Blessing Day

Today we blessed Ashley. She was born one month ago on this day, and it was a nice way to celebrate counting her age in months rather than weeks. My family was able to attend given that they are moving into their townhouse nearby sometime this week. They are excited to be here, especially because it is only for one year so they know they can eventually go back to their "regular" lives and just have fun in the meantime. Plus, they get to be close enough to visit us frequently and get to know the grandkids again.

Here are some pictures from the day. I had fun making Ashley's dress but I couldn't figure out the buttonhole feature on my sewing machine (it would stop before it had completed a few stitches). So, even though you don't see it, Ashley's dress is staying shut by virtue of two shiny metal safety pins. We're just fancy like that these days.

This was the only picture of the four of us from today that we have without Everett looking cranky.

If you don't know who is in this picture, I don't know why you're reading this blog!

Left to Right: My Mom, Ashley, Me, my sister Amanda, my sister Maddy

Do we all look alike? Everybody says so!

Three generations of Burton women, right here. You never know though, Ashley may take more after the Johnsons.

Ashley Margaret Johnson (clogged tear duct and all)

I didn't tack down the sash in the front of the dress and regretted it...especially after looking at some of these photos. And I wanted to re-sew a smaller flower on the headband but I didn't have time. C'est la vie.

My flash did something funny with the lighting in this picture but I thought it was cute anyway. I know I'm more than biased, but I think I have a pretty baby.

Smiles

I know babies aren't really supposed to smile (at least not socially) until they are two or three months old, but....

Today I was holding Ashley and talking to her, which always captivates her, and she was trying to talk back to me. I loved it. Then suddenly she just let out the most fantastic grin.

I think my heart is still all warm and melty from it.

Newborns...gotta love them.

My kids

Yesterday was our first day at home without Joel for 12+ hours. I have been interested in seeing how our schedule is going to work, so it was nice to start figuring it out. We went on a walk in the morning, and I had Ashley in the snugli so of course she slept the whole time. That girl absolutely loves that thing. Everett was in the stroller, and was happy in there the whole time. I took him to the pond so he could get out and splash with sticks in the water. I thought I would have to fight him to get back in but he willingly climbed in and waited for me to buckle him up. What a good boy! Then, he has been sick so when we came home he took a morning nap.

I was excited because I thought that meant I could lay down for a while, too, but Ashley would not have it. That girl was fussy and crying all day long, even when I was holding her. It was a little tricky trying to figure out what she needed. I love that I have the opportunity to get to know her, but I think sometimes it would be easier if babies were born with their own personalized instruction manual. I never had a problem with foods I ate affecting Everett while I was nursing him, but I wonder if something upset her stomach yesterday. I will have to take notice of what I'm eating this time around. Does anyone know if pineapple could be the culprit?

Everett got very little personal attention from me yesterday, yet he was an absolute delight all day long. He kept doing things to make me laugh, and he was happy to help out with Ashley by being my little go-fer. I am glad he knows the difference between his diapers and Ashley's.

Joel called me on the way home and asked how my day was, and I told him that it was really good. I let him know that the best I can expect is that one of my children is having a good day. I figure it would be too much to ask that they are both happy at the same time. Whether this is pessimistic or not, I don't know, but I do know that if they are happy at the same time I will be pleasantly surprised rather than thinking, "finally!". So, even though Ashley was very cranky and crying all day long, I feel like yesterday was a success because Everett was so happy.

Also, I think I am going to get a lot of use out of the snugli. I bought it when Everett was born because I thought I would use it so much with him, but I didn't. I think I have used it more with Ashley so far than I have ever used it with him. I think it will be a staple for me when we're running errands, too, because she is not always happy in her carseat. Yesterday I was even able to clean out my closet because I could have her in the snugli.

Anyway, I did get a short break yesterday in the early afternoon when she finally fell asleep. I had her on her belly on my nursing pillow on my lap, rubbing her back in the hopes that I could get her to feel better. She zonked out, and that is how she stayed for the next 45 minutes or so. I was very relieved, to say the least! Life is just easier without a crying baby in my lap.

Nothing in Particular

It has been a few days since I've written, so I thought I might as well post something today to keep the ball rolling, so to speak. No promises on anything being entertaining or interesting since I'm just planning on writing what occurs to me at the moment.

Next week we are blessing Ashley! I'm very excited. When my Mother was out staying with us a couple of weeks ago, she and I went to the fabric store to buy material for a blanket (which turned out beautifully), and while we were there I found a pattern and material for a little blessing dress. I have it all cut out and ready to sew, and I am very excited to get started on it. I wanted to wait until closer to the blessing day to get it done because I didn't know how much she would grow. Seeing as she is just starting to fit into the newborn size clothes we have for her, I think I'm going to have to make the dress pretty small (but large enough that it will also fit her in a few months). It is going to be out of a pretty white eyelet fabric and it will have a ribbon sash (I still have to decide what color, but I'm thinking a very very pale yellow). Of course I'll "have" to make a bow to go with it...

Everett is doing well and is finally getting over this cold he's been having, which is good. Hopefully both kids will be well and feeling back to normal in a couple of days. Last night Ashley woke up sneezing fitfully because her nose was so congested (even though I've been using saline drops and a bulb syringe on her pretty frequently).

Tomorrow Joel goes back to work...so it will be interesting to see what our "real" schedule is going to look like (and feel like). He hasn't been for about a month because he has been on paternity leave, so he is going to have to adjust to working a full day as well! I have been really glad to have him home because he can take Everett and go somewhere to leave Ashley and me home to rest. One thing I am going to have to figure out is our walks. Everett enjoys walking around by himself much more than sitting in the stroller (which is usually fine with me because I like him to get his energy out), but if I want the exercise then it is better for me if he is in the stroller. I think I am going to have to committ to getting up early and going running before Joel leaves for work, because I do need the exercise.

No, I haven't fully committed to that idea yet. Yes, I think it is worth a shot.

Yes, I know it will be short-lived. But I think it is worth trying so I can say I did.

Also, in a week (well, a little less), my family will be out here, ready to move in to the Bethesda townhouse they signed a lease for. It will be really fun to have them out here and to let them get to know Ashley. Also, since my sister is leaving for the MTC (and later to Taiwan) in September, I will really enjoy having her out here so we can spend the last few months together. Do you hear that, Amanda? You'd better schedule some Elise time.

Well, that's about it except that we're trying to teach Everett how to do a somersault. So far he thinks it is really fun when we help him do it but he doesn't want to do it by himself. He is kind of young, but it is fun to start teaching him new things like this. He sure likes moving around.

(Image courtesy of howstuffworks.com)

Dear Nasty Cold Virus,

I am a mother of a 20 month old little boy and a three week old newborn girl. I have noticed that you have recently taken up residence in my son's respiratory tract and nasal passages, and I wanted to inform you of a few particulars concerning the effects of your stay.

Firstly, though my son is happy and active even when sick and so you haven't fully incapacitated him, he has been spewing your germy friends all over my house with his runny nose and coughing. Though I have put in a fighting effort to keep them from surviving on various surfaces in my home, I admit that I am failing miserably. This may be due to the fact that I have been seriously lacking in solid sleep hours over the past few weeks.

This brings me to another point. My newborn girl, whom I mentioned in the first paragraph, has been too little to go many places where she may contract a virus similar to you. So, I have been avoiding taking her places in the hopes that the doctor's verdict of "perfectly healthy" may carry over until she is a few months old, at least.

However, your recent attack on my son's immune system now has her suffering as well. Do you know how difficult it is to keep toddler germs from spreading to a newborn? Now I not only have one spewing, coughing, snotty child, I have a spewing, coughing, screaming, unhappy newborn baby as well.

I write this letter to inform you of our difficulties with your current stay so in the future you might have the presence of mind to stay far away and infect someone else (preferably one who's immune system is reasonably robust). Anywhere is ok, as long as you come nowhere near my little newborn. I hate to turn to threats, but next time (if there is a next time) we may have to pay your enemy, The Doctor, a visit to further encourage your removal from our household.

I know that you have parented many little cold germs yourself; therefore I trust that I have your understanding and sympathy.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Regards,

A Concerned Mother

Update on Everett

Everett has a new interest, a new passion, a new something that makes him dash into the living room the moment he wakes up and yell "Dah! Dah! Dah! Dah!" until someone takes notice.

Yes, he has begun an almost-obsession with the movie, 101 Dalmations. He just loves this movie. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there are a lot of dogs barking in the movie. Whenever a dog barks outside, whether in the immediate vicinity of our balcony or 8.6 miles away (for all we know), Everett's sensitive ears pick up on the noise and he immediately begins excitedly telling us that, of all things, there is a doggie outside. How many other noteworthy or exciting things are outside we don't know; in this house we are only interested in animals of the canine variety.

Yesterday Joel was watching a movie and Everett decided that he prefers the Dalmations, so he went and turned off the TV, found the VCR remote, and gave it to Joel with a meaningful look on his face. When this didn't prompt Joel to get up and switch movies, Everett began yelling all about the Doggies and how they are "off".

Even though I don't like having Everett watching a lot of TV or movies during the day, I have to admit that with a newborn around here this kind of activity sure does simplify a lot of things. I also have to admit that he has been watching this movie (or parts of it, since he can't sit through the whole thing) more often than I am comfortable with. But then there is a side of me that makes me ask myself why I feel so guilty about letting my toddler watch a movie he really likes; he is happy, safe, and feels loved--all three things that could be tricky to achieve when my attention is focused on another child.

I suppose I'll just console myself with the fact that as we watch, I do try to point out everything I think he'll recognize from real life, and we do try to talk about what is going on. Does this count as a learning experience? I sure hope so, because it has become a staple of his (and my) day.

RIP

I am sad to report the passing of our two-a-day naptimes.

Everett has enjoyed a morning and an afternoon nap for a long time and until recently has shown no sign of giving up either. He is a boy who loves his sleep.

Obviously this has benefited me in numerous ways. I love being a mother but sometimes a break is nice, and two per day is even nicer.

But.

The past couple of days Everett hasn't really seemed to need his morning nap. In the back of my mind, I secretly hoped that he would be grumpy or show a similar sign of outright fatigue, but no such luck. He was happy and chipper and anxious to play all day until his afternoon nap.

I knew this time would come, and by all accounts it should have come much sooner than this (he is approaching the 2 year mark after all), but I am still a little disappointed to see my two daily breaks coming to an end.

Some days he still needs a morning nap, but I know these will become less and less frequent.

I suppose this is all ok. It sure simplifies running errands...just in time for us to have a newborn around here to complicate things back up again!

Sunday

Today I was able to go to Sacrament Meeting, without the little ones, and therefore sit and listen with no interruption. I really appreciate Joel's willingness to stay home with both children so I could have the blessing of attending church, rather than staying home with Ashley as I have been doing (which I don't mind since she is too young to go as of yet). I couldn't stay for the other meetings because Ashley would need to be fed, so I came home and Joel and Everett went to church to catch the rest of the meetings. The best part of this whole scenario is that Joel is the one who volunteered to stay home with the kids to let me go by myself.

Because I was able to go by myself, and because I have been feeling a bit too un-spiritual lately (for lack of a better way to put it), I had a special prayer in my heart today that I would feel the Spirit during Sacrament Meeting. It was something I knew I really needed, and it was something I was very anxious for because I felt like it had been a while.

All during the meeting I tried my best to listen and really apply what was said to my own life. I read hymns during the Sacrament, and I tried to not let my fatigue get to me. It was working, but I wasn't really feeling the Spirit very strongly. I began to feel a little discouraged with myself and as the meeting came to a close I gave up on my desires.

Then we began to sing the closing hymn and I was overwhelmed by the spirit it brought into my heart. It is a hymn I have sung many times, but true to the nature of the Spirit, I learned something new about myself and about the verses when I was singing it. Music has a special way of doing that. We sang "Teach Me to Walk in the Light". I'll put the lyrics on here and emphasize the parts that were especially meaningful to me today.

Teach me to walk in the light of His love;

Teach me to pray to my Father above;

Teach me to know of the things that are right;

Teach me, teach me to walk in the light.

Come little child and together we'll learn

Of His commandments, that we may return

Home to His presence, to live in His sight

Always, always to walk in the light.

Father in Heaven, we thank thee this day

For loving guidance to show us the way.

Grateful, we praise thee with songs of delight!

Gladly, gladly we'll walk in the light.

I was so grateful for the reminders I had today. As a mother, one of the most important things I can do is to humble myself and become as a little child. I feel that this hymn tells us how to go about doing that. There is always so much more we can learn about the "simple" things of the Gospel. I need to remember to be teachable and willing to recognize that. I need to put my trust in God that He will help me to learn what I need to learn so that I may help my children learn the same things. I love that there is an endless amount of room for growth. It makes me feel that there also isn't an ending place for my potential.

Having little children is a wonderful thing, and I am excited for my children to get a little older so we can really start learning more about the Gospel. But right now we still have many precious little moments as we are learning about the commandments together, as it says in the second verse. Being around little children all the time also helps me to remember what being like a little child really means.

I don't think I can really express the thoughts I had very well. It is difficult to try to put words to them. But I am glad that I have the opportunity to try.

This experience also served as a simple reminder that sometimes we ask for a blessing and wait, and wait, and wait, and when we think we've waited long enough we give up or begin to think that we won't receive what we're praying for. Sometimes we even begin to be discouraged with ourselves and think we are not worthy--perhaps not blatantly sinful, but just "not good enough". It was a nice reminder to me that I should remember more often that the Lord has his own timeframe, and that part of trying to follow His will is to try to follow His timing as well.

Well, this was longer than I meant it to be. Sometimes spiritual experiences are really nice, and sometimes they are really needed and so they seem to be even nicer. This was one of those times. I feel like my tank is starting to be replenished. I am just so grateful for a Husband who was giving enough and close enough to the Spirit to let his wife go to church without him.

Water Babies

Yesterday was a nice, warm day so Joel and I decided to take the kids to the pool. Joel went in the morning to get our pool and tennis passes which I was really excited about because for only 15 dollars per adult we can use any of the pools or tennis courts in our city all season long.

The pool we went to had a large kiddie wading pool that went from 0-3 feet, plus a bunch of water fountains. The best part (for Everett, anyway) was that they also had a large sand pit. He was really excited to play in there and would have been happy to only do that. It was fun to watch him, but I had to brush aside my willies about all of the animals (and humans) who have made "extra deposits" in the public sand pit over time. My only consolation was that at least the pool had chlorine in it...which should kill some of the germs, right? Ashley stayed in the snuglie the whole time, which was fine because I only wanted to dip my feet in the water. She is too little to get any fun out of being in an un-heated pool, anyway.

So here are lots of pictures for you Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles who haven't gotten to be here for these things (until a few weeks from now, anyway). Maybe sometime you can see all this in person!

Then we asked, "Everett, do you want to go back in the water?"

This is the look we got in return...

But, we got him back in the pool and enjoying the water anyway.

And tonight Ashley had her very first bath (since her cord stump fell off yesterday). It is always fun to see how (some) babies relax and enjoy the warm water. She certainly did.

Look how long her hair is getting! I wasn't trying to hold it out in this picture but that is what ended up happening. I am excited to see how quickly it will grow.

Bend it Like Beckham

A few weeks ago my Dad had a business trip in London, so he took my Mom and youngest sister along and turned it into a little vacation. Of course they brought back gifts, and among them was a soccer outfit for Everett.



Everett has been enjoying wearing his soccer outfit over the past few weeks, but when Joel gave him a summer buzz-cut a couple of days ago, I realized Everett bears a slight resemblance to the famous David Beckham, who seems to enjoy sporting a similar 'do.

Ok, well, the resemblance obviously stops with the outfit and haircut, but it was still fun to compare them.

Plus, I don't think David Beckham would throw himself on the floor in a temper-tantrum because he didn't get to hold the camera. Just a guess.

Newborns

I have obviously only been a mother up to the almost-terrible-two's stage, but I think that the newborn stage is one of my very favorite stages, if not my most favorite. I just love everything about these little babies before they begin to discover the world around them.

The nurse in the hospital put it like this, "All she knows right now is your heartbeat". This is so true and it is such a precious thing to me. I can see the minute that I pick her up and cradle her little body close to mine that she feels immediately at home, and I have to admit, I do as well. We've been attached to eachother for the past nine months and I love that we begin our lives together with this bond.


I love how newborns' little legs are constantly tucked up underneath them the same way they were in utero. I love their little sighs, yawns, and stretches. I love how when you disturb their sleep, their little fingers stretch out and their hands extend and tighten for a few seconds. I love the way they play with their tongue, rolling it in and out of their mouth and between their tiny lips.


I love their little wailing cries that have not yet developed into the full-on screams that come in a few weeks. I love the little grunting, smacking, and searching noises they make when they're still asleep but about to wake up out of hunger, and I love that they always collect lint and milk in the creases of their necks. I love that even though they have little muscle strength, the minute you cradle them they find a way to snuggle close to you. I love how their out-of-focus vision makes it so they look around not quite understanding what they're seeing, and how this means they know you by your smell, voice, and touch more than anything else.

I love little Ashley for all these reasons--that this little bundle of wrinkly skin, tiny noises, and sweet helplessnes is all mine, and that I get to share her with the people I love the most in this world. I will love seeing her grow into her role as a little sister, and I love seeing Everett already becoming a loving older brother.

I have been trying to get a picture of the two kids together almost since the day Ashley came home. It is trickier than it looks because as soon as Everett sees the camera, that is all he wants. Why hold a little sister when you can have a shiny piece of technology?

Miss Wrinkly

My Mom and I were having a discussion the other night about how sometimes babies start out resembling elderly people and then begin to look younger as they get older. There is a lot of truth to this! Ashley's skin is so wrinkly because she hasn't filled out yet. I never saw this with Everett because he weighed almost 8 pounds at birth. I look at Ashley's skinny little thighs and back, hands and feet, and she is almost like a little pug puppy because the skin wrinkles around.

I love it. I just can't get enough of it!

Breakthrough

Yesterday was a very good day for Everett. I think he is finally getting over the fact that I left him for so long because he is getting more comfortable with me doing things in this house without him. Not having to hold him all the time is also a plus because as much as I'd like to ignore the fact, I do need some time to heal. Also, he actually requested to hold Ashley several times and has taken a lot more interest in her. This is exactly what I've been hoping for because my plan all along has been to alleviate some of the jealousy by involving him in caring for her as much as possible. I thought he would do better if I made the baby about him in that way. He loves helping me with things and I think now this is beginning to be possible.

So, here's to my newfound ray of sunshine, and to hoping that it will not disappear!

the KitchenAid kitchen aide

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to own a KitchenAid stand mixer. My mother has had one for years and years, and has used it on almost a daily basis since she got it. These mixers are great for just about everything.

And, I finally got it! Yesterday, Joel and I went to Sears and got my very own "Empire Red" KitchenAid stand mixer. I am beyond excited. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but I will the very first instant I can.