Little Moments

I just walked past Maggie's room, where she's lying on her tummy with her head to the side and her buttocks stuck in the air, flopping her arms about a little bit in their final 'sleep throes'.

I can't help but smile. I love the thousands of little moments that make up every day of this wonderful life with this little daughter of God. Her face when I walk in in the mornings to pick her up first thing. Her smile when I finish changing her nappy, hold out my hands and say 'up!'. Her excitement when I bring her in to say 'Good morning' to her dad, and the way she giggles and plays with him. The way she toddles after me as I go about the morning, a couple of books or a toy in one hand. Her coming up to show me her books, then accepting them back with a grin, and walking away to go show her daddy or find something else. Watching her learn how to feed herself, pulling apart her sandwiches and taking small and big bites then feeling it in her mouth. THe way she stares at me with her big brown eyes while she's drinking her bottle, then how she pulls it away, looks at me and giggles when she's done. The way she giggles and laughs when I hold her while I brush my teeth, then sticks her head out in a funny way and puckers her lips when it's time to brush hers. Her delight when I pull out her toothbrush. The way she talks all day, making gorgeous sounds and looking at me and pointing at things, like what she's saying has full meaning and she has absolute confidence that I know exactly what she means. Her fascination with everything. Her spontaneous giggles. The way she actually pretends to be picking things up off the ground and eating them sometimes. Her reading 'noise' and her face when she reads. The way she happily plays by herself with her little toys for ages, and I wonder what she's thinking. Her excitement and interest when I carry her around with me any any chore or task. The way she'll be happily playing by herself and then she'll come to me and wrap herself around my legs, then look up at me and smile. Her spontaneous kisses and cuddles. How excited she gets when James comes home. The loud noises she makes when any environment is particularly loud, just to see if she is louder than the noise. The way she gets really snuggly when it's nearly bedtime. Her love of water and absolute joy when she gets in a bath/shower/pool/beach. Her face when something is new and exciting. The way she stares at strangers without smiling, and they think she's shy, but she's just 'learning them', and then the way she'll stare at them as they walk away, and then wave. The way she loves having us read to her. How she's obedient, and comes when we hold out our arms, and giggles and smiles as she toddle-runs over, like she's so excited that we want to hold her, and we are too. The way she's learning to pick things up, and a million other things. The way she holds out her hand to people, just to show she cares, and can see them there. Her giggles when I use her finger to point things out on a page of a book, especially when we count things. The way she relaxes when I powder and change her after a bath, and seems grateful when I clean her little nose and ears and brush her hair. Her grateful little sighs with dinner and bottle. The way she loves pointing out all the pictures when we read her scripture stories at night before bed. When she kisses and waves at whichever parent isn't actually putting her in bed, and rests her head into the shoulder of the parent who is. The way she's happy to go to bed, and gives final kisses then grabs her little blanket and nestles into her pillow. How we go in and make sure she's in a comfortable position before we go to bed, and usually have to push her bottom down or free an arm from a cot bar or something, because she's gone to sleep in a very uncomfortable looking position and we have no idea how she's managed to sleep that way! And then her little noises again in the morning when she wakes up.

So many people are living wonderful excotic lives, travelling the world, seeing amazing things, meeting new people, working in fabulous jobs. But I love my little life! I love that we get up in the morning, and James goes to work or uni, and I take care of our little girl and home all day, and do little projects. Then I love it when James comes home to us, and we eat together and he plays with Maggie and we're all so happy, and the next day we do it all over again. And sometimes James gets time off and we all get to hang out all day. I love that all James wants to do is be the father and husband and look after us and be with us, and I am doing all I want to do too. And how we could earn more money if I went back to teaching, or did relief or something, but we don't need it, and I can't think of anything more fulfilling than being at home, teaching and spending time with this little girl full time instead. I feel so lucky, and I'm so grateful that it's so important to James that I'm able to spend this time with our children as well. And we can do all that exotic stuff later if we want :)

I can't think of a more wonderful life.

And I'm so excited that soon we'll have 2 of these wonderful little people filling our lives with these moments!!

Wait are my ankles fat?

Hello :)

It's been a looong time since I last posted, mostly because I've been devestatingly morning sick and pregnant :) (just read back on the entry I wrote here - basically that's exactly what I'd say all over again if I had time :)) (okay cut the school passages, maybe insert 'looking after Maggie' instead?? I am also slightly less emotionally crazy, probably because I'm looking after one beautifully behaved, always sweet and kind child instead of 28 children who may not always have been 100% as well behaved as Maggie, or at least not all at the same time!) I am in a huge rush and don't really have time to blog, but I really should blog sometime, and I just remembered something funny :)

By the way though, we are over the moon, LOVE Maggie like crazy and couldn't bear to put off doubling the fun so we are so happy and excited and it hasn't taken a year and a half to be pregnant this time!! :) I am due May 9th, so Maggie will already be about 16 months old - I'm just over 13 weeks pregnant at the moment :)

Morning sickness is like.... death.... but I'm starting to have heaps of good days, so I think I'm nearly through the worst!! I wrote more about this on my private blog the other day :)

Anyway, last night I had a dream that I had kankles again!! Already!!! (I wrote extensively about them here). I've been up for a long time, and JUST realised it was a dream!! The relief!!! Last time I was at least 6 months pregnant before I had them I'm pretty sure. I'm barely showing yet this time, so I was (in my dream) a little bit droopy about the whole business, and am greatly relieved to find out that it was, in fact, a dream :)

This time around I have my front line of putting-on-30kg-during-pregnancy defence: a treadmill!! :) Am excited hopefully to have 'less to lose' on the other end this time. Wish me luck!!

Summary:
- pregnant
- super happy and excited to be pregnant :)
- have been in hell, but am recovering nicely, thankyou
- James and my family have been wonderful (thought I'd put that in the summary since I forgot it in the main body, even though I know there's not really meant to be any new info here, sorry!)
- do not yet have kankles :)

'Copious Confiding'

There's a blog I sometimes drop in on, by a lady in America with 5 children whose parents write books on parenting, and I have one she co-wrote with her Mum and saw her blog address in it. I read a post she wrote today, had to comment, and now feel like sharing. Her post is here.

It's about how she saw a mother and daughter in a waiting room, and the daughter was 'copiously confiding' - telling her Mum EVERYTHING about her life. THe blog author was saying how she wants that kind of relationship with her daughters one day.

Here's the comment I wrote. Sorry about the first paragraph Tammy - but let's face it you've always been kinda perfect :)

"When I was a teenager I drew away from my Mum a little as the hormones kicked in, and she was really close to my big sister who I had a hard time living up to, so I guess I turned to friends. We had a good relationship generally, but not a 'copious confiding' one. When I was about 16 my big sister went overseas to study (at BYU) and my relationship with my wonderful mother bloomed. Now I'm married with a little baby and barely go a day without calling once or even 3 times to catch up, chat, ask housekeeping or 'mum' questions, etc. We are (and my sisters) so close, and she is my best friend besides my husband.

"THE SECRET: Even though we didn't always have this relationship my Mum was ALWAYS there - like Heavenly Father :) Even if I had been rude or mean or pushed her away or whatever, she has always been there, my biggest supporter. I love talking to her and hearing her advice and support, and hopefully being as good a friend to her as she is to me. I hope I can have this relationship with my kids one day, it's one of the most important things in my life.

"I should mention Mum never let me get away with anything and if I was doing anything wrong she would NOT let up! :) It's because of that that I trust her so much. SHe's the best kind of Mum & friend."

Just thought I'd share that becuase I LOVE MY MUM SO MUCH and she is a wonderful friend and mother and person. I am grateful that I have such a wonderful Mum to be Maggie's Gran!




(Wedding photos courtesy of Deep Grey. Maggie photo courtesy of me..;))

Do you have a wonderful Mother?

Kaili's Art Giveaway!

Everybody should head on over to Kaili's art blog and try to win one of her paintings! - a perfect one for kids. She's actually just giving it away! :) It's gorgeous, she's such a talented artist, love her work, totally trying to win it myself :) xo

So Good to go Back!!!

On Thursday morning I left Maggie with Mum for her first longer-than-a-quick-duck-out-to-the-shops babysitting adventure, and headed out to the Temple for the first time since before Maggie was born! Last time I went was for a sealing just before she was born, and the time before that I nearly passed out from giant whale of a pregnant person-ness, therefore didn't go back for the last little bit until Maggie came.

I was a bit anxious not being 'on tap' for Maggie for a while, but I trust Mum with her completely so I was sure she'd be fine and have a great time while I was gone.

I rushed up to my session, and barely made it in time, but when I finally got in and sat down, it felt so wonderful being there!! I loved every bit of it. Sometimes it was hard to focus on the session because I kept thinking homemaking stuff, but I think I'm just not used to clearing my head because I haven't done it for a while. It was wonderfully peaceful though. At the end of my visit as I sat, I was thinking about how often I'd been to the Temple over the last almost three years, praying that we'd be able to have a baby, and then that the baby would be okay. I remember sitting in a sealing session once and feeling so close to the women in our family who have gone before us, and the girls yet to come, and knowing that someday I'd be able to have a daughter to carry on this line. I felt very grateful for the wonderful blessing Maggie is, and how grateful I am to be her mum!

When I got home Maggie was peacefully sleeping, after what sounds like a wonderful, fun few hours with her Gran. Thanks Mum for watching her and for being so 'you' that I know she'll always be okay and have a ball with you :) xo

Warning: Cooking Post

I know, I wasn't going to do any more cooking posts for a while because we were all getting a little over them, but I roasted my first chicken the other week (happy sigh). The gravy I made from the 'juices' was AWFUL!!! But after relating the experience to Mother dear we found out why, and I won't make the same mistake twice. On the evening of the meal I made up an instant gravy mix to go with the meal instead, bless Gravox! :)


In other cooking news, I bought oyster blade steak the other day, because it was on sale. Then when I got home I googled 'Oyster blade steak recipes' (because I'd never used or seen oyster blade steak used before - what a random cut of meat!) and found this one, which I made, and it was amazing, and pretty much cooks itself!! I practically did nothing because it just goes in the slow cooker for 6 hours, but it tasted like a real meal my parents would make (the gravy was even slightly reminisce of their roast lamb gravy, silent rapture!). Plus I had I think all but 1 or 2 of the ingredients in the cupboard, so it was quite cost efficient :) Didn't take any pictures because it doesn't look as delicious as it is, haha :) Yummy on a bed of mashed potatoes.

I'm working up the courage to try said parent's roast lamb recipe, went through it with them the other night and got tips, lol :)

I love doing creative 'stuff'!

This was ages ago, but I haven't blogged on this blog for a while, and thought I'd just throw these up. You'd have seen it all on my Maggie blog if you're on there, but for Beth & Robbie's engagement party at the beginning of June I got to do some fun painting :) Mum asked me to paint some beach huts, and then I got to paint a couple of random 'Congratulations' and 'Dance between the flags' signs (beach theme!). I had a lot of fun. I think everyone else did too - the hall looked fantastic, the food was great and I think everyone had a great time :)






I really enjoyed the couple of days of mess all over my house from huge rolls of paper with beach huts and painting sheets, and brushes, and paints and stuff. Creative mess is one of my favourite things :) James was very grateful when it was gone, I think. I'm grateful to have my art desk which I do all my smaller-scale fun creative work on, and I love that it's old thick wood and we got it for $10 at a garage sale and I splatter paint on it by accident whenever I want (happy sigh) :)