bed! We have tried this many times before, but this is the longest run yet! Daddy figured out a way to make a great bed on the floor by pushing two crib mattresses together. It's got a down comforter and it's pretty comfy. He lays on the floor telling them stories each night until they fall asleep, and then big brother is close enough to keep scared sister safe, (but far enough away not to get kicked.) Periodically when she wakes up scared, Mom turns a lamp on for a few minutes until she goes back to sleep and that seems to do the trick! (Did I mention I've been rewarding with a plum or peach for each night not in my bed) It's a family affair, but it's working! Maybe by the time the baby comes they'll be out of our room!!!

Letter from Santa

So In the stocking was a letter:

"I know that you really wanted a motorcycle video game because you really liked to play it with your uncles. I wanted to get you one, but I have a better gift to tell you about. Your mom has a baby in her tummy and in August you will have a little brother or sister to play with. Until then there is a present that you can play with your sister." (They each got a scooter.) It went over well for a while he didn't even worry about the motorcycle game.
Then on New Years Eve, uncle Brandon had a motorcycle game set up at my parents for him to play until he got his fill! Thanks Brandon!