Four month and five month photos!

I can't believe it but the calendar tells me Sarah is 5 months today - time for another picture with her trusty tiger (trusty as in he was hiding underneath her dresser so I spent a little time looking for him today!).  In honor of her five-month mark, she decided to roll over for the first time yesterday on January 16th. I caught the second rolling instance on camera which was pretty exciting. Only the child of an almost-accounting-professor would roll on command for money, right? :)  I have lots to update on and I think it will be a good thing to keep me busy these next several weeks when Jeff is interviewing.  Well, you know, blogging and doing the dishes...


A few notes about Sarah - she is a wonderful little baby. I am convinced we haven't ever really had a "real baby" in the sense that they need to be held all the time or else they'll scream or that I have to hold her while she sleeps or something like that. I think 3 kids is just hard even if the baby is extremely good-natured!  We love it when she is smiling while still keeping a pacifier in her mouth, when she gives us "hugs" as the other kids call it (I would call it slightly less spastic placement of arms when they happen to be giving her a hug), when she makes all sorts of happy sing-songy noises, when she sits and eats while we read lots and lots of books all of us together and look forward to the adventures next month will provide when she starts eating yummy pureed fruits and veggies!

Four Months Old - Dec. 17th, 2012

Not excited about sharing her photo shoot with the sibs...

Five Months Old - Jan. 17th, 2013:

Rolling over video is here!

Today is also the 10th anniversary of when I became an aunt for the first time. When my sister Jamie had her first baby I was so so so excited!  I printed off the first pictures they sent, laminated them and hung them up on my apartment door at Casa Dea. Looking back that seems a little odd but I think I was just wanting everyone to know that a proud aunt lived there! :)  Jamie & Jason were living in Louisiana at the time and I ached to be there. Luckily the next year they moved to Utah and since I was still at BYU I got to have lots of fun times with my niece Kirby just a little later on. Before it happens it is hard to imagine just how much you'll love your sister's kids, but that is a really amazing bond for sure!  Happy Birthday to Kirby!  

Three months!

I took Sarah's 3 month pictures two days early since we were leaving town before Thanksgiving and Jeff's sister Kristin's wedding. Sarah smiles in real life but I just don't have very many pictures of it yet. You can see her becoming more interested in her little tiger towards the end of the pictures shown here:

"The tiger is smiling so I guess that means I don't have to, Mom!"

nom nom nom!

Rah rah rah rah rah!  (Gotta start 'em young!)

This little one has her ABR (automated brainstem response) test this week to test her hearing again. She passed the newborn screen in the hospital but our kids' audiologist wanted to test her sooner given our family history to make sure there are no changes.  Ordinarily that would happen in March since she passed but Lori wanted the test to be sooner so Wednesday is the day we'll likely know more about how her hearing is compared with the rest of us. Some mornings when I am putting in my hearing aids, then Jacob's, and then Rebecca's I feel like I should be putting Sarah's in too, probably not because I think she needs them but because all the cool kids are wearing them (ha!) and I don't want her to feel left out.  :)

Chris Mann's new album: Roads

Thanks to One2One Network I received a copy of Chris Mann's new album Roads to preview. I wasn't familiar with his music before. Apparently he made a big impression on some show I'd not heard of called The Voice (and maybe that tells you how much of a box I live in, ha!). Despite not having heard of him before, it's been fun this week to listen to some songs of other artists that he's covered on this album.

Trained as a classical artist, he's kind of bridging the divide between classical and popular music like so many others who have gone before him. Tracks like "I Need You Now" and "Always on My Mind" have a decidedly more orchestral feel to them than the originals. I think my favorites are the title track "Roads" and his cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida."

Here is the chorus from "Roads:"

Some are long and some are weathered

Some will lead you through a storm

When you've gone astray you will find your way

As you walk along these roads

If you have an iTunes or Amazon gift card lying around collecting dust, give Chris Mann a listen if you're a fan of classical crossover-type artists!

Blessing Day

Right before Sarah turned 1 month we had 10 people come stay with us for a couple days. It was actually really fun and Jeff engineered everything very well so everyone could stay in our home. Looking back I pretty much did nothing to get ready for everyone to come -- but that's how those hazy newborn days go, and lucky for everyone Jeff picked up my slack and things went very well.  Everyone was here for Sarah's blessing on Sept. 16th and we had some nice pictures taken. That weekend we also met Justin, my sister's then-boyfriend-now-turned-fiancé.  :) Sarah was a little small for her dress then so we took some pictures of her a few weeks later (you can see how much she filled out in that time!).  Here are a few pictures of the weekend:

Cousin Jenna (3 mo) and Sarah (1 mo)

So sad before we even took pictures!  When the baby's got to eat, the baby's got to eat!

She grew quite a bit between this day and 3 weeks later when Jeff snapped these pictures...

Thanks again to everyone who drove here or flew here - it was so fun to have everyone here and it meant a lot to us that you came!

Two months and counting!

Here is Sarah a couple weeks ago on October 17th with her tiger. I like the last picture because there is a hint of a smile, but the first two show her kickboxing skills. Bam! At her two-month checkup she was 9 lb 15 oz and very healthy!  

Resemblances

Here are some pictures of all three kids at one month old. Sarah looks more like Jacob than I thought!

Jacob
- shortest in length/height, most hair, fanciest outfit :)

Rebecca
- tallest, biggest, most tired

Sarah
- littlest in weight, brightest color of stuffed friend for the monthly picture , and  the chair looks a little faded all these years later!

Kid happenings

Jacob:

The little boy we carpool with for school broke his arm at recess a few weeks ago. When I told Jacob that his friend broke his arm in three different places Jacob's response was: "Oh no! So, he just broke it at recess and where else?" :)

Jacob with his finished game of dominoes. He was pretty proud of matching up the number of dots.

For several months Jacob has used the word neither in place of or on occasion. "We didn't have a book last night, neither a CD."

One day last week he asked some interesting questions: "Mom, why do we believe in Jesus?" and "Mom, why did Jesus create the world?"

He used a Justice League plate for breakfast before church yesterday and said he wanted to wear his red shirt so he could look "just like Flash" for Sunday.

Jeff helped Jacob make this papier-maché house for his Gingerbread Baby in September. He loved taking it to school to show his classmates!

I found Jacob at the table one morning with a pencil. He was drawing some different shapes and I asked what he was coloring. "This is a cylinder. I'm making this paper as a busy bag to help Rebecca learn her shapes." (we have a bunch of busy bags with little learning activities in them to help with colors, numbers, fine motor skills, etc.)  When he was done with the shading he got up from the table and sat with Rebecca on the floor and pointed to the shapes and had her ring a bell to say the answer. She said, "skirkle!" for the round one and I figured that was correct but he then kindly corrected her and said that it wasn't a circle, it was a sphere.

Rebecca:

"Yesternight we just did that." - in reference to jumping in our bounce house in the basement

We were at a preschool playtime at a gym today and she was bouncing with me and said something: "It's a Miracle!" is what I heard, so I asked her what the miracle was but what she said was "It's Gym America!" She kept laughing that I'd misheard her.

Upon discovering some clay dough that had been left in a little shape maker for a while she said, "Oh no! It is all dried! Like a mango!"

Rolling out and cutting the dough to make homemade cheese crackers. 

She is starting to use more grown-up sounding words and it always takes me aback.  Yesterday she just repeated something I had said a few moments before but for some reason when she said the word "realize" I thought it was so cute.


Here is Rebecca holding the picture of shapes Jacob made her. You can see how well the photo shoot went...

Sarah:

This one is smiling more and more and occasionally coos. She'll be two months on Wednesday this week and I can hardly believe it. Three kids is tricky, to be sure, but we are all so glad to have her in our family. The older kids are so sweet to her and I've loved having a tiny one to snuggle again.

One month!  

She's usually very alert when she's awake!  

7 Years

A long time ago (back in July)....we celebrated 7 years of marriage!  I am starting to sort of feel grown up. But don't worry, only sort of!

As usual, Jeff made this wonderful video to celebrate this past year of our family's life and the kids have watched it so many times Jacob has been caught singing some Mindy Gledhill and some Keith Urban.  It's pretty long but if you're game, feel free to watch and enjoy!

7 years from J Lamro on Vimeo.

Lead, Guide, Walk Beside (and get out of the way when necessary)

A couple weeks ago Jeff and I were reading in 3rd Nephi in the Book of Mormon. In the chapter we were reading the Resurrected Savior is teaching and visiting the Nephites in the Americas. This is one of my favorites sections in the Book of Mormon for many reasons, but I thought I should write up something that really struck me that night as we were reading that I'd not noticed before in the many times I have read the same passages previously.

But first I should give a little background, if for no other reason than to remind myself how I was feeling about my mothering as we read the scriptures together that night. Things have been hard lately, really hard. My patience has been so very thin most days. I feel like I'm the referee all day long many days, running interference but without any real game plan that ever works. I wake up every day, praying in my heart that I won't yell today, that I'll keep my cool and just be calm and helpful and kind, but firm if necessary. And most days I fail at this. I yell sometimes. It makes me sad and I know it's not helping us have peace in our home.  I'm currently about, oh, 40 weeks pregnant, and this hormonal+tired state obviously doesn't help things, because often after I get frustrated or upset I turn into a bucket of tears. This doesn't work wonders for disciplining children, in case you were wondering about my "methods." Don't get me wrong, there are perfect moments in every day, but no day is ever perfect, nor can it be, but I wish I had more perfect moments. (Don't we all?!)  In any event, this is how things have been of late.

We read these verses from 3rd Nephi 17:

9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their ablind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

 10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did akiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

 11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their alittle children should be brought.

 12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

 13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should akneel down upon the ground.

 21 And when he had said these words, he awept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and bblessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

22 And when he had done this he wept again;

23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: 

Behold your little ones.

 24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; 
and they came down and aencircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them. 

What struck me was that the people took their children to the feet of Jesus Christ and then "the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him."  After that is when He is able to allow parents and others who may have been in this group witness the miraculous blessing and prayer for the little ones that He gives.  When I read these verses, something struck me: "Don't let yourself get in the way of your children going to the Savior." I realized as I thought about this more the next day that I have been very consumed with lots of things lately and that I've probably missed opportunities to guide my children to the Lord. I've been so busy worrying about how to help them be kind to each other that I haven't been as kind as I could be. 

I thought of the words to the song "I Am A Child of God" that say "lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday."  Leading, guiding, walking beside and helping our children find the way to God and the Savior are vital things that I can do as a mother. I know my children are young, yes, but I also know that it never occurred to me before that I also need to be prepared to get out of the way (figuratively speaking, I suppose) as I lead them, guide them, or walk beside them.  They are spiritual beings in little bodies who long to be near the Savior and follow Him - and I want to help them do that better. 

And I was reminded as I read that it doesn't say "Behold (comma) your little ones." It says: Behold your little ones. This is something that requires action - the act of beholding encompasses so much more than just looking at them: it is, to me, a commandment of "Pay attention to your children!" But first I need to go to the Lord and then take a step back to make room for them at His feet, and I intend to keep working at it, with God's help.

Swimming and Soccer

The kids enjoyed their Starfish Class for swim lessons a couple weeks ago and they just started another set of lessons at a different pool today.  The lessons that started today are just called Level 2 but the kids agreed that Tunafish Class was a nice name for it. :) 

First day, just before getting in the water!

Excited but cautious :)

On Fridays they had Fun Friday and got to go down the waterslide with their teacher. This was obviously a big hit (as were the blow pops and tootsie pops the lifeguards gave them after the sliding was done!).

Our housing area is doing a little soccer clinic for a few months right now and both kids are enjoying that. One of their favorite things is that they both have soccer shoes to wear - Grandma Hoopes brought some of our cousin Ryan's old ones to us and they fit Rebecca pretty well and Jacob's wearing a pair that we got from one of our favorite stores, NTTD: Next to the Dumpster.  Here are both kids in action a couple weeks ago: