tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215712232024-03-07T18:01:09.679-05:00Part of Your HistorySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.comBlogger493125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-63058608501574551692014-12-28T18:49:00.000-05:002014-12-28T18:49:53.511-05:00Clara's Friend BirthdayClara turned four! We haven't quite figured out a defined frequency for friend parties, but I figured that since I was feeling up for it and Clara wanted it we'd go ahead and do one. Clara has been obsessed with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for several months and we listen to the soundtrack several times a day. A few weeks ago, she woke up in the morning and came running out of her room announcing that she wanted to have a Joseph party.<br />
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We decided to go with a technicolor theme (I use the word theme loosely), and had lots of fun getting everything ready. First up, invitations. For me, this part is the most fun. I designed the invites and Clara designed the envelopes.<br />
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Decorations consisted of crepe paper and balloons. Easy peasy, and when you're four, balloons double as entertainment.</div>
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I had an idea for the kids to color Joseph's coat as they came in the house. I was going to sketch a cartoony Joseph on butcher paper. But my mom had an even better idea - make Clara her own little dreamcoat for her friends to color as they came in. It was darling! I sketched out a quick pattern and my mom serged the edges in one quick afternoon. It turned out so cute and the kids had a great time coloring it.</div>
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For activities, we did a little bowling for rainbow pins game, and painting technicolor masterpieces.</div>
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Then we had a quick snack, some birthday cake, and opened presents. The cake didn't work out how I had hoped, but I was totally fine with it (and Clara was too!).<br />
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Andrew didn't want to be in the picture, but here are Clara's cute little friends from Primary. She was a little anxious about opening presents. She told me later that she was nervous because she "didn't want to be disappointed." I'm pretty sure most children that young aren't so in tune with their feelings, but Clara's always had a lot of self awareness.<br />
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Clara had a lot of fun and is so lucky to have a great group of sweet friends to grow up with! We love our little four year old!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-39504565672877906232014-12-28T18:02:00.001-05:002014-12-28T18:02:53.898-05:00Christmas 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had a really wonderful Christmas this year. We had about 10 days of staggered illness up until Christmas Eve (lots of vomit), but the when we woke up on Christmas morning everyone was [pretty] healthy. A Christmas Miracle!<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Spencer and I woke up around 7:30 and just laid around waiting for Clara to come in and get us. It was finally about 8:30 when she did. I was surprised that her footsteps were so typical. The door opened from her bedroom and she scampered right into ours - no pause to look at the lights, no dash straight out to the tree. I wondered if she had forgotten that it was Christmas morning, but she remembered. We opened a few gifts, had a nice breakfast, opened more gifts and enjoyed the first snow of the season. Yep - we had a White Christmas!</span><br />
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Clara was super excited to find her <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NVD1TO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B009NVD1TO&linkCode=as2&tag=parofyouhis-20&linkId=SBA74AMCJPJVPRGB%22%3EPure%20Fun%20Kid%27s%20Preschool%20Jumper%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=parofyouhis-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B009NVD1TO%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">trampoline</a> (from Grandma Margie and Grandpa Brent) and ran straight to it saying, "Mom! Look! A trampoline for Betts!" It was super cute. She was completely enthralled with all of her gifts and gave enthusiastic shouts all day long like, "This is AWESOME!" or "My robot is just FANTASTIC!" She was thrilled at the orange in the bottom of her stocking and shoved it in my face, "Mom, just smell it!" <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591560985/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1591560985&linkCode=as2&tag=parofyouhis-20&linkId=ODZLX7TRWAJNDIEK%22%3EChristmas%20Oranges%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=parofyouhis-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1591560985%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Christmas Oranges</a> has become one of our favorite Christmas books this season and she actually <i>fell asleep</i> as I read it to her on Christmas Eve (dare I say, another Christmas Miracle?!).<br />
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Betty was pretty zoned out for most of the morning and didn't really engage with any of her new toys, though she did enjoy some of the mylar wrapping. Clara was great to help Betty unwrap her presents, and offer to let Betty unwrap some of hers too.<br />
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In the late afternoon we joined both sets of parents and Aunt Carol at the Evans' home for a lovely Christmas dinner and more presents! We definitely feel blessed this Christmas to have all of our needs (as well as lots of wants) met - to be warm, healthy, safe and comfortable. And to have this sweet little family to share it all with!<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-90887198365147623702014-12-12T11:18:00.000-05:002014-12-12T11:21:16.317-05:00Betty. Right Now.I've always wanted to be good about documenting my children and their development. I wrote each week for Clara's first 52 about what she was doing at that time and I took weekly photos, then monthly photos after she turned one. I knew that a second child could prove a little harder to keep up with, so I settled in to a monthly summary with a monthly photo shoot.<br />
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But then, after a few short months with Betty, things got kind of hard. The months started to look so similar. Progress was so subtle. So I stopped recording. And now, of course, I totally regret it. Betty has come so far in the past year, and I've hardly written a thing about all of her growth and development! I make myself feel better by noting that we have summaries of her development from every early intervention visit (a few a week), but still. I'm here to give a hearty update.<br />
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At 22.5 months Betty:<br />
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-Can SIT unassisted for several minutes! So many minutes that I don't even look at the clock anymore. And I even feel comfortable leaving her for a few minutes to grab something from another room. She can sit and manipulate toys with both hands, reach across her midline for a toy (with some coercion), and reach up for a toy. She can't get herself into or out of sitting position by herself, but very cutely braces herself for a fall - squinting her eyes, tucking her chin and going to the side as much as possible.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">-ROLLS everywhere. She's been a solid roller for a few months and can reliably roll tummy to back and back to tummy. Her most favorite destination currently is the Christmas tree, where she can bat at low hanging ornaments with hands and feet. She also loves to roll herself under furniture and get stuck there.</span><br />
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-Takes a few STEPS and BUNNY HOPS in her gait trainer. We work on gait training every day and the progress is slow, but it's coming. We have all the inserts and handle bar (for me) in right now, and if I push her, she'll do some reciprocal stepping or bring her feet back in front of her in a bunny hop, but it's not at a "walking" pace yet. She wears cute pink DAFOs and Converse All Stars. We're hoping to wear out the tread a bit on the shoes some day. She loves to untie her shoes.<br />
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-Can BEAR WEIGHT and enjoys supported standing. We do lots of stander time, and I think it's really helping! She can't stand (at a couch for example) without some help yet, but she's getting there. Her braces really help with this too.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqOJ-pGoYxIC7xvDQhWKtZm4dgNoANJiLLBTPTXsK29YiQh_3y3JZ-Bc097azZ0jn-E_gkSJuSRBVMpwTSX3LMYGMNhwKKs4PppO-wGm6tKwErZIYhMTs2B_X5Te-O-OyPrlY/s1600/IMG_9082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqOJ-pGoYxIC7xvDQhWKtZm4dgNoANJiLLBTPTXsK29YiQh_3y3JZ-Bc097azZ0jn-E_gkSJuSRBVMpwTSX3LMYGMNhwKKs4PppO-wGm6tKwErZIYhMTs2B_X5Te-O-OyPrlY/s1600/IMG_9082.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a><br />
-EATS like a bear! I'm so thankful for her hearty appetite! She eats just about everything without hesitation. Her oral motor skills have come a long way and she's chewing foods really well now. She feeds herself with her hands and does NOT like being spoon fed. She wants to do things herself. Drinking is still a struggle. She drinks from a straw or a cup, but either way most of the liquid comes back out. We've been working on this for many months.<br />
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-Wakes up HAPPY! Betty's happiest time is when someone comes in her room to get her from her crib. She squeals in delight, kicks, claps, and smiles! It's so rewarding.<br />
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-Has ZERO stranger anxiety. She'll happily go to anyone for any period of time. This probably sounds like the dreamiest thing ever to any mom who has struggled to have anyone watch their kids or drop them off at nursery. But it can be kind of hard. I know she knows me and our family, but sometimes I want her to show me a little more. (I may regret saying that)<br />
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-CLAPS and gets excited when other people clap.<br />
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-PUSHES UP on her arms when on her tummy. Those little arms are getting stronger all the time. She will also push up on hands and knees and rock front to back. I couldn't dream of her doing these things a year ago.<br />
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-VISUALLY TRACKS objects and reaches for them. She still doesn't use vision to find dropped objects (her sense of touch is pretty incredible though and her hands often go straight to the things she drops without missing), but she is using her vision so much more. She will track side to side, up and down. There are definitely still times that she zones out visually (especially when tired or overstimulated), but her vision has improved by leaps and bounds.<br />
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-TURNS PAGES in books. She still has a hard time sitting and listing to and looking at books during a story, but if we give her a book of her own, she enjoys turning the pages.<br />
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-SLEEPS pretty well most nights, wakes fairly early (usually b 6:00). A lot of PSS kids have erratic sleep patterns, and Betty's no exception. We wonder a lot just how much she actually sleeps. Sometimes we'll go in before bed to check on the girls and Betty will be laying there quietly sucking her thumb (eyes open). She'll also typically have 1-2 good weeks of sleep and then 1-2 weeks of disrupted sleep.<br />
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-Is getting a lot more VOCAL. She's getting more opinionated (especially about food. Mostly wanting it. Right. Now.) and finding her voice. She does some "singing" and makes lots of great sounds "bee, bo, bah, mau, fffff, mama, da, ra" are some that come to mind. Plus she's a squaker extraordinaire.<br />
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We LOVE Betty so much. I'm so thankful for the joy she brings to our family and the progress she is always making. She's a sweet, snuggly, content little girl! I really feel so blessed to be her mama. Her cute personality is shining through more all the time and we just love her to pieces.<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-92122426166893159312014-11-30T09:04:00.000-05:002014-11-30T09:04:00.650-05:00Never Suppress a Generous Thought<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think I first heard the words while I was at BYU. "Never suppress a generous thought," attributed to Camilla Kimball, struck a chord with me as words to live by. I have tried to implement this wise guidance in my life, but still find myself setting aside inklings to do good or getting too distracted to sit down and write/call/text that friend who came to mind. More impressive than <i>my</i> efforts, are those of so many people around me, who have heartily been aware of and responded to needs, seemingly without giving a second thought.<br />
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When I was first married and "officially" entered the world of taking in meals, those occasions were pretty scarce - limited to assignments for funerals or new babies. Now, at the ripe old age of 32 I have had numerous encounters with the harsh-yet-subtle realities that leave each of us needing help - or even just love and encouragement. Friends and neighbors have had children in the hospital, spouses work insanely long hours, miscarried babies, lost children, dealt with unemployment, depression, anxiety, hit rough patches in pregnancies, marriages, and relationships with other family members.... the list goes on. Elder Eyring counseled, "When you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time."<br />
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Aside from being kind and sensitive, I have come to recognize the need to <i>act</i>. People all around are carrying heavy burdens, many quietly. But when we find out about the needs and struggles of others, how tempting it is to hang back, to give them space to mourn, to grieve, to work it all out on their own. Understandably, we are easily paralyzed by the encompassing nature of certain trials we watch our friends wade through. We think, "There's no way I could fix that," and so we do nothing. Mortality is full of challenges that are beyond fixing, but I've learned that <i>loving</i> is better than <i>fixing.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>In <a href="http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/church">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>, we believe in covenants. The first covenants we make as members of the church are at baptism, and they include a promise to "mourn with those that mourn" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort." Those covenants not only bind us to Christ, they bind us <i>together.</i><br />
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In the past two years, our family has been on the receiving end of so much good. To be honest, it's a little more than I am naturally comfortable with (how many of us really <i>want</i> to need help?), but I have been so grateful to wonderful friends and family who have simply <i>acted</i> on those generous thoughts. We've received hugs and prayers and tears. Meals and cupcakes and flowers. Texts, notes and phone calls. Boxes of creamies and loaves of homemade bread. Visits and chats providing guidance and assurance. Countless offers for babysitting. Countless hours of babysitting. Earlier this year I casually mentioned (on facebook) a new technology that would be cool for Betty to have, and friends and family members - some I haven't seen or spoken to in more than a decade - lined up asking if and how they could help provide it. I couldn't believe my eyes, when later that day I checked my email and found a gift card covering the cost.<br />
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When Betty was two months old, she had to have a brain MRI at Primary Children's. Because she was just a small baby, she had to be sedated for the procedure and we spent several hours at the hospital getting her prepped and then waiting in recovery. The procedure itself was relatively quick, but all told it took more than half of our day. When Betty came out into recovery we waited at her side until she woke up. While she slept, a text came and my phone buzzed to notify me. It said simply, "I'm bringing dinner." I hadn't thought about dinner, or the fact that we would even need dinner. But there my friend was stepping right up to help. Not asking if she could help; not <i>asking if</i> she could bring dinner. But doing. Acting. Being. Not suppressing that generosity.<br />
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In this season of Thanksgiving, we often focus on our <i>thanks</i>. But this year my gratitude has more than ever to do with <i>giving</i>. And the people all around me who do it so well.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-6573108159817617192014-11-29T08:04:00.003-05:002014-11-29T08:04:53.480-05:00A Little Family Getaway<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfatn5iKaLHlXjIUUbMEVKNhVYer7CblWBqDV-KjnTSyvgHjBnzwTNxd20peAEeCCOrpujaeKC0ciAfVjPNVM9hchwGvwmo0CiSsvMTxh2h8uhUVszXTaKnWRkZg8T9ZPe9-i/s1600/IMG_9529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfatn5iKaLHlXjIUUbMEVKNhVYer7CblWBqDV-KjnTSyvgHjBnzwTNxd20peAEeCCOrpujaeKC0ciAfVjPNVM9hchwGvwmo0CiSsvMTxh2h8uhUVszXTaKnWRkZg8T9ZPe9-i/s1600/IMG_9529.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
This summer, when for a few short weeks Spencer's work schedule became manageable and we started having dinner together as a family again, we started talking about taking a family trip. Other than trips with extended family and little overnighters in Park City or downtown, we hadn't taken a good, old fashion family vacation <a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2012/05/weekend-trip-bryce-canyon.html">since Clara was just over a year old</a>. Actually, that was kind of a quick weekend trip too! I guess we aren't very good at taking trips, but it's something we're working on. We debated spending a weekend at the beach, but as work started to pick up again we settled on a local-ish destination: Moab, Utah.<br />
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We hadn't been to Moab since our first anniversary, but it's a great little getaway. Clara loves to hike and explore the mountains and canyons close to home, so we were pretty sure she'd love it too. Betty qualified for an Access Pass (free entry to all National Parks for life), so we wanted to take advantage of that since there are two great parks in Moab. Plus, Spencer's cousin generously offered to let us stay at their vacation home there. Everything came together pretty perfectly.<br />
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All told, we went on four great hikes together as a family. Spencer carried Betty on his back in the Ergo and Clara pranced along happily, throwing rocks in rivers, enjoying the natural sand boxes between rock crevices and basking in all of the beauty of Heavenly Father's creations. More than once she said, "Wow, Heavenly Father did a really great job making this!" She was a real trooper on some of the longer hikes!<br />
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Because a "polar invasion" blasted most of the country while we were there, it was on the cooler end of November's spectrum of temperatures, but the high 30's with sunshine proved perfect hiking weather. Clara refused to wear a coat, but we all ended up removing several layers along the trail, once again authenticating the wisdom of a three year old. A three year old who also happens to be a great photographer!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQKFKBificvk40BgtnMwaQGGtiFmJDYHiYl2_KYWCRSJkmGWR6FxGWgSdhJ2jtqN_r5YTztYce_GlL8BZxAxsEaTwGLFzGuXPt_lYcQ_JOkmF5sNDVGGWyzdf6kEGNRitqDBn/s1600/IMG_9577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQKFKBificvk40BgtnMwaQGGtiFmJDYHiYl2_KYWCRSJkmGWR6FxGWgSdhJ2jtqN_r5YTztYce_GlL8BZxAxsEaTwGLFzGuXPt_lYcQ_JOkmF5sNDVGGWyzdf6kEGNRitqDBn/s1600/IMG_9577.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-78965595514344107752013-11-07T16:22:00.000-05:002015-04-07T16:12:50.316-04:00An Especially Beautiful One<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Preface: I've debated whether or not I should post this. I wonder a lot about posting specifics regarding the challenges my children face. But I have also found so much comfort in connecting with other parents via the internet, and particularly those who are on a similar journey. So here goes.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A few weeks ago, our lesson in Young Women's was about Christlike love. Mary, who was teaching, shared a lovely <a href="http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2010/09/charity-never-faileth?lang=eng&query=mary+bartels">story</a> of a woman named Mary Bartels who had eyes to see everyone she met as a child of God. You should <a href="http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2010/09/charity-never-faileth">click through</a> and read the whole thing (and the whole talk), but I found the end of this story particularly touching:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">...Mary was visiting with a friend who had a greenhouse. As she looked at her friend’s flowers, she noticed a beautiful golden chrysanthemum but was puzzled that it was growing in a dented, old, rusty bucket. Her friend explained, “I ran short of pots, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting in this old pail. It’s just for a little while, until I can put it out in the garden.”</span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mary smiled as she imagined just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,” God might have said when He came to the soul [of the little old man.] “He won’t mind starting in this small, misshapen body.” But that was long ago, and in God’s garden how tall this lovely soul must stand!<sup class="noteMarker" style="border: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </sup></span></i></span><span style="line-height: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 13px;">I wept as I listened and couldn't help but think of my sweet, sweet Betty. Just a few days prior I'd gotten the phone call with results from her genetic testing, confirming a diagnosis for our darling girl. Truly one in a million, Betty has a very rare genetic disorder called <a href="http://www.potockishaffersyndrome.org/">Potocki-Shaffer Syndrome</a>. There are roughly 40 reported cases. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 13px; text-align: center;">Because it is a syndrome (which inherently means symptoms and outcomes can vary greatly), and because there are so few cases, we are still pretty uncertain about what to expect for Betty. From what we've been told and research we've done, we expect that pretty much every area of her development will be/remain delayed and impacted on the "moderate to severe" end of the spectrum - motor skills, speech, cognitive and social skills, etc. The syndrome can also be associated with hearing loss, visual impairments, low muscle tone, autistic behavioral traits, and multiple exostoses (extra bone growths).</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 13px; text-align: center;">Since getting the news, it's interesting to me that I cannot stay in a dark place for long... my mind continues to go to the things I'm thankful for: wonderful friends and family who have reached out and shared hugs and tears and sent up prayers in our behalf, modern technology that has allowed me to connect with a few other moms who have children with the same syndrome, our proximity to a top-rated children's hospital and a great team of doctors, a syndrome that doesn't seem to threaten any vital organs or alter life-expectancy, our darling Clara who is completely in love with little "Betts" and will likely be an advocate for her throughout her life, sweet Spencer who adores our girls no matter what, and a wonderfully content, easy-going and sweet baby who is stretching out the snuggly "newborn" days far beyond what you'd typically expect. Every time I reflect on the blessings that have come, Betty herself tops the list. She is so much more than this syndrome. She brings us such joy and we feel so fortunate to have her in our family. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 13px;"><span style="text-align: center;">Even though we've been blessed with a lot of peace and comfort along this journey so far, it still hurts my heart to think about the future and all of the unknowns. I try to stay positive and think about today. When thoughts of the future creep in, I remain hopeful that Betty could be one of the "best case scenario" outcomes that PSS has ever seen. </span>But even if she's not, we are still wildly in love with her and know that she will refine and polish our family in ways that no one else ever could. After all, she is <i>an especially beautiful one</i>.</span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-66463955845662806762013-09-15T00:56:00.000-04:002013-09-15T00:56:17.345-04:00Sweet SistersI cannot get enough of these two! Clara loves to hang with little Betty, do tummy time with her, give her hugs and kisses and squeezes. If she's awake and Betty is napping she'll often ask, "Where's Betts?" She always wants to hold her, although lately she only lasts a few seconds before saying, "I'm all done! She's too heavy!" They share a room happily and wake up singing to each other. Such little sweethearts. I can't wait to watch their relationship continue to strengthen as they grow up.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-3235765543476938162013-08-24T17:26:00.000-04:002013-09-15T02:11:41.348-04:00Clara - 32 MonthsClara is so much fun right now! Sadly I forgot to do a monthly photo shoot with her (one where I made her put her hair in a clip or something out of her eyes!). But since I take photos almost every day, here are several from right around her 32 month birthday. :)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmmvTRQscxeJTDXzx11XLBeA-Qk9fZIGFLAF1M6sspUweVWigQKQCFrZ_sQuJca99t_yX4gpZVI1FFqu58zctO5OzUEexUsV6ImNfJj0Gt6s9h6Y9OnfD9FXd2LdsRXQRz_pg/s1600/IMG_2775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmmvTRQscxeJTDXzx11XLBeA-Qk9fZIGFLAF1M6sspUweVWigQKQCFrZ_sQuJca99t_yX4gpZVI1FFqu58zctO5OzUEexUsV6ImNfJj0Gt6s9h6Y9OnfD9FXd2LdsRXQRz_pg/s640/IMG_2775.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="text-align: center;">-Her favorite ways to move are twirling, running, and hop-hop-hopping.</span><br />
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-She is starting to LOVE pretend play. She packs all of her guys in her little truck and tells me they are going downtown to see daddy at work, or visit Grandma Margie.<br />
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-Teddy and Baby are still her favorite side-kicks, though we do include puppy, bunny, sheepy, and "pec-a-lin" (pelican) once in a while. We're super creative with names for our stuffed animals (and our real ones...)<br />
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-Clara has a ridiculously good memory. It really amazes me all of the people, songs and events that she remembers. During "school time" I wanted to help her start memorizing some things and the first poem we tried (Little Things) she had down in a week!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATwEcKjHhFd0ouVIZFMABpOgTnmn6azhKc8et_rYdY0itBILDCvilg4FHCA9EitEAHJf33flypt6OVoaVv2bk4IaKS7U0Fjqmmwj1sKbH79v-VAkrEOEwqRuUDyPWukTbYXA3/s1600/IMG_0655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATwEcKjHhFd0ouVIZFMABpOgTnmn6azhKc8et_rYdY0itBILDCvilg4FHCA9EitEAHJf33flypt6OVoaVv2bk4IaKS7U0Fjqmmwj1sKbH79v-VAkrEOEwqRuUDyPWukTbYXA3/s640/IMG_0655.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
-She has so much energy and is so bright and excited about everything. I know little ones usually have a lot of energy, but I think her constant enthusiasm is a bit more unique and I just love her for the light it brings to our home.<br />
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-Clara's getting more and more independent. She loves to put her shoes on by herself. And take them off. Usually the minute she gets outside, or in the car. When she puts her shoes on the wrong feet, and if I tell her, she'll quickly take them off and put them on the right feet. She'll ask me to make sure they're right.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEN6pnEKUC68U5GG7qsh9rgksApPS7GPna0_2ZioLssGZ_jh9KOeHMUDQEzUhppau4jtyKK2TVudt56IWTZ5sX21wbxG60cE_lHnK9LRu_lZkRnwckfo43ZVaIrGqEwrAQpd0Z/s1600/IMG_0697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEN6pnEKUC68U5GG7qsh9rgksApPS7GPna0_2ZioLssGZ_jh9KOeHMUDQEzUhppau4jtyKK2TVudt56IWTZ5sX21wbxG60cE_lHnK9LRu_lZkRnwckfo43ZVaIrGqEwrAQpd0Z/s640/IMG_0697.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
-Clara is always aware of others and eager to heal wounds, offer hugs and kisses, or come up with solutions to make people feel better.<br />
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-She's so tuned in to how people are feeling. When I get frustrated with her or another situation, she'll tilt her head to one side, look at me wide-eyed and say innocently, "Mama, are you a little bit upset?" (she's usually right!)<br />
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-We painted Clara's toenails for the first time this month, which she was super excited about (and I think I forgot to take a photo!), but I would not say she's girly about hair or other things. Do you think she could be my child? Ha. She never wants me to do much of anything to her hair and only endures a morning comb through because I've convinced her that it's "just something big girls have to do."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5NlWkmjLEBEzAZLm1BY0RR4Lhc1KrswXQwwkTjIs-c5kVzsoFKme649z5Yk9mshmX63l-QrYz2hg4tBztmGlWxd8NwTphczNAt7mqhh-00-jREwcHG7C7GvNHY5UcJRtZdjq/s1600/IMG_2780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5NlWkmjLEBEzAZLm1BY0RR4Lhc1KrswXQwwkTjIs-c5kVzsoFKme649z5Yk9mshmX63l-QrYz2hg4tBztmGlWxd8NwTphczNAt7mqhh-00-jREwcHG7C7GvNHY5UcJRtZdjq/s640/IMG_2780.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-Clara does NOT like to experiment with trying new foods. As much as she sings the Daniel Tiger song ("we try new foods 'cause they might taste goo-ood"), she will cover her mouth and protest if we ever attempt to get her to try something new (pretty much everything at dinner every night)<br />
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-If her hair is in her eyes and she's refusing a "pretty" (a hair elastic) or a "clippy" (clip), she'll push her hair to both sides of her face with both of her hands and say, "See, now you can see my pretty eyes."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAA-rtnKsiY6dxIgdmMfOuIks7T_I6X9AjcHeI3NEnZkRQK7F2z4c_desz3LcuoXDMpWbobc9xlU2h0CCwY081im5uo5TwoO_5NHVh2ks8UOqVTXqcfo7hshb1PRp5aVp_Ovy/s1600/IMG_0691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAA-rtnKsiY6dxIgdmMfOuIks7T_I6X9AjcHeI3NEnZkRQK7F2z4c_desz3LcuoXDMpWbobc9xlU2h0CCwY081im5uo5TwoO_5NHVh2ks8UOqVTXqcfo7hshb1PRp5aVp_Ovy/s640/IMG_0691.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
-Has a strong aversion to dinner in general. When I tell her it's time for dinner, she'll say, "no thank you! I want to have LUNCH!!" I think it's because I tend to cater lunches towards what I know she'll eat (sandwiches, crackers, smoothies, apples, carrots, cheese, yogurt, etc.)<br />
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-She is in love with McDonald's. YIKES! How did this happen? My little vegetarian, who otherwise has never even tasted meat (her call) will gobble down a chicken nugget happy meal in minutes. If this is not a testament to the fact that those things are not made of meat, I don't know what is.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJzKL90_tquKecV0r23K5GQzyvBLE2SSAMNX-eGazyr_QjQxevW-MWKO8nUA3s-Hkod_Oi5csKwIDE5oty8DXmvSaXUdcgWa9-GWbhiPFF7HwmNBJaDrlxTpRYXRPqrEwiB4K/s1600/IMG_0700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJzKL90_tquKecV0r23K5GQzyvBLE2SSAMNX-eGazyr_QjQxevW-MWKO8nUA3s-Hkod_Oi5csKwIDE5oty8DXmvSaXUdcgWa9-GWbhiPFF7HwmNBJaDrlxTpRYXRPqrEwiB4K/s640/IMG_0700.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
-Clara loves to wear "tie-tie" clothes... I made her a few shirts at our Bear Lake family reunion in July and they are her favorite "comfy" clothes. I also did a pair of undies just for fun and they have turned into her favorites! If she's wearing a tie-dye shirt, I better have those tie-dye undies clean and ready too!<br />
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-Still LOVES to sing and learn new songs. Her favorite right now is "Mother, Tell Me a Story." We sing it every night. Multiple times. And when we get to, "and gently speak," She says, "Stop. This is my part." And sings the rest in her darling little voice.<br />
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-Loves to build with her blocks and play with her train tracks! Everyday for a good month we've been doing tracks and blocks and she never gets tired of it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6T8UTorroO5WLIuE4Mpb_VjQehWHAbSWSEwvf6UugG18EfLcMVlgigJlClSSthHk5z_JoLbKgJSUz6JzNrLxSSCKV86PlXowhJjE7RhP_P251rJYfDYhbHXrpGMo0qzLmK-j/s1600/IMG_0674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6T8UTorroO5WLIuE4Mpb_VjQehWHAbSWSEwvf6UugG18EfLcMVlgigJlClSSthHk5z_JoLbKgJSUz6JzNrLxSSCKV86PlXowhJjE7RhP_P251rJYfDYhbHXrpGMo0qzLmK-j/s640/IMG_0674.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
-Must be growing a lot because she takes 3-4 hour naps every afternoon. :)<br />
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-Is so aware of her baby sister and loves her SO much. She always wants to give her hugs and kisses and make sure she is happy and warm and knows what's happening in the world.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-31961896375793147062013-06-18T12:27:00.001-04:002013-06-18T12:27:24.594-04:00Father's Day 2013I had seen those cute little interview worksheets all over pinterest and thought it would be fun to do one in video form. Here are Clara's thoughts on daddy this year.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/68621676" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="650"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/68621676">Father's Day Interview 2013</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1011156">Sarah Evans</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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The password is: clarajaneSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-64832782062944247892013-06-10T19:10:00.000-04:002013-06-10T19:10:23.244-04:00Easter Egg HuntOn the Friday before Easter, we had a fun Easter egg hunt at my parents' house. My sister Amanda was in town with her kids on Spring Break and they were headed home the next day. Emma made signs early in the week to let everyone know of the upcoming event.<br />
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Before the hunt we enjoyed one of those rare, lovely days in March with a picnic outside.</div>
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Before the hunt, each kid was assigned a color. They could only find eggs of that color. My mom had cute little containers for the kids to keep their eggs in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rH0nasY_0cjP9H4w2I6ryqtE_fHNMepAeR9nE_nbk9OBqILr4bfmHqql9xRGbJLvGGHHxWX8vnzP6pqYbnWwSY7V1EmQcCW2hRq6mbeEFUMvoOj7xYk14Iz-OKgukv1_yA5g/s1600/IMG_3865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rH0nasY_0cjP9H4w2I6ryqtE_fHNMepAeR9nE_nbk9OBqILr4bfmHqql9xRGbJLvGGHHxWX8vnzP6pqYbnWwSY7V1EmQcCW2hRq6mbeEFUMvoOj7xYk14Iz-OKgukv1_yA5g/s640/IMG_3865.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Clara really enjoyed the hunt and finding all of her pink eggs.<br />
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The of course, they all dug right into the loot after the eggs had been found.<br />
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Clara wasted no time digging out her chocolate. And stuffing it right in her mouth.<br />
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And she loved hanging out with her cousins. She and Josh are good buddies.<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-85351803367608476442013-06-10T19:00:00.002-04:002013-06-10T19:00:49.728-04:00Betty SmilesEven though Betty is a super sweet baby, it is <i>tough</i> to get a smile out of her. It's getting a little easier, but that first "real" smile didn't come until she was 11.5 weeks old. Thankfully when I got my camera out a few weeks ago, she obliged. We just love this little muffin and all of her puffy cheeked expressions!<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-28480142540198399062013-06-10T18:54:00.002-04:002013-06-10T18:54:41.820-04:00Betty meets BettyOn Mother's Day we hosted our families for dinner and my Grandma Betty was finally able to come meet our <i>new</i> little Betty. What a sweet and special day.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-66373643162401288882013-05-27T13:05:00.001-04:002013-05-27T13:05:09.514-04:00A Few New PostsI've been working on getting caught up on some posts (I have 70 posts in draft form right now...)<br />
<br />
In case you're interested, here are some of the updates (in no particular order):<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2012/11/clara-23-months.html">Clara - 23 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/05/project-life.html">Project Life</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/05/clara-29-months.html">Clara - 29 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/04/clara-28-months.html">Clara - 28 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/04/easter.html">Easter</a> (2013)<br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/03/betty-2-months.html">Betty - 2 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/03/clara-27-months.html">Clara - 27 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/01/clara-25-months.html">Clara - 25 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2013/01/claras-play-kitchen.html">Clara's Play Kitchen</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2012/12/clara-24-months.html">Clara - 24 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2012/11/halloween-recap.html">Halloween Recap</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2012/10/claras-first-big-bug.html">Clara's First Big Bug</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2012/10/clara-22-months.html">Clara - 22 Months</a><br />
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<a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2011/08/california-trip.html">California Trip</a> (2011)<br />
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Hopefully more to come soon!<br />
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-64263766223807217372013-05-25T12:40:00.000-04:002013-05-25T12:40:46.745-04:00Project LifeFor a long while I've been trying to come up for a good way to document the life of our family. I love having a blog, but hate that it's only digital. I've lost entire chunks of my life that were only recorded in a digital format, so I know that I need something physical too. I've done old fashioned scrapbooks, but I now cringe at what I've done to my photos with hideous scissors and die-cuts. Not to mention the fact that it takes me days to put a layout together when I'm cutting and pasting and such. I've done pretty books on blurb and mypublisher, but I feel like they mostly stay on the shelf because I don't want tiny fingers to accidently tear a page - or big fingers to accidently spill a Diet Coke on one. Plus, I feel like it is a huge project to sit down at the end of the year and pull all of that together. I know it would be easier if I kept up on the blog, but still - there are always more photos I want to add in and it is just a lot of work to do all at once.<br />
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Over the past few months I've noticed a few bloggers I like showing off their spreads of a scrapbooking concept called "Project Life." The whole idea is that you do a week at a time (this is how most people tackle it) and use your regular 4x6 photos, pre-printed journaling and title cards, and slip them all into page protectors that are pre-divided into a handsome layout. Some people do a ton of extra stuff with adding embellishments and cutouts and all that jazz, but I think it kind of goes against the whole concept the system is based on, which is "scrapbooking made simple." When I really started looking into it, the founder was a few days away from launching a new product that would debut on HSN at a huge discount, so I thought it was a great time to try it out! I ordered a kit at about 50% off of retail including a binder, 60 page protectors, dividers, and a core kit that includes all of the pre-printed materials I need. Now I just need to print my photos. <i>Minor detail.</i><br />
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We are in a phase of life that is so fun and I don't want to forget all of the darling things that my kids say and do and all of the silly and sweet moments we share as a family. I'm really excited for this and I think it will be a great way to record our life. The big things and the everyday. I love that. Hopefully I'll share some of my pages here eventually!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-47477949187244495632013-05-24T21:30:00.000-04:002013-05-25T16:18:15.203-04:00Clara - 29 MonthsClara is at this hilarious, fun (sometimes frustrating) stage right now and I love it. I love HER! Here's what's she's up to:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZt7SVISa2A1uWw60szflThUokdW_7waEVvLVIT2Qdf379pR2HLjTuRrCWLr6QxUPBXAukTUKQdpKH_CwgJyGQEaaso8St9t7XF-3obiWxiCPL_yF7j1MwYLLKr5A4W5Hz22y/s1600/IMG_0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZt7SVISa2A1uWw60szflThUokdW_7waEVvLVIT2Qdf379pR2HLjTuRrCWLr6QxUPBXAukTUKQdpKH_CwgJyGQEaaso8St9t7XF-3obiWxiCPL_yF7j1MwYLLKr5A4W5Hz22y/s640/IMG_0572.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-Whenever she's down to just her undies (or diaper, if she just woke up) or totally nakey, she will sprint out of sight and wrap herself in the closest blanket (preferably fleece). She loves to be wrapped up and naked. And I don't really blame her.<br />
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-She has started ending sentences with, "so...." for example, "I need to feed my baby, so...." (mom's cue to leave the room?)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjEh65yRa8cUW3V-PtE86NCEB39OfSbb994hAbe_y0vd8qxUCfrmgUJxu2k4LB1bGG_VUH-aYcbHpS05FdWvy5NZ0DuQHw15Cj-owp9eq7eoFm1F70YZKz1vtqUn5J4-5JrQr/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjEh65yRa8cUW3V-PtE86NCEB39OfSbb994hAbe_y0vd8qxUCfrmgUJxu2k4LB1bGG_VUH-aYcbHpS05FdWvy5NZ0DuQHw15Cj-owp9eq7eoFm1F70YZKz1vtqUn5J4-5JrQr/s640/IMG_0519.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-She's a little fixated on the concept of fear right now. She's had happy, sad, angry/frustrated down for several months but now she talks about being scared a lot. And about "scary guys" (like Ronald McDonald). Whenever she reports a scary dream, frogs are involved. Sometimes she looks all around her room and in her closet for frogs before she goes to sleep.<br />
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-Whenever she has had a happy dream, little owls spent her sleep time saying, "hello, Cla-wa!" Occasionally, a happy dream involves "animals and trains."<br />
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-Clara has started to worry when she can't find or see me. She'll run up to me and say, "I lost me!" and give me a big hug and snuggle.<br />
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-Ever since Mother's Day two weeks ago, she's been wishing me a happy mother's day on a daily basis.<br />
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-She loves to "ride the gate."<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">-I've started getting unsolicited, "Thank you for the yummy/delicious breakfast/lunch/dinner, Mama" comments at almost EVERY meal. </span><b style="text-align: center;">I'll take it! </b><span style="text-align: center;">It completely removes any pain or annoyance out of meal preparation to have her thank me out of nowhere.</span><br />
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-She understands "privacy" and now tries to give me some when I am in the bathroom. If ever she runs in to the bathroom and finds me there, she says, "Oh, do you need some privacy?" and shuts the door.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGEs_MYGITgnuLAH8pj6fN1uNVrBlb46q6FzQVTJ2Cfzdeoeu1EIm_SMf_bhu2AkuV6iF6C9WaFy9K-SlnFuSzo3zR7hNh7wpB8w_MBVngeVpCQXLQTyuJYbq5nGx_VM9tHfi/s1600/IMG_0528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGEs_MYGITgnuLAH8pj6fN1uNVrBlb46q6FzQVTJ2Cfzdeoeu1EIm_SMf_bhu2AkuV6iF6C9WaFy9K-SlnFuSzo3zR7hNh7wpB8w_MBVngeVpCQXLQTyuJYbq5nGx_VM9tHfi/s640/IMG_0528.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-She has the most expressive face ever. I love her little concerned face. The other night after she ended up with a smattering of food on the floor after her dinner, she said, "Who made that mess?! Cla-wa!!!" Then she gave me the sternest upset face she could muster before bursting into laughter. Several times. Stern face, laughter, stern face, laughter. I'm so glad that she is such a happy kid with a sense of humor.<br />
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-She's obsessed with playing in the bathroom sink. If I can't find her, I know to look in the upstairs bathroom. She loves to "do the dishes" and wash her hands and just play in the water. She can barely reach the water, even when she's on her step stool, but it is still somehow a favorite activity. I'm just glad it's not the toilet.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwLPgX3-2_T3mlo8PZan879d0dMIzVfbuIQSy-gBQoM1ZyJt2e-TFkGl44R1ZPA5vwCV7ZGYH5hY2x9nFd7kD1Xe0Cv8xy13yszYZ0BbNhEcjqqEeH1zFjU1JCiilubT-cx05/s1600/IMG_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwLPgX3-2_T3mlo8PZan879d0dMIzVfbuIQSy-gBQoM1ZyJt2e-TFkGl44R1ZPA5vwCV7ZGYH5hY2x9nFd7kD1Xe0Cv8xy13yszYZ0BbNhEcjqqEeH1zFjU1JCiilubT-cx05/s640/IMG_0566.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-Clara LOVES her baby sister Betty. I don't think I've ever met a prouder sibling. She will sometimes get really upset if she wakes from a nap and I tell her that Betty just went down for her nap. She talks to her in such a sing-songy voice (probably just like I do) and says, "Awww Betty! You're such cute sister! What a cutie pie little sister! Aww Betty." If Betty's upset or fussy, she'll pat her head gently and say, "It's ok, Betty. Go back to sleep, go back to sleep." Soooo darling. I hope they stay best friends forever!<br />
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-She's got the potty training thing down. Well, except for #2. She still does that in her pants :( But I'm sure she'll figure it out. We've had a few successes, but for the most part she still runs to a corner and does her business in her undies.<br />
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-She loves to play outside, swing, run around (she sings "running, running, running round" to the tune of London Bridge while she runs in circles), go to nursery, sing songs, read books and watch shows (we try to just do one show a day MAX and it's usually Sesame Street, Curious George, Pingu or Shaun the Sheep)<br />
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-Clara loves the BYU fight song and asks frequently for "The Cougar Song"<br />
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-She loves to smell things. Flowers, laundry that is "fresh and clean" and today when she saw the wind blowing the trees, she took a deep breath through her nose and (looking out the window) said, "I can smell the fresh spring wind" (not kidding)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzTjdckAY8VlQ8wgDIgJ0_5m1W7kiFRj26-HnR8ma3BlSVFj9p2yF98Dv55RdtaBi6hzMblIs1wMmqIkVXYeFxImDfXtROZ8QQHglxgJWujbB5aVntD7KU7ZdfYAzWC9itglD/s1600/IMG_0527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzTjdckAY8VlQ8wgDIgJ0_5m1W7kiFRj26-HnR8ma3BlSVFj9p2yF98Dv55RdtaBi6hzMblIs1wMmqIkVXYeFxImDfXtROZ8QQHglxgJWujbB5aVntD7KU7ZdfYAzWC9itglD/s640/IMG_0527.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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-She still is such a curious and enthusiastic learner. Anxious to know about anything I want to teach her and never gets upset if I correct her or add to her knowledge when she reports back to me (she did not get this from me. As I've observed this trait in her, I've realized that I tend to bristle when corrected... maybe it comes with age? Or is a youngest child thing?) An example, we were observing some bees on a flower and we had just been reading several books about bees. She said, "Look, the bees are eating the honey!" I said, "Oh yeah, they're slurping the nectar from the flowers." She said, "Oh! Nectar!? They're slurping the <i>nectar</i>!? Oh!!"<br />
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-She loves to hear stories about Mommy and Daddy... and Clara and Betty and any other family member.<br />
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-Whenever she or Betty or her baby have a blanket or towel wrapped so it goes around their head and shows their face, she says, "Look! A little Mary!"<br />
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-She's a super helper and loves to help sweep, spray, wipe up messes, and unload the dishwasher (not just the utensils anymore). She also loves to pour and stir when we're making food in the kitchen. She loves to help and watch me give Betty baths.<br />
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-She loves to ask what time it is. "What time is it?" And "What time is Mommy?" I tried to explain to her that people are not time, so she asked, "What time is Daddy's toenail?"Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-85137547076513135512013-04-26T10:02:00.000-04:002013-05-25T16:48:59.117-04:00Clara - 28 MonthsI think this may have been my most favorite month of Clara's life so far. She is just soaking up everything in the world around her and exploring so much and making thoughtful, expressive comments about things and I love it so much! Here's what she is up to:<br />
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-Her baby and teddy and her favorite "guys" and she's almost always got them.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">-She loves to take care of her baby. Wrap her in a blanket, snuggle her, take her on walks and feed her. She's a great mama!</span><br />
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-She is starting to understand the concept of time and will say things like, "I got sick yesterday/last week/last month/last year." Rarely accurate, but always exploring the concept of past time.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONGmMQIGvpOitT_17H-IM31tLrEKWuq2ZO47-oVpFizDMpGij249h7hqFgEycNKJ_T43-iz_5iWCMptVD356OrHXhxgkN90t5Q-Uu0NDw-ERqBkc32fZ7K2S_n4D2Jma6e789/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONGmMQIGvpOitT_17H-IM31tLrEKWuq2ZO47-oVpFizDMpGij249h7hqFgEycNKJ_T43-iz_5iWCMptVD356OrHXhxgkN90t5Q-Uu0NDw-ERqBkc32fZ7K2S_n4D2Jma6e789/s640/IMG_0157.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-She loves to swing again (yay!) and requests a lot of swinging everytime we're outside. She always says, "BIG one!" -- she loves to go as high as she can! Many times when she's on the swing she'll say, "back and forth, back and forth." "forward, back, forward, back." or "near, far, near, far" as she swings. <br />
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-She loves being a sister and having a sister and is SUCH a great helper with her. She loves to hold her and teach her things, help change her diapers (we pretend on this part) and wipe her spit up. She always puts a blanket on Betty so she can stay, "nice and warm."<br />
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-Clara loves to take care of her little baby (doll) and keep her wrapped in a blanket, feed her a bottle and give her a bath in her very own kitchen sink.<br />
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-She loves to blow bubbles and has gotten quite good at it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMNu0sg39FKlebZO4t2Ze7rcr9ccj1ZFFU3tWqTJp3ApKxZ0Ji8c4NiegrmTQ-xrXiXiLevtuMgBMt1uiNVrsV-aTbBA4esbrKKYm-_5sSbPdGA-0_Ubxoj0chfaTh-S7VLFc/s1600/IMG_0180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMNu0sg39FKlebZO4t2Ze7rcr9ccj1ZFFU3tWqTJp3ApKxZ0Ji8c4NiegrmTQ-xrXiXiLevtuMgBMt1uiNVrsV-aTbBA4esbrKKYm-_5sSbPdGA-0_Ubxoj0chfaTh-S7VLFc/s640/IMG_0180.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-She gets so excited to see extended family. She often talks about her cousins and knows who is who and who lives where. Sometimes out of nowhere she'll look at me with a concerned/sad face and say, "my cousins went home to Colorado." (She's referring to Amanda and her kids, who were here last)<br />
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-She calls Amanda "Aunt Manda." So cute!<br />
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-Clara LOVES nursery. When we drop her off, she RUNS in and gives the nearest nursery leader a huge hug. She has a small group of little friends in there right now, so she gets to play with the leaders a ton too. She loves them all.<br />
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-She loves to play in laundry baskets. One day she was putting all of her stuffed animals (her "guys") in and tucking them all in, and then she climbed in and snuggled with them. It was naptime and she protested, saying she wanted to sleep in her "spacket" so I put her in the crib... in her basket. She fell right asleep and slept the whole time!<br />
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-We've been working on her saying, "I hold you." It has turned into "I hold me." and "I need me." Haha. At least I know what she means.<br />
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-She's getting really good at going potty and has even gone on the big potty a few times.<br />
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-She loves trains, like her daddy and lately when we see the trains just north of downtown (when driving to my parents house) she'll say, "I ride that potty train." It cracks me up!<br />
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<br />
-She gives the cutest little narratives from the back seat while we're driving somewhere. She always notices helicopters and airplanes, snow on the mountains, birds, trains, big trucks, etc.<br />
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<br />
-Recently she was singing "I Am a Child of God" and at the end morphed the lyrics into "teach me all that I must do, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." I was recording it and showed it to so many people (with her around) that she thought it was a cute and clever thing to do and now does it intentionally and laughs. Oops. We're trying to teach that it's a reverent phrase...<br />
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-We have had Early Intervention child development specialists come to evaluate Betty and help her and Clara is usually around. They are always astounded at the breadth of her "expressive language." It's true, she is quite a talker! I honestly don't feel like there's anything she cannot communicate or express right now.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-55493102209435970612013-04-01T13:47:00.000-04:002013-05-25T13:48:17.375-04:00EasterIn the wisdom that comes with adulthood, my affection has migrated towards springtime and Easter has become my favorite holiday. As with most Christian holidays, the modern world has transformed and commercialized the day. But as the world awakens from winter and bursts into the color of springtime it's hard to ignore the symbols all around, reminding us that the snow will melt, the sunshine will warm, and "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlc5RvmWN4s">Sunday will come</a>." Daffodils and hyacinth blooms spring from the earth once frozen. Warm breezes replace biting wintery winds.<br />
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As my life continues to fill with more people to love, I also feel a renewed sense of life's fragility. Every time we open our hearts to love, we open ourselves up to disappointment, grief, pain, loss. But the miracle and celebration of this season is that the fragility of mortality is finite. We will endure no disappointment, depravity, doubt, disability or death forever; <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/04/none-were-with-him?lang=eng">nor alone</a>. Because Christ came and because He lives, we can burst through every trial triumphant.<br />
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For me, the Easter season with it's eternal reminders came at the perfect time this year. Days before, I left a doctors office trying to hold back the sobs that were aching to come out. Trying to be strong in front of my two year old whom I naively brought along thinking it would be just a quick well check for my two month old. I went into the appointment with a few concerns that I thought would be resolved as "no big deal," or "she'll grow out of it." I left the appointment with a doctor I trust thinking my baby might not be able to<i> see</i>. That parts of her skull could be fused prematurely, a condition that would require a craniofacial surgeon to break her skull apart so her brain could continue to grow. That she may be aspirating milk. That she seemed developmentally delayed and stuck in the "newborn blob" phase.<br />
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There is nothing like news affecting your child to change the depth and sincerity of your prayers. We did everything our doctor recommended - the blood tests, the visit to the opthamologist, the chest x-ray, the CT scan, the MRI, the evaluation with Early Intervention. We were so blessed with mostly fantastic news: blood tests were normal, optical development is normal, chest x-ray was normal, CT scan showed open sutures between the plates in her skull (normal), but her brain looked like it needed further testing (hence the MRI),which was also normal. Early Intervention determined that she is delayed in a few areas, but we're hopeful that their services will help her "catch up."<br />
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Good news on the medical front is great, but perhaps even more encouraging was the gentle reassurance that we consistently <i>felt </i>even when we didn't know what would come of it all. Our journey with all of this is not over. Betty will meet with a pediatric neurologist, continue to receive therapies from Early Intervention, and have more extensive follow-ups with her pediatrician. We have no idea what the future will hold for Betty (or us, or any of our children, for that matter), but we do have that reassurance. And if we choose to access it, we can feel that our loving Father is over all.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-75864817892283602682013-03-29T09:56:00.000-04:002013-05-25T17:23:28.823-04:00Betty - 2 Months<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjluIpcNz1nQlgVET3iNmRfMPV1R3oZ4OzQdTW3bHKDrNs6qNKqYm8kO3e0-QRpGip1fZ6aVePicaTcxJJbE8gxNwfndaBJjhJoy5oAlCOHxMIxVmgZTMXPYlNS1R-F1EvxEb9/s1600/IMG_3842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjluIpcNz1nQlgVET3iNmRfMPV1R3oZ4OzQdTW3bHKDrNs6qNKqYm8kO3e0-QRpGip1fZ6aVePicaTcxJJbE8gxNwfndaBJjhJoy5oAlCOHxMIxVmgZTMXPYlNS1R-F1EvxEb9/s640/IMG_3842.JPG" width="640" /></a>-At five weeks she was diagnosed with acid reflux and started zantac which didn't seem to help too much. So we switched to prevacid, which seems to be helping a little. She is a quiet and content little one, not a screamer like your typical reflux-y baby... but she coughs and chokes on spit up all the time and I can tell it's super uncomfortable for her. Even Clara has started saying, "poor little thing," from hearing it so much from me.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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-Betty is still a sleepy little babe. She sleeps and sleeps! At seven weeks, she is sleeping 9+ hours through the night. We are beginning to transition her to sleeping in her crib (she and Clara share a room) and it's going great.<br />
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-To be honest, not a lot changed between month one and month two for Betty. This is where my worry and her pediatrician's worry set in... Her two month well-check was one of the worst days ever. All of the casual questions the doctor asks when they first come in the room, about if baby is smiling a lot or sucking on their hands, actually have a purpose. They're not just being chatty and friendly. And when you answer "no" to all of them, you leave the doctor's office with orders for a chest x-ray, a CT scan, and referrals to an opthamologist and early intervention program. (<i>The actual concerns were that she was aspirating milk (a newborn with a cough is never a normal thing), that the plates in her skull might be fused together, that she may not have vision, and global developmental delays - thankfully everything checked out and other than a few delays she is a healthy little girl!)</i><br />
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-She's chunking up so well! I think she'll definitely be in the upper half of the charts for a while.<br />
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-Betty loves to be held close and snuggled. To calm her (although she truly is rarely fussy) or have her fall asleep in my arms I'll hold her super close at a slight incline and pat her back. She just snuggles in and loves it.<br />
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-We love Betty soooo much and feel so thankful to have her in our family. I kind of feel like she's a well kept secret. Clara is at such a fun and clever age that she commands most of the attention. But people don't know that they might be missing out on one of the sweetest babies ever born.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-72614778923762566232013-03-24T03:26:00.000-04:002013-05-25T10:41:46.972-04:00Clara - 27 Months<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgKD0vCutW8GQ1xpdy6TRwPQiXRICCK4Vgh1a9sIuQURmaShTgqqIysm-mf17pehi7V2v1kHFnhG0W62NgkAhbizsKbe1qB7JUKfs7PuEg4NvjnLhoyxkUYCpL6gO5a23p4fv/s1600/IMG_2812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgKD0vCutW8GQ1xpdy6TRwPQiXRICCK4Vgh1a9sIuQURmaShTgqqIysm-mf17pehi7V2v1kHFnhG0W62NgkAhbizsKbe1qB7JUKfs7PuEg4NvjnLhoyxkUYCpL6gO5a23p4fv/s640/IMG_2812.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
This month was a big one for Clara! She started potty training about a week ago and is doing GREAT! She still wears a pull-up for her nap and at night, but she uses the potty during all of her waking time. We do have accidents occasionally and are still working on some things, but overall she's doing really well. After she goes "tinkle" in the potty she will cheer for herself and say, "yay cla-wa!" and promptly follow with, "I need a jelly bean!" She's always really proud of herself for going and just beams at the abundant praise she receives as well.<br />
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She is such a great big sister and loves to hold and touch Betty. She always wants to check on her and make sure she's ok. She talks to her in the cutest sing-songy voice.<br />
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One of Clara's favorite things to say right now is, "Just a minute, I'll be right back!" and then she'll run into another room. Or she'll run out and then come back and say, "I need to get one more thing. I'll be riiiiiiight back."<br />
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She still loves nursery and has a hard time waiting until 1:00 on Sunday's for church. She wants to go the moment she wakes up!<br />
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She wears a pink easter hat all the time. She just loves it!<br />
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We are finally getting some warm weather again, so she is loving being outside. Usually she wants to swing, but then says she's done after about 30 seconds. But she loves to play in her truck and just run around the yard.<br />
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She has a hard time saying mittens, kittens, buttons, etc. They come out, "mints, kints, bunts." I love how she talks.<br />
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She loves to "hang out" with her "guys" in her "spacket."<br />
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She always asks me to draw her "with a coat," so she can then color in the coat.<br />
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Clara loves to sneak into our room, open daddy's nightstand drawer, pull out a pen and business card/receipts/envelope and draw on it. She will draw meticulous little circles over and over. This is especially a favorite activity while I'm vacuuming.<br />
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We love our little sunshine!<br />
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<i>Usually I do more of a "photo shoot" on the day of her month birthday, but I think I missed this one because we had family in town. So here's a smattering of mostly iPhone pictures from her 27th month.</i>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-6108331510061529922013-03-21T12:17:00.001-04:002013-03-21T12:17:39.535-04:00Betty's Name<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our sweet little Betty was a struggle to name. It was even harder than naming Clara! Even though Betty was a name we have talked about since Clara was born, we didn't finalize this baby's name until one hour before we were discharged from the hospital.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rE1MKq159Nf-O0advpok20fM-CTSM5-hqoA0hxpni5H9mHQQ0DCipCLkf8etARA2Kg5JSK6e6zjnEY0wNbTEbykXDv2-__gUdi2-MqkuY-MCOxCKVV3Hl-22UjuCfjUqYAsg/s1600/IMG_2789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rE1MKq159Nf-O0advpok20fM-CTSM5-hqoA0hxpni5H9mHQQ0DCipCLkf8etARA2Kg5JSK6e6zjnEY0wNbTEbykXDv2-__gUdi2-MqkuY-MCOxCKVV3Hl-22UjuCfjUqYAsg/s640/IMG_2789.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Besides just liking the name, Betty is the name of my paternal grandmother. She is one of the most sweet and generous women I know, and I when I think of her, I think of so many lovely qualities that I strive for and hope my girls will too. Grandma Betty was perhaps a little naive and certainly quite young when she </span><a href="http://sarahcarioca.blogspot.com/2008/11/all-you-need-is-love.html" style="text-align: center;">married my grandpa</a><span style="text-align: center;">, but I'm pretty sure she created a really wonderful life for her family. From the stories my dad tells of growing up I know that she was a great mother. Likely the kind of mother who had a homemade dinner on the table at the same hour every night. A mother who spent the better part of the first two years of her life as a new mom alone while her husband was at war. A mother who, because of her husband's career on the railroad, spent a lot of time parenting on her children alone while her husband maintained an unpredictable work schedule.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekHiRJgyMA2xEQ8W-5Rn7wng3BdKrWXL7OI-mcqg099vo6n7T1N0uqteDOv459yjSEOUlSAkFTd4SecVHPOJMlIkKOem0k3stQoKfGDj1itmPV2xdhNhoJ5kWVdD5zrVtDB10/s1600/IMG_2941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekHiRJgyMA2xEQ8W-5Rn7wng3BdKrWXL7OI-mcqg099vo6n7T1N0uqteDOv459yjSEOUlSAkFTd4SecVHPOJMlIkKOem0k3stQoKfGDj1itmPV2xdhNhoJ5kWVdD5zrVtDB10/s640/IMG_2941.JPG" width="640" /></a>Grandma Betty has more posterity than I can keep track of, but birthday cards with sweet handwritten messages arrive for children, grandchildren, grandchildren-in-law, and great-grandchildren each and every year. And never a day late. As she has grown older, my sweet grandma, like most elderly people, deals with a lot of pain. But you would never know it - she doesn't complain or talk about herself or the struggles she faces unless someone else brings it up. Grandma is always thinking of others, keeping busy with thoughtful projects for friends and family, and selflessly offering her assistance to anyone she can help. Perhaps the greatest demonstration of her selfless service was when she cared for her husband during the last years of his life, providing for his every need with care and love.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVsP9Frh-ae1Xky5nalNV9o9zBgrNV6GQDUY_NsCmmAKJcpukNFF94Et1agIgfP2vZGCdeQnTfah48iLzVcrt30k7xV7hwNdROZ8gxeQQz650UXwTrPnulORSBqwU_zOVR-_N/s1600/IMG_2790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVsP9Frh-ae1Xky5nalNV9o9zBgrNV6GQDUY_NsCmmAKJcpukNFF94Et1agIgfP2vZGCdeQnTfah48iLzVcrt30k7xV7hwNdROZ8gxeQQz650UXwTrPnulORSBqwU_zOVR-_N/s640/IMG_2790.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
We chose the name Florence for Betty's middle name for a few reasons. When I was pretty young, I had a really strong desire to go to Florence, Italy. I'm sure it was a book or movie that inspired my dreaming, but it held such a strong appeal. When I took AP Art History in tenth grade, I became more aware of the city's architectural marvels and beauty. Finally, at age 20 I made it to Florence while studying art history with a group from BYU. It really was a dream come true. Florence is one of my favorite European cities, the birthplace of the Renaissance, and means flourishing, prosperous. Plus, Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing (my "if I could do my life over again" profession of choice). Who knows, maybe the association will inspire Betty to become a nurse!<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-6802430616233053472013-02-28T06:30:00.000-05:002013-03-21T00:12:46.960-04:00Betty - 1 MonthIt's hard to believe that Betty is a month old! At the same time, it's hard to imagine life without her. We all love Betty and are really enjoying having her in our family. Here's what she's up to:<br />
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-She still has her signature 4 or 5 a-choo sneeze. It's pretty intense. It's also pretty cute.<br />
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-Such a sleepy little girl! I feel like it's really been in just the past week that her feeding times have come up to what I feel comfortable with (12-17 minutes total per feeding vs. 3-5 minutes in the first week). She's definitely growing, so that is what's important!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6C85eePbegtmBhmgNMZs_e-7ch8Tm8WcOjv_jdG3I65jTaadq8yccZ3kTJDo6on1IJYFJOarmNkf1APTI40KWP8XuplvPti3_3yQBH8V0ZJCjJVtaDLO0S53HpiPX5Hzn8E8/s1600/IMG_3456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6C85eePbegtmBhmgNMZs_e-7ch8Tm8WcOjv_jdG3I65jTaadq8yccZ3kTJDo6on1IJYFJOarmNkf1APTI40KWP8XuplvPti3_3yQBH8V0ZJCjJVtaDLO0S53HpiPX5Hzn8E8/s640/IMG_3456.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-She loves baths. The warm water just puts her in this blissful, calm state.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOkkY7WwkLC8-X28ONYvFInFdElM6Rvarjw4tzFAQXqHkq2e8iN5fikdg-xiw2smMzs7fSFiqcGp7pFIdXvLo3DHZU9Nqnb-eUqdT-JYl_dux5-Vao4L63Tg2ImN8qdotP__h/s1600/IMG_3462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOkkY7WwkLC8-X28ONYvFInFdElM6Rvarjw4tzFAQXqHkq2e8iN5fikdg-xiw2smMzs7fSFiqcGp7pFIdXvLo3DHZU9Nqnb-eUqdT-JYl_dux5-Vao4L63Tg2ImN8qdotP__h/s640/IMG_3462.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
-Has a sweet and super sad little cry. We hardly ever hear it. Really, it's just reserved for times of hunger and unintentionally pokey displays of affection by a big sister who is just bursting with love for this little one.<br />
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-Sleeps 4-5 hour stretches at night.<br />
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-Such a LOUD sleeper. Grunting, moaning, and more recently a choking/coughing/scream/cry sound. Sad. By this age, we'd kicked Clara out into her own room... but with the room sharing plan, we're still trying to figure out what the best option is.<br />
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-I can tell she's a content little soul, but sometimes she seems pretty uncomfortable in that little body. Poor thing!<br />
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We love you, darling Betty!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinohlHDaIdnvzZp-bm_Nw0JF01GgSnHBh-9haz-mBYPCJ0uimnzkKnFoo2p9vOMWAxPAlxJAf8VYwLK9V1pbDhfLRd4toD6wAf9EnTdSYPsM2Pm18mookKgcoK3_FY7wczmVnx/s1600/IMG_3533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinohlHDaIdnvzZp-bm_Nw0JF01GgSnHBh-9haz-mBYPCJ0uimnzkKnFoo2p9vOMWAxPAlxJAf8VYwLK9V1pbDhfLRd4toD6wAf9EnTdSYPsM2Pm18mookKgcoK3_FY7wczmVnx/s640/IMG_3533.JPG" width="640" /></a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-68919447975943797332013-02-24T17:41:00.000-05:002013-03-21T10:48:37.469-04:00Clara - 26 MonthsClara is 26 months old now!<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">She's a loving and (mostly) gentle big sister and wants to see and hold Betty first thing when she wakes in the morning and after a nap. She loves to show Betty her toys, make sure she has a blanket, and help her learn all of her body parts.</span><br />
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She must have hit a growth spurt, because for the past two weeks she's been falling asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow.<br />
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Started sleeping with a pillow! My mom makes the grandkids cute pillowcases for each holiday, and made Clara her first one for Valentine's Day. After a week she told me, "mama, this pillow is too tight." So I found her another pillow that was a little more fluffy. No complaints since then!<br />
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Loves snow! She'd go out and play in it everyday if I let her.<br />
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Still loves nursery and loves singing. She invents her own little tunes in addition to her ever-expanding repertoire of hymns, primary songs and kid's songs.<br />
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LOVES the hokey-pokey. It's so silly and cute to watch her dance.<br />
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Her latest most common phrases are, "hold you, rock you!" (when she's asking me to hold/rock her), "what was that?" or "what was that noise from?" and "just a minute, I'll be right back!"<br />
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Yesterday we were playing in the living room and she sat on the floor by her teddy bear and said, "Mama, I'm hanging out."<br />
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She loves to count things and can get into the teens, but gets the order mixed up after twelve.<br />
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Is so expressive and animated. We love all of her faces. <br />
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Favorite foods right now are quesadillas ("mama, I need to go to cafe rio for a quesadilla"), slices of cheese, applesauce, pears, and peanut butter on ritz crackers.<br />
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She's definitely into doing things by herself. If she drops something and I pick it up for her she'll get angry and put it back on the floor so she can pick it up herself. "I DO IT!"<br />
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Refers to herself all the time as "Clay-wa" and more recently as "Clay-we" (I call her Clarey a lot)<br />
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When she wants something and she knows she can't have it, she'll ask/demand it and when I tell her no or not right now, she'll try changing the tone of her voice to ask again. Hard to explain, but so funny!<br />
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Is a really happy, up-for-anything girl and we love her!<br />
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Some cute things she mis-pronounces: elephant (elpha-naunt) basket (swacket) washcloth (cuack-wash)<br />
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She's so verbal and loves to talk on the phone, to her animals (her "guys"), and to people she knows. When less familiar faces come around, she gets shy and makes the cutest little frowny smile with an extra puffy pouty lip on the bottom. <br />
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She just woke up from her nap and is saying, "mama, I need a hug!" So I better go... :)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-41377325146294112692013-02-19T23:01:00.004-05:002013-02-19T23:01:46.511-05:00Mollie's Visit<br />
While I was still in the hospital, my sister Mollie asked if it would help if she came out for a few days to help me with the new baby. Since I'm the youngest and my sisters both have their hands full with the responsibilities of their own families, I never anticipated that I'd get to have one of them around when I had this baby -- so of course I jumped at the chance! She came out from the 6th to the 10th of February and made lots of arrangements to have her family at home taken care of and brought her youngest along.<br />
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Unfortunately, Clara's tummy bug, Levi's cold, and Mollie's visit all overlapped. No one was too eager to have a nine month old with a cough and cold hanging out with our super new baby (not to mention the fact that we'd just gotten over about two months of straight colds at our house), but Mollie still managed to be a big help. She was able to stay at my parents' house and come out for several hours each day. Levi napped or played in the basement and Betty stayed on the main floor.<br />
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While she was here, Mollie helped me take some photos of Betty (we like to <a href="http://sammollieharrisonnoaholivia.blogspot.com/2012/04/first-week.html">help each other out like that</a>), but mostly I wanted her to take a few of me and my girls. She got some great photos that I am so thankful to have. I love to take pictures of my girls, and get quite a few of Spencer and the kids too - but I knew this was a rare chance to capture a little bit of my role as a mother.<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-54480929851929831952013-02-15T11:24:00.000-05:002013-03-21T11:38:45.188-04:00Happy Birthday Balentine's DayLately when the topic of birthdays has come up (which it has a lot, with Betty's, Spencer's, and Grandpa Bob's all within less than three weeks) Clara says, "Happy Birthday Christmas!" Her birthday is on Christmas Eve, so the confusion is understandable. As is the fact that Valentine's Day stands on it's own. And starts with a V.<br />
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February 12th was Spencer's birthday and I did a really dismal job of helping him celebrate. With having a two week old and it being busy season for him, I just couldn't get my act together to make it a very special day. Plus, he ended up having to go to a Jazz game for work at the last minute, so he didn't get home until almost 10:00. On the 13th we finally had some cake together, and on the 14th he came home a little early (around 7:15) so we (Clara) finally got to sing to him and blow out candles.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">During the week prior to Valentine's Day we worked on making some Valentines together for family members. Clara did all of her own work and was totally into it. When the 14th finally rolled around, we woke up to a front door covered in hearts! The sweet young women in our ward "heart attacked" us and left some fun treats.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">I made Clara a special lunch featuring lots of hearts and pink and red. I wasn't entirely sure that she appreciated my efforts until we had quesadillas again later that week and she requested them in heart shapes. Clara was showered with Valentine's Day treats and gifts from her family: a special Valentine's Day pillow case, a new book, a plastic Valentine cow that dispenses treats and a bouquet of Valentine's Day balloons. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3gCxExIsgHU347yFexdFMiEi98ayPKx0oyFNyhsIW0iG0oyx2xD_DTCMnRHvTImEo4Z7Oz27__F5CjxwQsMBTndrWp6owQ9x01Yr2xox4WVjbQVZ1PdXqHi2bJwLDT6SJc81/s1600/IMG_6841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3gCxExIsgHU347yFexdFMiEi98ayPKx0oyFNyhsIW0iG0oyx2xD_DTCMnRHvTImEo4Z7Oz27__F5CjxwQsMBTndrWp6owQ9x01Yr2xox4WVjbQVZ1PdXqHi2bJwLDT6SJc81/s640/IMG_6841.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21571223.post-10293555493886056312013-02-14T16:24:00.002-05:002013-02-14T16:28:25.935-05:00In the HospitalAfter Betty was born around 2:30 in the morning, we finally got settled into our room a little after 5:00 am. I called my parents to tell them about the delivery and they wanted to come in right away. They said they'd leave around 7:00 in the morning to come meet our baby. It was still snowing a lot that day and the morning commute was very messy. Add a flat tire to my parents' journey and they arrived around 11:30 am. Spencer headed home mid-morning to pick up his mom and Clara and most of the family converged at the hospital around lunch time.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">We had spent a lot of time at home talking with Clara about how I would go to the hospital to have the baby, and how her grandma would stay with her while we were gone. We also told her that she would come to the hospital to meet "baby sister" and that she could get a special drink while she was there (knowing that sprite is available on tap to patients and visitors in the maternity ward). She seemed to totally get it and I was anxious to see her reaction to everything when they finally came.</span><br />
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Well, to my surprise - Clara really did "get it." I wondered how long after giving birth she would still want to hug and kiss my tummy and call it "baby sister." Not once. She's transferred all of that love once aimed at my abdomen to her tiny baby Betty. She ran over to her as soon as they arrived at the hospital, anxious to meet this little one and touch her tiny fingers and toes, eyes and nose.<br />
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After Spencer, Clara, Daddy and the grandparents went home for the afternoon, I found myself alone in the hospital with our little baby. She was such a sleepy little one that she would only nurse for a minute or two at a time (which was a huge contrast to Clara as a newborn). Thankfully, the doctors, nurses and lactation specialist were all quite encouraging and sure she'd eventually wake up and be a great eater. Spencer decided it would be easier for everyone if he stayed home with Clara that night instead of coming back to the hospital, so I enjoyed our "celebratory dinner for two" (compliments of IMC) with Aunt Carol who came after work to meet our new baby.<br />
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On day two, Spencer and Clara returned for more Lorna Doone's and Sprite... and to hang out as a family. The hospital is a difficult place to rest or relax, but I loved those first sweet moments together as a family. The excitement of having a new little baby certainly outweighs the annoyances of being uncomfortable and frequently interrupted. My doctor said I could go home on Tuesday night if I wanted, but I really wasn't ready to get into "mom mode" yet, and wanted to make sure things with our baby and her feedings in particular were squared away. She had a little fever that afternoon as well, so I wasn't too anxious to take her out of a setting where I knew she could get immediate help if it were needed.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZ_FRevxzcmhmfQf1gocO_KxpFnTxKGQKvSFCdF7oV1blZzDdJtx2y9Ek3f-78IG-E9gox6DXzLA0aNBBl7ogyRn4FpOnVwiEXCaCKjYduBUplKYBIIhhnUSN9lB5T8W7Tug8/s1600/IMG_2210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZ_FRevxzcmhmfQf1gocO_KxpFnTxKGQKvSFCdF7oV1blZzDdJtx2y9Ek3f-78IG-E9gox6DXzLA0aNBBl7ogyRn4FpOnVwiEXCaCKjYduBUplKYBIIhhnUSN9lB5T8W7Tug8/s640/IMG_2210.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Just me, or does she look just like Elder Holland here?</td></tr>
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Everyone was very anxious to know what we were going to name our baby, and by Tuesday morning we thought we might have figured it out. We considered naming her Florence Betty, but weren't ready to make it official. By the late evening, I was feeling really unsure and we kind of felt like we were back to square one. We had talked about Beatrice for a lot of my pregnancy, but planned to shorten it to Betty (my grandma's given name). I liked Eloise. We both liked Florence. We wanted her name to have some significance and not just be something we liked; a story to tell, a person to admire, a character in a great story or someone who made a difference historically. We prayed and slept and by morning (about an hour before going home) she was Betty.<br />
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Betty Florence Evans. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoTWkE9d31YhMkPohlTyyirf8PJIkcyPHGlXbbjDEZgd7n3bN9Ue6QkooB58gdeRcVgxqCqgy501sVmjNf9RZRCc1-VhGAyfGviF0F3Wyya9Qi6AHv2SIPU8qvktVMghMOZ-w/s1600/IMG_2233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoTWkE9d31YhMkPohlTyyirf8PJIkcyPHGlXbbjDEZgd7n3bN9Ue6QkooB58gdeRcVgxqCqgy501sVmjNf9RZRCc1-VhGAyfGviF0F3Wyya9Qi6AHv2SIPU8qvktVMghMOZ-w/s640/IMG_2233.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04592710379570863032noreply@blogger.com0