Where do the bubbles go?

It's her new favorite spring activity! and come on- look at those adorable little lips as she blows her bubbles!!!

Scripture Power

 I found her like this the other day. Such a sweetheart, but the most tender thing happened last Monday during our Family Home Evening lesson.

For those of us don't know what Family Home Evening is, every Monday the families in our church gather with their own families and share a gospel message with one another and spend quality time as a family.

This past Monday we had a quick lesson (with an almost 2 year old the word "quick" is an understatement!) about the Scriptures. We pulled out the scriptures, talked about what they were and how they could help us and I asked Olivia this question: "How do the scriptures make us feel?" Now I wasn't really expecting an answer- I was just going to tell her that they make us feel good. But she suprised me and gave me an answer "Better" she said. Her unexpected response almost brought me to tears. It was so innocent, so sweet, and completely true. When we read the scriptures they make us feel better.

It amazes me how young children learn. It amazes me her knowledge. She really did teach me through her sweet little spirit on that night. I am so grateful to be a mother to this special little Angel.

Temples are her favorite

This girl loves Temples. There was a period of time where I could ONLY sing "I love to see the Temple" to her before bed- If I tried to sing another song I would get this "bemple bemple bemple bemple" over and over and over again until I sang the Temple song again. She loves it. She loves it so much that I got her a Temple board book which she must have in her crib every night when she goes to sleep.

When we go to church, she points at the steeple and says "bemple!" and she loves the church too because she gets to go to Nursery and play with "toys!, sing, and pray!"

The other day I had to make dinner , so I put on a YouTube video of the Song "I love to see the Temple" and I'm pretty sure she watched it 25 times by the time I was done with Dinner. This girl loves the Temple. It melts my heart.

 I am grateful she is already gaining a testimony of the Temple and what a wonderful place it is. I am so grateful for the Temple and how sacred it is, and the spirit that is felt while I am there. Grateful to know that through the work of the temple I am able to be sealed with my Family for eternity. That is an amazing blessing.

sometimes....

sometimes she is just silly- and I love it- and I love her- and I love watching her smile and giggle and be silly. Make me happy, it does!

Exhibit A: Laundry basket love

Exhibit B: "Baking a cookie" 

Also- notice my cooking oils in the background. This isn't the cupboard they go in but without fail I always find them there.

 Exhibit C: Playing "IN" the toy bin.

E

She's my silly!

the joy of sickness.

We've had our share of sickness in this household the last couple of months. We just recently had the stomach flu while on vacation and a few months back Liv brought a bug home. She got it first and I got it next (and much worse), but luckily Steve never caught it.

There is something special about a sick child. It is so pathetically cute. It's sad and I worry because I hate to see my little one suffer- but there is something about a sick child that brings out the best in a mother, atleast in me. My nurturing skills are magnified and my capability to love is even greater (if that's even possible) than on any regular day.

When your baby is sick you have every right to drop every single thing and focus solely on their needs. It's a blessing really. With no other distractions in the way, I am able to focus solely on my bean. I am able to spend the best time with her.

We cuddled, we sang songs, we watched who knows how many disney movies. We checked her fever many times and waited for the fever of 102 to pass. She was so sad and mostly just slept while i held her close and rubbed her head. It was so tender. My poor girl.

And then a few days passed and we were back to our happy self. After spending a few days doing nothing fun we knew we needed a remedy......a really really good one:

She loved it as you can tell! (so grateful for my glass table!) Loved the time spent with my sick girl, but so happy she is better! LOVE HER!

Crazy pigtailed girl.

Out of respect for this wee one, I will not show you the adorable picture of her pulling her diaper off and exposing a full moon. If her clothes are not on- she is trying with all her might to get that thing off. It's pretty hilarious and adorable, if I do say so myself.

Being a Mommy

 Let me just say that Mother's day started out wonderfully. I slept in until 8! YAHOO! Steve got up with Olivia and I didn't hear a thing from them. Then, being the wonderful husband that he is, Steve made me breakfast while I cuddled with my girl on the couch. Breakfast was delicious- so was the cuddling. The rest of the day was just as blissful.

I love being a mom. Let me repeat. I love being a mom. Every day feels incredibly fulfilling- even if the laundry doesn't get folded and put away (come on- I'm not the only one right?), the dishes don't get all done before I got to bed, and my house is in total disarray I STILL fill fulfilled because I know I did all that I could to be the best mommy I could be. It's such an important job and I love doing it.

That isn't to say there aren't days when I'm exhausted and at my wits end- but I wouldn't change a thing about it. I have had a wonderful example of a mother in my life. She is seriously the greatest woman I have ever known hands down. When we were in Disneyland a couple of months ago my brother asked my mom something along these lines "Do you miss having young kids mom?" And she responded "Oh Yes, it was a lot of work but the best time of my life was raising my children." After she answered it literally brought tears into my eyes- Because I knew. I knew that what she said was true. I knew that one day my heart would ache when the raising would be over. Although they would always need me it will be different some day. I know that this is the happiest and most joyful time of my life and I will embrace it and enjoy every single bit of it.

I'm grateful to be a mommy. Grateful to be Olivia's mommy. Grateful for all the mommys out there who make this world a better place. Seriously- where would be be without them?

Liv- I love you so much. One day when you're a mommy- maybe you'll understand. maybe;) Love you to the moon and back dear one- thanks for blessing my life in an indescribable way. MUAH! 

A Princess Party

Olivia was invited to her very first birthday party the other day. Her friend Camilla was turning 3 and she had a princess Birthday party. And let me just say that her wonderful parents went all out. I love this family and have loved getting to know them!

 Olivia was in awe the whole time. She danced to the awesome music being played- she tried to grab every single balloon she could get her hands on- she joined in musical chairs- she got a picture with Belle and the Beast and she could not stop smiling at them. She loved every minute of it! It was so fun to watch her excitement. 

Pickle lover.

The End of something Wonderful.

Two days ago- was the last time I will ever breast feed Olivia. Just writing that sentence makes me want to burst into tears. The hardest part was that I didn't know it would be the last day.

(I've added pictures of when she was just a little teeny tyke because she isn't little teeny anymore...)

A few weeks ago I thought- hey let me see what happens if I don't breast feed Olivia this morning. We sat on the couch with some yogurt instead. She lost it. She wanted to get away from me because she was so offended. She burst into tears- and not the angry kind, but the "I can't believe you are doing this to me mom" kind of tears. There was a laundry basket with clothes in it nearby and she buried her face into it. It broke my heart and I gave in, of course I gave in. I couldn't deny my baby something she wanted so badly.

After that experience we decided to just slowly lessen the time that she nursed each morning. It's been going well but slow. Yesterday morning was the sad part. I woke up early and got all ready and then I heard her get up. I brought her out of her crib (this is the part where she usually starts crying or whinning because she wants to nurse- it's almost immdiate), but yesterday she didn't. She pointed to the kitchen for some food. I had very conflicting emotions. In one way it was a relief because weaning her entirely didn't have to be a battle- the battle was won, yay! On the other hand, I wanted one more time. I wanted to relish in every single moment of that last time and I didn't get that chance- ah I'm almost in tears again. Over the past day I have had to come to a realization to help me get over this.

I've relished the last 15 1/2 months of this- I didn't miss a thing. It's true. It's been an absolutely beautiful experience for me. One of the most beautiful things I've ever experienced. (Okay, now I'm officially in tears.) I started weaning her shortly before her first birthday and when I started I had a really hard time, thinking that I wasn't ready for this, that I didn't want to give it up. And so I took a step back and realized that it didn't have to be a quick process. So for the last 3 1/2 months I have slowly, oh so very slowly weaned her. I relished every moment of it- realizing that it was okay for it to be over soon. It was right- she's growing up- and she isn't my baby anymore. (though, I'm pretty sure she will always be my baby.) So, no, I didn't get to really relish the "last time" but it's okay, I relished the last 15 1/2 months of it and boy what a wonderful 15 1/2 months.

I've heard people say that Breast feeding is a great sacrifice for a mom. It's for your baby. While that may be true, it didn't feel like a sacrifice for me. It felt like a way to bond with my baby. It felt like a way to provide something that only I could provide for her. It felt wonderful and I wouldn't change a thing about it. I'm just grateful I had the experience that I did.

"All Good things must come to an end." In some ways that statement sounds so negative, but it's not. I think they must end so that the next good thing can come your way. As hard as it is for me to see this Good Thing end (Oh goodness it's so hard), I know that it is right and it is good also. She's growing and learning and becoming more independent by the day. These are all positive things- all good things. I'm grateful that she is learning and growing.

I still remember the first time I nursed her- just minutes after she was born. It was perfect actually. She was perfect there in my arms. She is still perfect. She will always be perfect to me.

***It's time to end the post when the tears wont stop coming***