emma laughs

emma laughed for the first time tonight.

a bunch of big belly laughs.

it was music to my ears.

and the best part, the one who was making her laugh was logan.

she thought it was the funniest thing watching him jump on the bed and then throw himself down.

(of course as soon as we tried to video it, no more laughing).

i'm so in love with these two!

logan turns two!

it's hard to put into words how much i love this boy. he has made me so happy over the past two years (where did the time go?). 

he's the one that made me a mom and has made my heart grow and expand like i couldn't imagine. i feel so lucky to be his mom and to be able to be home with him everyday!

things i want to always remember about logan at 2 years old:

how he has become quite independent. we hear "do it myself" a lot

how excited he always is to see his dad and how he tells his dad all about his day (often making up people he saw or places we went)

how he always wants us to watch what he is doing...going down the slide, driving his trains etc.

what a good sleeper he is and how much he loves (and needs) his naps 

how he likes the idea of watching a movie or show but 10 minutes into it he is off playing again. but he likes it on for background noise and always wants to "watch" another as soon as the show ends

how he loves swimming and doesn't want any help (thank goodness for floaties). he loves to jump off the edge of the pool and he doesn't want to be caught. he likes to go under water and then bob up to the surface.

how much he loves to be outside. it's always a battle to get him to come inside.

how we have constant commentary wherever we go. "look at the car/train/truck etc." "here we go through the tunnel/up the hill" "look at the doggie/bicycle etc" now he has started to point things out to emma which is so cute. the times when i run or drive by myself i catch myself about to comment on whatever car/truck/train/bicycle/dog i see before i realize he isn't with me

how he says, "come on, sit down" and will pat the floor or couch to indicate where we need to be

how he loves to sing songs and listen to music "i am a child of god," "wheels on the bus," "old macdonald had a farm," "twinkle twinkle little star," "mary had a little lamb," "frere jacques"

how when he sees a candle burning he will say happy birthday and how he can sing happy birthday

how when you ask him when his birthday is he will say july, he can tell you the day is the 13th and he can tell you he is two (although you have to ask the questions in the right order)

how he loves to read

how he is all boy. he loves balls, trucks, trains, cars

how he tells us he loves us

how he says "bye mommy" or "bye daddy" when we put him down for bed

how he says prayers and reads scriptures with help (and is so proud of himself)

how much he loves his extended family and asks to go to gammy and pappy's or nana and papa's at least daily

how he sleeps with a crib full of "friends"

how good he is at learning and remembering names

how many times a day i hear "it's mine." according to him, everything is his. no logan, the couch is not yours. sorry to break it to you!

how sometimes he talks in a growl. i don't know how else to describe it. it's pretty funny though!

how he refers to himself in the third person. "it's logan's fan."

how good he is at climbing up on things. now he can climb up on our bed and up on our tall kitchen chairs. he also likes to climb up on the toilet and turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water. i've had to start closing the bathroom door. 

how he suddenly seems so grown up.

emma: 3 months

 i decided i better get emma's 3 month update posted right away or it would be time for her 4 month one. we fall more and more in love with this little girl everyday. she sure makes it easy to love her. she is a sweet, good natured and content baby (most of the time)! plus she gives us the best smiles!

•  she coos and every once in awhile will make "maaammm" noises. she loves to "talk" to her daddy and is the most vocal with him.
• she loves logan and will follow him (with her gaze) wherever he goes in the room. he is generally really sweet to her, although sometimes his lovin' is a little too rough!
• she loves to smile! she will pretty much give you a big, open mouthed smile if you talk to her. people comment a lot on how smiley she is. 
• she has been sleeping through the night for about 3 weeks now and it is soo nice! just when i was starting to feel like the sleep training just wasn't working (and she was even digressing for about a week), it clicked and she has been sleeping from about 7:30 pm - 5:30 am, having a little "snack" and then sleeping for a couple of more hours (we both do). i think though i am finally breaking her of the 5:30 am wake up time (too early for her mama) and she is starting to sleep until 7:00 or 7:30 am.
• she loves her binky and her lovey. they instantly calm her.
• at night when she is trying to fall asleep she sometimes spits out her binky and starts to fuss. when we go to put it back in and she sees us, she gives the biggest smile like it's time to play and it's really hard to resist her! 
• she loves to sleep on her side
• when she lays on a blanket, she likes to have her feet tucked up into her
• she sleeps swaddled with her arms out
• she likes to suck on her hands

to-do

it's the end of a wonderful week. i love having my family in town. having us all together in colorado seems so normal and i almost forget it's just a temporary thing. i always learn so much when we're together. they make me want to be a better mother, a better wife, a better sister and daughter, a better disciple and just a better person. 

but now it's back to normal life and i'm exhausted and overwhelmed thinking of all i need to do. my house is a disaster. somehow my house gets the messiest when we're hardly at home. i think it's because we come home exhausted, dump all our bags and stuff on the floor, fall into bed, get up in the morning, run out the door and start the cycle all over again. so needless to say, after being gone all week my house needs to be completely organized and cleaned. i feel like i can't concentrate or think when it gets so messy. we have no food. i need to plan meals and grocery shop (costco and the grocery store). our car wouldn't start today so i have to call our car insurance company, get it towed and hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. i need to do laundry so we actually have something to wear. and i should probably fold the clean clothes that have been in the laundry baskets for at least a week. and then i have stuff to do for relief society. visits that need to be made and forms that need to be filled out and dropped off at the church. i need to work out because i have been eating way too much yummy food all week. tonight alone i had 2 sprinkles red velvet cupcakes that were too good to resist. and of course i have 2 kids to care for. and these are just the things that need to get done on monday. and to top it all off my house is so hot that i feel like it makes me move in slow motion (or worse, makes me not want to move at all). 

wow, that was a whiny paragraph. but do you ever just get overwhelmed with all that needs to get done in a day?! my frenzied feelings reminded me of some inspired advice from president dieter f. uchtdorf, 

"My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. 

Brothers and sisters, diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world. That is why “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, … that [we] may know to what source [we] may look for a remission of [our] sins.”  In the complexity, confusion, and rush of modern living, this is the “more excellent way.” 

so tomorrow even with all i need to do, i am going to try to remember to slow down a little and focus on the significant (feel free to remind me if you happen to see me. i'm sure i'll need it). and if my house doesn't get cleaned tomorrow, there's always another day. but i better make sure i get to the grocery store or we're going to be a hungry little group! 


but for now, i'm just going to go to sleep and not think of it all anymore. it will still be there in the morning.

day at the dollar store

my entire family is in town for a little reunion. everyday my mom plans at least one fun outing and today it was to the dollar store. each grandkid got to choose 1 thing on nana and papa's dime (or dollar...ha ha). the kids had a blast. i'm not sure if the dollar store workers felt like it was really worth the business because the kids were a bit rowdy. it's so fun to watch how excited they all get about the littlest things and i was reminded how much dollar stores rock (something i discovered on my mission and had forgotten).

brother and sister

i think this picture captures how logan feels about emma...love and adoration. that's not to say that he doesn't poke her in the eye sometimes or kick his little legs right next to her head. but he is crazy about her (like we all are). he always wants to be next to her. last week he wanted her to watch "cars" with him. when we're driving in the car he points out all his favorite things to her, "look emma, train (car, truck, etc)." he calls her emmy, which is just so sweet. i can't wait to watch these 2 grow up together. i have no doubt there will be times they will fight and won't always like each other, but i also have no doubt they will love each other fiercely.

i want to eat her up!

 

i snuck this picture of emma on my phone yesterday during church. i just couldn't help it! 

(megan acker, if you look close you'll see your mom and cousin in the background. and megan mullins, if you look in the very back of the picture you'll see your brother!)

this morning

some days you're just too anxious to play that there's not even time to change out of your pajamas.

 

this dude is now two years old and i can hardly believe it! more posts to come of all the festivities.

capacity

for the last couple of months i have been thinking about our capacity as individuals. about 2 months ago i got a new calling. to say i was shocked would be an understatement. for 3 years i had served in a pretty demanding calling and to be perfectly honest, i was hoping for something a little easier when i got released (or at least something with less meetings). i have to admit as the bishop extended the calling, in my head i was thinking, "i have a baby that is just barely a month old and a two year old (almost), a husband that works full time and is going to school at night and has 2 callings himself. and i'm just kind of tired! you seriously want me?!" i was definitely doubting not only my abilities, but also my capacity to do all that would be required with this calling.

it made me think about enoch when he received his call from the lord. now don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to compare myself to a prophet (he definitely had the harder calling :) but i could relate to his feeling of inadequacy. his response to the lord's call was, "why is it that i have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for i am slow of speech; wherefore am i thy servant (moses 6:31)?" i could relate to his, "who me?! are you sure?!" sentiment. but god knows who he is calling and he enables those he calls. the lord's response was, "go forth and do as i have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and i will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and i will do as seemeth me good (moses 6:32)." the lord addressed the very thing that enoch was worried about and promised him that he would be ok. in fact he promised him that with his (the lord's) help he would be better than ok. he said,"behold my spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will i justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and i in you; therefore walk with me (moses 6:34)."

i take comfort in knowing that the lord knew what he was doing when he called me (even if don't) and that if i "walk with him" he will guide me and will make my small efforts enough. i love moroni's response in ether 12 after he had told the lord his worry and had been promised by the lord that his "grace is sufficient" and that he is able to "make weak things become strong." "and i, moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and said, 'o lord, thy righteous will be done, for i now that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith (ether 12:29)." moroni recognized his personal weakness, but he had absolute faith in the lord and his power. he recognized where his strength came from.

i think the lord allows us to have challenges and experiences that stretch us beyond what we feel capable of because he knows that our true limits lie way beyond where we think they are. he knows it and he allows us to learn for ourselves little by little and experience upon experience just how capable we are. he allows us to come to what we think is the edge of our limits, only to discover that we can do so much more. and in doing more we become more. more like him. because we don't have to do it on our own. he will walk with us in whatever we are facing...parenting, school, work, callings, relationships...whatever. i'm sure he just hopes we will turn to him and allow him to help us. elder david a. bednar said christ can "strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying only upon our own power."

here's to discovering a little more what my capacity is...

4th of july weekend

i just realized i never posted about our fourth of july weekend, so here we go. on saturday we headed to the cherry creek arts festival. it's full of cool art, but everything is so expensive it's a wonder anyone buys it (obviously people with more money than us!). it was probably not the best place to bring a bunch of kids for fear they might knock over the $3,000 porcelain bowl. but all the kids did great and we ended up at "the wizard's chest," a favorite store of dave and i's that was much more kid friendly!

it was so hot walking around that we came home and crashed

we started out the 4th of july celebrating with my parent's ward. every year there is good food and good company. this year was HOT HOT HOT! i seriously felt like i was going to melt.

after his nap (hence just the diaper...we don't have a/c), dave introduced logan to pop-it (snaps). logan thought they were pretty cool. definitely cooler than the sparkler we tried to give him later that he was scared of.

kari and sterling had us over for a bbq. we realized this is our third 4th of july together! after dinner we lit off our own fireworks (although don't mention it to sterling because he was pretty disappointed with how many duds there were). logan was especially fond of the "jumping jacks," but really i think he just liked the name (he was still talking about them to sterling today on the phone).

this was my contribution to the bbq. i love fruit pizza and probably could have eaten this whole thing myself if i wasn't required to share.

emma has a great pouty face (although this one does look a little weird) and i love that smile!

the fireworks show in highlands ranch was awesome. we were right by where they were shooting them off and it was amazing (dave and sterling were already planning for how to get an even better spot next year). but it freaked logan out. like big time. i had to stand and rock him, while singing primary songs in his ear the whole time. he eventually calmed down but still didn't want to even look at them. the finale put him into a complete tizzy and he kept saying, "go home," but the second it was over he was totally fine. in fact he spent the whole ride home talking about the "colors up in the sky" and telling us what colors he saw. apparently they were a lot cooler (and he was a lot braver) after the fact. we feel so blessed to live in a free country and are grateful for the sacrifices so many are making and have made.

secrets

i'm always looking for creative date ideas (so we do something other than watch a movie) and i was so excited when i read in 5280 magazine about the "PostSecret" exhibit that was in town at a small arts center for one more week. i had heard of this exhibit before and thought it would be cool to see. so i arranged for gammy and pappy to watch the kids and decided to keep it a secret from dave (he he)! but dave can hardly stand secrets and was begging for a hint of where we were going. usually i refuse to give a hint because i am bad at giving hints and get bummed when dave guesses right, but this time i was prepared. i played the song "secrets" by OneRepublic and he still had no idea!

a little background about the exhibit (from wikipedia). "the concept of the project is that completely anonymous people decorate a postcard and portray a secret that they have never previously revealed. no restrictions are made on the content of the secret; only that it must be completely truthful and must never have been spoken before. frank warren, the creator of the project, claims that 'the postcards are inspirational to those who read them, have healing powers for those who write them, give hope to people who identify with a stranger's secret, and create an anonymous community of acceptance.' "

sorry to break it to you frank, but this was not an inspirational experience for us. in fact it was downright depressing. i guess if i would have stopped and actually thought about it, i would have realized that most of the secrets people would be sharing (that they had never shared with anyone before and were now sharing anonymously) would not be uplifting or even silly (for the most part). mostly they were sad, depressing and disturbing. i would say a majority of them had to do with sexual indiscretion (cheating, adultery etc.), suicidal thoughts and just plain unhappiness with their lives. seeing how people decorated their postcard to represent their secret was pretty cool, but not cool enough keep it from being depressing. needless to say my great date idea was a bust. we didn't even finish going through the whole exhibit.

these were my 2 favorites because they were just plain funny. i think these were the kinds of secrets i was expecting.

and even though the one on the left has to do with cheating, it made me laugh.

outside the arts center. a picture to remember our depressing date.

and of course when you see a statue like this, you just have to pose with it. right?!

the date was redeemed a little thanks to a great restaurant recommendation from some friends. if you're ever in golden, go to empanada express grill. yummy! as we were leaving the restaurant we were already trying to decide when we could go back. plus, it's just nice to be with dave so the date wasn't all bad!

if you have any creative date ideas you've done (or heard of), leave a comment and let me know!

trains

logan loves trains! dave and i have become pretty familiar with thomas the tank engine and all his friends (not to mention the incredible music the show features!). logan points out the train (light rail) whenever we're driving and we decided it was finally time for him to ride the train at the zoo.

dave did the honors of accompanying logan. he seemed to especially love driving past the flamingos (he kept talking about it the rest of the day).


i stayed with emma who spent most of our zoo time sleeping in the stroller.

a failed attempt to get a cute picture of me and both kids. obviously logan was having none of it (glad we caught a picture of me strong arming him, trying to keep him in place) and doesn't the top of emma's head look cute! oh well. maybe this is a more accurate portrayal of life than all of us sitting and smiling nicely (although i would still like one of those pictures).

and just to go along with the train theme, logan is making sure emma is getting her introduction early. here she is napping with thomas and his coaches.