A Note to Myself

(This is just a note to myself that I will someday read in the future. It needs to be said.)

Now Sarah, seriously, you always forget how things go when you're pregnant. At the moment, you are only 24 weeks pregnant and you are already a mess. Between the constant trips to the bathroom, uncomfortable sleeping, fatigue, just plain yuckiness (that's right, you threw up this morning), and preterm labor contractions, it's a little out of hand already. You need to really really consider all these things the next time you start envisioning another kiddo. Don't get me wrong I know it is totally exciting to think about having another baby and the moment you look into those adorable little eyes it is all worth it....but I'm just saying.....

Boaz and Ruth

Here are the kids acting out the story of Boaz and Ruth for family bible study. It was alot of fun because Macy usually doesn't like to participate!

Life

Posted by Dan in honor of Sanctity of Life Sunday last week

23 weeks ago another life joined our family. She was given a blueprint that will infuse every cell of her body. It likely included instructions for blue eyes, sandy blond hair, and fair skin. It may call for curls like those covering her big brother’s head. She may despise the freckles that gradually appear in kindergarten like her father did or unknowingly benefit from her mother’s easily tanned complexion. Her eyes may twinkle and squint like her sister’s when she smiles. She will be like us, but unique.

23 weeks ago I could not have afforded the equipment needed to see her. Nor would I have recognized what I saw. But she has grown up quickly. By 3 weeks she changed from a ball to a tube about 1/10th of an inch long and her body began to separate into layers that would become her brain, nerves, skin, hair, nails, bones, muscles, heart, and lungs. By 5 weeks a small tuck took shape. 5 years from now that tuck will pout, smirk, laugh, possibly dimple, and attempt to wink. Inside it will hold 5 years of memories. Outside it will be framed by bangs that resist her mother’s persistent attempts to keep them in place. At 5 ½ weeks two pairs of bumps emerged. A few months from now I will kiss the small hand that will grow at the end of one of those bumps. Her tiny fingers will clutch my thumb reflexively but I will tell myself it is intentional. Around this same time, her heart took its first rapid beats. Over the next 70 or 80 years it will send 50 million gallons of blood surging through her body.

By 8 weeks the lenses of her eyes formed. In 12 years they will spill tears as she struggles with her first real rejection. She will perk up some over Cold Stone ice cream and a promise to work on her lay-ups over the summer so she has a better chance to make the team next year. A few weeks later she flexed her elbows and knees for the first time. A few years from now her big brother will attempt to cover the scrape on her knee with four Minnie Mouse band aids. Vocal cords stretched but remained silent in the liquid environment of the womb. In 3 years she will use them to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” at story time . . . and in the car home . . . and at dinner. . . and when she should be sleeping. By 12 weeks soft fingernails formed. In 7 years she will leave a permanent purple stain on our carpet trying to paint those nails. At 16 weeks, eardrums picked up the sound of her mother’s voice. At 16 years, we may wish she could pick out her mother’s voice a little more clearly.

At 20 weeks, we took a peak into her world. Although only 7 inches long, 100 billion brain cells directed her limbs and responded to sensations within the womb as she moved, wiggled, and waved. From her profile, we saw the gentle slope leading to her miniature nose, lips, and chin. In 6 months, we will look at this picture and realize her characteristic features were already there. It’s the same face we’ll capture in 100’s of toddler pictures (it would be 1,000’s of pictures, but that’s what happens with baby #3). The same face we’ll see in her 6 and under soccer team photo, second grade class picture, and junior prom portrait.

A personality is taking shape within her that won’t come out for more than a year. Will she bounce out of bed too early and too loud or slowly rise long after the sun? Will she play to the crowds or hide her face in mom’s shoulder? Will she be intense and thoughtful or cheerful and welcoming? Will she feel at home in a book, on a ski hill, in a gym, on the river, or on a horse?

She is already our daughter, but we can’t wait to meet her!

“My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them”!

~ Psalm 139:15-17

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

My good friend Kim once told me that when your kids are young they aren't going to necessarily remember their birthday parties but they will remember the pictures so be sure and get good ones! I think it was great advice. I took lots of pictures of Macy this year. She was just too cute.

We just did a little party with us this year and it was a hit. Anyone who knows Macy knows that she is a little people phobic and prefers to be home with us. This made the party really easy! She was so proud this year! She loved her balloons and her (very amateurish) birthday cake.

We took her to McDonald's for lunch because that is like the coolest thing ever for her and Logan. She got a cash register toy and a play vacuum and both were a hit. We had a really great day with her and feel so blessed to be her parents!

Since this is pretty much the only way I scrapbook, I wanted to jot down some things that we want to always remember about Macy at this age. So here goes:

• She thinks Barney (actually Baby Bop) is the coolest. The rest of the family would beg to differ, but we humor her.
• She is finally talking more and more. Our favorite phrases are "amo got" (almost forgot)- which she says all the time in funny situations, a variety of sandwich phrases (why, Dad, why? what, Mom, what? etc), and "Down Mah" (down Max) in her growly stern voice and "ahhhh Mah" in her high pitched lovey voice.
• She is still a dog and cat lover. I still try to encourage dolls because I always loved them and it's not happening!
• She finally figured out how to jump and she loves to do "The Baby Bop Hop" all over the house.
• Her favorite foods are ice cream, cheese, cereal, chocolate milk and graham crackers. She also likes "cold water with ice" just like her brother.
• She is OCD about changing her clothes. She has a big basket in her room full of clothes and she goes through them all day and changes her outfits about 12 times a day. She always puts on "cozy" pants and wears pajamas as much as possible.
• She hates dresses and cries when I want her to wear them. I thought that was supposed to happen when they get older?
• Every night she thanks God for Mommy, Daddy, Brother and Hattie and Hailey.

We love you Macy! Happy 3rd Birthday!!

This weekend was the March for Life held in Washington D.C.. It's held every year on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. I am marching with them in spirit!

Tomorrow is Sanctity of Life day. Take time to thank God for the the life that He has given you and think of how you can inspire a love for all forms of life in others!

Pink Again!

Yes, it's a little girl in there! The tech said she was absolutely positive. She got some amazing pictures and we were amazed at how much we could see in the ultrasound. It is always incredible to see how we are being intricately designed in the womb! We already think she is super cute!

Logan took it a little rough at first. He had a pretty good attitude about the whole thing but was greatly dissappointed it wasn't a boy. My favorite quote from him was "Maybe God will take turns and next time it will be a boy". I didn't have the heart to tell him that there might not be a next time!!! He's gonna be a great big brother to both his sisters! Macy seemed pretty unconcerned about the whole thing. We'll see what she really thinks when the baby actually arrives!

This was my favorite picture! I love the hand. We know she has all 5 fingers on one of her hands anyway!!

Yes, I Got Crafty!

This week my neighbor, Melanie, was so nice to teach me how to make some bows. It was so much fun! Macy wanted purple because it is her favorite color. Now I need to get some more ribbon to add some variety! I also found some cute little dog buttons that I put on a couple of the bows. She really loved that! Here are some of the bows I made:

I'm going to try and sell some of them at my mom's gift shop. We'll see how it goes. Either way, it is a fun hobby and Macy will be decked out!

Macy Grew...A Little Bit!

Thanks for all that play-doh, Omi! The kids played with it all day today! Macy made me pancakes and Logan cooked up some hashbrowns with it.

We went to Salt Lake again on Monday for Macy's quarterly appointment with the endocrinologist. She has been off her hormone shots for almost 5 months and we were weighing and measuring her to see if she grew on her own. It looks like she grew a teensy weensy weensy bit on her own. I am confident that the measurements were not entirely accurate, however. The last time we were there, she was wiggling and screaming so much that I don't think they measured her very well. They decided to give her another 6 month trial to see if she will grow some more on her own. We all don't want to go back on the shots so we are praying that she will grow grow grow!!! I was so sure that she had grown because she is actually fitting in her 2T pants alot better these days. Oh well, time will tell I suppose. She hates going to these appointments because they've drawn her blood quite a bit. She gets nervous and cries alot but she handled herself much better this time and was pretty talkative with the Drs! The highlight of the trip was lunch at McDonalds in Bountiful and the Chipmunk toys they got with there happy meals (pretty easy to please)- oh, and the pink ice cream they got after the appointment. Don't worry, I made them eat lots of peas and bananas and apples the next day! That makes up for it, right?

P.S. that reminds me...today we were at the grocery store and on a whim I bought some corn dogs for the kids. I try not to buy processed foods like that very much and when Logan saw them while we were bagging the groceries he couldn't believe his eyes. He kept saying, "Those are ours, Mom? For reals?" The checker lady thought that was really funny. Dan's leaving town and I'm looking for ways to make my life easier the next few days okay, what can I say?

Christmas Jammies!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Go Tell It On the Mountain!!

Here's a pic of Logan and his friends from Junior Church singing "Christmas Bells" and "Go tell it on the Mountain". He practiced all afternoon and couldn't wait to sing in front of everyone at our church family Christmas music production.

We also were able to drive up to Montana to watch my sister Meagan's Christmas program at the school in which she teaches. Logan absolutely loved the whole thing. At one point during a song, he leaned over and said, "Mom, you need to take a picture so I can remember this forever".

December Fun

While the girls took Sunday afternoon naps, the boys went to work on a great snow fort in the backyard. I was very much impressed with the fort! I told Dan, we've got to remove the logs before it gets too warm and we have a cave in!

This is Logan's masterpiece. It was supposed to be a Logan and Macy project but Macy had no desire to decorate the gingerbread house. Logan, on the other hand, loved it. I think his favorite part was trying out all the candy pieces.