Monday, March 28, 2011

Here she is!!!

Nora Ann was added to our little family on Sunday, March 27th 12:57 PM. She was 6 lb. 14 oz. 21 inches long. Beautiful dark hair.

The details of her arrival can wait for another day, but now that she is here everything is WONDERFUL!






Right after labor... 20 min of sleep for the night did not do me any favors! Dan got 2 hours, that's why he looks so good-and he didn't have to birth the baby... He was a wonderful support and helped our 1 nurse deliver Nora. He is AMAZING!)

Thursday, March 24, 2011

To be off the list...

I have a list- I always have a list- but this is my "To do before the baby comes" list. It has been the same for the past 2 months but we party too hard, too many people to see, marshmallow fights to host, late nights with our 2 year old, etc. Now it's crunch time (call it nesting, or maybe it's just me in a panic.) I am down to 4 things on my to-do list...

Blogging pictures/uploading all pictures- CHECK!

Our life...
Jack helps: He "does" the dishes, he sorts the silverware (at least he tries) and he really does help me empty and put back all of the bedroom/bathroom garbage cans.

A favorite toy of Jacks- "Puff Balls." We used these in the sensory table in my classroom and I had an extra 50% off coupon for JoAnns, so I got some for Jack. HE LOVES them!

Jack helps cook. These are our friends and we made sugar/cinnamon pretzels together. Jack is pretty lucky to have such great friends & helpers!


Jack refusing to sleep in his own bed. We have purposely not made any changes before the baby comes. I think he still knows because his sleeping patterns are out of control. One day I gave him the choice to sleep in his crib or his chair and apparently he chose the chair. AWESOME!

We had dinner with Papa Russ when Grandma Cindy was out of town. Jack found papa's magnifying glasses (we were trying to get a piece of glass out of my foot) and Papa's keys. He was working on the Cozy Coupe right up until dinner time.

Then a little drive in dining... Some days you are just happy your child eats. He is actually a great eater, but sometimes doesn't do great when there are lots of other people/excitement around or when we are somewhere else. This is a fairly new habit, and my dad (and I) get a kick out of it. It is kind of like the Drive-In-Movie Diner in Disney World.
Jack's new favorite treat- ICE CREAM CONES. We went out for one after a baptism last week and he just can't get enough. Also aprons?

And finally. Jack has no idea what having a new baby is all about, but I know he is anticipating. Our friends just had a baby and their youngest (a year older than Jack) played babies with everything- dinosaurs, dolls, farm animals... Jack has just started collecting eggs from our play food and instead of "eggs" they are "Shiny, Tiny, and Don" from his favorite show Dinosaur Train. Whatever keeps him happy. He takes care of them, put them in the laundry hamper to keep them safe, and they follow him upstairs and downstairs. I am sure it means nothing, but it is something. :) His Mickey also is wearing a newborn hat (that Jack wanted on his head) and he has been walking Mickey in his stroller all day long.

Let's hope this big change in our life is one he can handle. :)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

I want to remember...

Jack has some funny ones. The latest that I don't want to forget, and is quite cute...

We got a new book: The LDS Gospel Art Book (it is great, so many wonderful pictures that help to teach about the Gospel- scripture stories, pictures of Jesus, Prophets, etc.)

Jack loves to look at the Prophet and knows "Prophet Monson"

But his second favorite pictures to look at are...

The "Temple"

The "Temple"

And "Castle."

You've got to love it!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

A Moment of Weakness

Jack loves to pray.
It all began months ago- him folding his arms, waiting to eat until we were all done.

Then, he wouldn't just listen but participate with an excited "AMEN" after everyone has said it (even in church meetings, which is very cute. The bishop has even commented on Jack's amens that he can hear at the front of the chapel.)

And recently, we have given Jack the opportunity to say the prayers. Either Dan or I lead the prayer, and each thought ends with an easy word that Jack likes to say. Like: "We are thankful for our mom and dad." And he says "mom and dad." Or "Bless the food," He says "food."

Well, this week I have reached a new low, or high, depending on how you look at it. :)

A little back story- Jack hasn't been sleeping well for almost a month. At first it was very sweet, him waking up at 4 AM asking to "guggle." I go in, hold him for one minute-literally one minute- and then ask him if he wants to go in his crib. He says yes, I put him back in and he sleeps until 8:30. It doesn't get much better than that! I loved it, even if it was interrupted sleep. (I was up to go to the bathroom anyway.)

Then, he got sick. Just a cold but there was no recovering from his middle of the night wakings, and things were not so easy. He didn't want to go right back to bed. I spent a couple nights on the couch with him, snuggling him on his floor, anything to get him to sleep. MISERABLE.

And of course, it never went back to how good we had it. Most nights we were up 2 times, but some nights up to 4-5 times. I was dying, Dan was even participating in the middle of the night madness!

After a night away for me (girls night in Chicago with a couple of friends), and a couple of rotten Sundays in nursery because Jack didn't get enough sleep, I decided we had had enough.

Monday night, as I rocked Jack in his chair for the 3rd attempt at going to sleep in his own crib (I am on my last straw... SO TIRED!) I asked him if he wanted to pray. This is how it goes...

M: Please bless Jack to sleep in his own crib J: sleep crib
M: Bless mom and dad to sleep good J: sleep good
M: Help us to be happy in the morning J: Happy
M: Bless us with patience and to be kind J: Kind

It goes on and on... this is my moment of weakness. As tears ran down my face I thought of many ways to have Jack pray for all of the things I needed. I needed a good nights sleep, I needed him to be happy in the morning. I needed some down time. ALL OF IT!

It is amazing how prayers are answered. Whether it was my prayer, or Jack's prayer, it happens. Do I feel a little guilty using my sweet two year old to pray for all of the things I needed, and he doesn't have a clue what that will mean for him? Maybe a little.