Happy Birthday to My Baby

Oh, this boy. This beautiful boy. He just turned three. I have no idea how he went from the tiny newborn with the peach-fuzz head to this big, beautiful, talking, walking, singing, dancing, joking boy. Oh, how I love him. When he was born, I felt a distinct feeling of coming home, of satisfaction and completeness.

Our Very First Meeting

Immediately, it was like my friend had come home. I still feel that way as he daily weaves his sweet soul into my life and my heart. He is so tiny, still, and yet he is one of my best friends. He is a talker! I love hearing him talk and the funny things he comes up with. He has so much to say. He is brave and strong and indomitably cheerful. Last week I had to take him to get his blood drawn. He has had chicken pox lesions since late-January and we are trying to figure out why. Unfortunately, they had to poke him 6 times to find veins and get enough blood. He cried, of course, but he was so brave. During the last two pokes, I was able to get him to take deep breaths with me, to keep breathing and focus as his magic blood poured into the vials. Between each time, he was sweet and happy and chatting about superman or elmo or whatever else was on his mind. He is an amazing boy.

Just outside the hospital. Happy, happy guy.

I never know quite how to sum up the wonder of each year, as my children grow older and continue to amaze me. I am so lucky to be mother to these beautiful people. So grateful for this sweet Peanut who slipped so easily into my arms and our lives and filled a hole in my heart I didn't know was there. Here are my favorite photos of him from the last year.

G'Mornin!

Summer mornings have been wonderful lately. The sun streams in my bedroom window and I have at least one little boy snuggled up with me.

This morning it was just my little Peanut and our conversation went like this:
Peanut: Mom, guess what how much I love you.
Me: How much?
Peanut: Infinity, infinity, infinity and beyond!
Me: Awww. I love you that much, too.
Peanut: I know.

Then there were butterfly kisses and morning-breath kisses and hugs and much more snuggling.
Love him. Love spending more time with all my kiddos this summer.

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Few Things As Nice As Free Fun In Spring

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Because the Good Hair Days Ought to Be Documented

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Another Mindy Moment--Dedicated to my Anchors

I feel so odd lately. I don't feel like I quite fit anywhere. There are a few people (Jeffrey more than anyone, but also my family, my parents, my siblings, other friends who hopefully know who they are) who are so stabilizing and anchoring for me. When I feel so strange, so misplaced, I'm terribly grateful for those who love me just as I am.



http://www.mindygledhill.com/lyrics/anchor.html

Halloween--Another Phonetography Post

(Kaitybean actually had three costumes this year. This, Princess Luxa from Gregor the Overlander and a banana. All three she threw together with her creative brain and almost no help from me. Sadly, this is the only one I got a picture of.)





And just for a bonus, here's one of the hundreds of Peanut-stole-my-phone shots from my library:





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On a crisp November day

Life is so insane for me right now. Most days I love it. I love the wildness, the metamorphosis, the mess.

Other days--days like today--I want to curl up in a ball and cry. I want to hide. I stand in my messy kitchen and yell at the ceiling: Why can't I do anything right?

Then there are moments like this:

We visit Scud for lunch and stay to play, stay until noses are cold and hearts are warm and Coco's late for preschool but I don't care because I'm getting a bigger glimpse of my life, connecting with these boys in ways that nourish us all. It is so sweet. I am so loved. I love those around me so deeply.






All those little things I miss amidst the rushing winds of my life settle down from the sky and all is right again. Life is so, so good. I'm so in love with it.



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Surprise!

I love finding fun photo surprises on my phone.

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Hooray Fall!

Autumn at grandma's house is magical. Here's the proof:

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Looking Up--The Only Thing That Will Possibly See Me Through the Next Few Weeks

"Experience has taught me that if we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy.³ We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction." --Carl B. Cook


From this talk: http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/it-is-better-to-look-up?lang=eng&query=overwhelmed

Two Yummy Pasta Recipes

Because I'm a sucker for pasta and thought you might like these.  Both are light (low points in WW speak) and healthy.  The bolognese could be made from scratch and I'll be working on that recipe soon, but for now just look for a good quality jarred sauce.  It makes it easy and easy is good in my book.   Also, the carbonara can be made dairy free if you subsitute rice milk for regular milk and skip the butter and parmesan.  It would still be yummy.

Loving Me Some...

Mindy Gledhill right now. Especially this song:



Such an empowering song. Love it. And I'm needing some empowerment right now.

Just Call Me Delilah

Only I was the one who cried and felt the loss today when I longed to play with those lovely blond curls. Regret and sadness and yet... He is soooo handsome.