David: Twenty-Eight Months

Dear David-

A few days ago I learned an important lesson from your good friend, Jonah. He taught me that life is precious and that circumstances can change quickly and unexpectedly. You don't realize it, but you will miss him. I miss him, too. Even at this young age, he's been a great friend to you, and you to him.

So, with that sobering reminder fresh in my mind, I've decided to write you a letter on the monthly anniversary of your birthday. Without further ado, here are some things I've noticed about you during the past month:

1. You have a kind heart. I've known this for a while, but it's been reinforced to me almost daily. When Vivian is crying, you come tell me. You don't like it when people are upset with you and you try to quickly assure your positive standing by approaching them for hugs. I love that you're tender-hearted. I would much rather have you be so than to have you be insensitive.
2. You like to read. When I read books to you at night, you will ask for "that book" and read it again to yourself while Lucy and I are singing the night-time song. Sometimes you read out loud about "Max" or about "Love you through and through."
3. Your curiosity about how things works fascinates me. When I swing you in the porch swing, you look up to where the chain is connected. When playing with the garden hose, you study how the water comes out, and what happens when you put your finger over the end. I wonder what you will do with this curiosity you have.
4. You are sticking up better for yourself with your sister. Lucy has long known that she can "boss" you around. I've noticed now that you're tolerating that behavior from her less and less. Good for you, son; while I appreciate your gentle soul, I don't want you to be a pushover. And...sometime in the very near future, I think you and Lucy are going to both come to the realization that younger doesn't necessarily mean smaller.
5. You are doing great "using your words" when you get frustrated. You still scream, but when prompted, will with increasing frequency explain what has upset you, or what you want. Thank you for this. I appreciate understanding.

Thanks for being my good, smart, handsome man.

Love,

Dad

Dancing

My sister got my girls these leotards when I was pregnant with Vivian. After I got Lucy ready for dance today, I just had to put Vivian in her dance outfit too! Oh the joys of raising little ladies!

Handsome Jack

Oh my dear sweet David . . . you have owned my heart from the very first moment you entered this world. As much as I hate to admit this, I am afraid you sometimes take a backseat as the middle child. Daddy and I talked about this and we decided that he would take your sisters each week so that I could have time to just be with you. I TREASURED this time with you. We played with cars, read all your favorite books (over and over again),  went on a walk, made snowmen out of the playdough we made together, and I took the time to just sit back and watch you play. You are such a clever boy. You are constantly trying to figure out how things work. You like to take different balls and throw them down the hill in our backyard and you study what is going on each time. I am in awe with your brain. It also melts my heart to hear you "read" your favorite books. The Big Hungry Bear and The Gingerbread Man are your current favorites. I love when you look up at me and say, "Can't catch me! I'm the gingerbread man!" Or when you see the strawberry in the big hungry bear book and say, "Isguised" (disguised) and then you point to the strawberry with glasses and a mustache on and say "Otato head!" (potato head). We love you David. I hope you will always know the joy you bring into our lives.

4 months

Sweet Vivian is 4 months old! We are all still madly in love with her, she is still a great sleeper, she still loves to nurse and Lucy is still her biggest fan! She is my easiest baby thus far and just seems to genuinely love being around others. She will give a smile to almost anyone at almost anytime. She really knows who I am and is beginning to think Marc is pretty cool too. We Love you Vivian!

First day of pre-school

Lucy has started preschool! She won't start kindergarten for two more years so we're doing a neighborhood co-op this year. I am excited for it (but not near as excited as Lucy is). We made a calendar for her to track when preschool was starting and when the day finally came, she wore her backpack around all morning. I love it.

I am working with some incredible mothers and we decided we wanted our focus for our childrens' first school experience to be centered around values. I love that I can be doing this in my child's life. I've always been a teacher, but being able to use my skills with my own children is heaven.

*Note: We just went next door for her first class. As we started to go out the front door, Lucy turned to me and said, "Mom I know where I'm going." When I asked if I could go  with her because I was excited to see her start preschool, she said, "Um, ok."

Things I'm grateful for on a Thursday afternoon

I'm grateful for a little boy's smile that beams with pride in his ability to "help" clean up the house by putting everything in the sink. I'm grateful for my new couch, but even more than that, I'm grateful for a husband who willingly helped me plan the new layout for our family room. I'm grateful Vivian likes to fall asleep best by nursing . . . I love the tender connection this brings to us. I love that Lucy does yoga in her dance class. I love that I have a Lucy and Vivi. I'm thankful for a little boy's sweet expression to his sister every time he says, "Thank you Wucy." I can't get enough of hearing David say, "humidifier, lamisil and Abinadi". I'm in love with hearing my children talk about letters and colors. I'm grateful to be married to the man of my dreams. I'm thankful he so lovingly puts up with my emotions.  I'm grateful I didn't marry any of the other men I knew before I met him. I'm thankful for students I can associate with through BYU (both past and present). I'm grateful one of my closest friends right now is a woman twice my age who I serve with in the church. I'm thankful I don't have to know it all. I'm grateful for forgiving children. I'm grateful for the atonement that affords me the promise of starting new every day. I'm thankful for the brownie recipe that is worth only 2 points on Weight Watchers. I'm also thankful for vanilla cupcakes that are worth a lot more than 2 points. I'm thankful for a dear friend that knows how to show up at the perfect time. I'm grateful I can read to my children.