March Review

We went and saw baby chicks at a farming supply store.  It was fun to walk in and find them by listening to their cheeps.  Jack was completely enamored.  He leaned in close and gave "oh, they so cute" statements the same way he talks about Gemma.  He did not want to leave.  

I can't keep this guy out of trouble!  He's our serious "mischief maker."  He has almost no interest in toys or anything you suggest he keep himself busy with.  Rather, he seeks out the forbidden.  My makeup bag is irresistible, so now I have to keep it on a high shelf in my closet.  He took the hand mixer into a bedroom and plugged it into the outlet.  He carries the kitchen stools all over the place and gets into closets and cupboards.  He's insatiably curious about everything that is off-limits.  

Hazel is in a major creation phase.  Every single day she goes crazy with paper, scissors, and tape.  Honestly, she goes through a roll of tape every couple of days.  She makes bags, doll strollers, treasure maps, archery arm bands, you name it!  Working on "projects" is her absolute favorite hobby right now.  

 Hazel and Jack are getting really good at playing together.  Hazel is always the ringleader, and Jack is thrilled to go along with her ideas as long as she's being respectful of him.  They are learning to use the space we've got in this big house and not always be right under my feet.  Which is a good thing, because I spent three hours a day nursing Gemma and it's not that exciting.  Their games often result in cute messes like this one:

Jack may be "Mr. Mischief," but I am falling more and more in love with him every day.  He is learning to communicate and it melts my heart when he asks me to pick him up, then lays his head on my shoulder and says, "Mommy loves me.  I love Mommy!  I happy!"  That is a daily occurance, folks!  I am one lucky mama.

We went to visit my Grandma Holley on Friday, and I couldn't have been more pleased with Hazel.  She was such a pleasant guest.  She spoke politely and was delighted with every activity Grandma suggested for her.  She sat at a table and did projects and happily complimented all the beautiful things she noticed in the house.  I love the wonderful little girl Hazel is turning into.  She can express herself well, and is super-sharp-smart, creative and artistic, a good friend, an impressive athlete, and completely beautiful inside and out.

We had my whole family up in Smithfield for the Easter weekend except for my sister Emily and her husband Doug, who live in Chicago.  (And we skyped with them, so we were sort of all together still for a while.)

Uncle Ryan slept at my house and completely showered my kids with playful attention the whole time.  He gave them the most valuable gift of time, studying and doing all his homework when they were sleeping and giving them his complete focus whenever they were around.  That means a lot to me.  Nothing says "love" to me more than time.

And poor Gemma hasn't had her picture taken in weeks!  I'll have to do better.  I couldn't ask for a better baby.  She is incredibly friendly, giving a beaming smile and a cute cooing conversation to each person who looks at her.  I always call her "darling."  She's just as sweet and easy to love as they come.  

I must say it a lot, because now I hear Hazel parroting me with, "Gemma, you're too cute!  It's just not fair to the other babies!"  

I almost don't dare type this, knock on wood, but she's slept through the night seven nights in a row now.  I pull her out of bed to nurse her about 10:30 each night and then don't hear a peep from her 'til about 8 am.  The kid's only 2.5 months old!  I know this is not normal.  It's absolutely a tender mercy from a Heavenly Father who knows I'm going to be able to handle everything on my plate much, much better with a full night's sleep.  I hope Gemma keeps it up, because it makes an enormous difference for my entire little family.    

Todd's still in Texas, for about five more weeks.  I try not to think about how much I miss him, because I just don't function well when I'm sad.  I know he misses me too, because yesterday on the phone he said he wished I could just hop on a plane and come out and see him for a few days.  I said maybe I should, and wondered how much the plane ticket would cost.  And he told me.  $750.  He'd already looked it up.  I fell more in love with him.  And then I've been sad for him.  I'm with our glorious kids and surrounded by family and living in a fantastic house, and he's sleeping in some stinky barrack and lonely and I wish he were here so bad.  Eleven more months to go...