Quite Grateful.

I think this is going to be very random.  I'm trying to catch up on my Family Life Project as well as get out some thoughts that I've been having lately.  So here we go.  

January Week 3: Mealtime.  This is what our dinners look like lately.  This particular one came from Texas Roadhouse.  I don't cook anymore.  It has been a while since we have had a newborn in our house and I seem to have forgotten how much time is spent cuddling, feeding, rocking, etc.  So thank you to everybody who has brought us food or treats.  A poor lady from our ward looked at me with I don't know what sort of look...sympathy?  humor?  Hal asked if we were having mac 'n cheese for dinner again and I think she was very glad she volunteered to make this poor little family some dinner.  All of our meals have been so delicious.  Thank you everybody!

 Trying to get a minute to eat.  Baby seems to want to eat when everybody else does.

 Grateful for all the help we have had the past 2 weeks.  My mom and sister came the first week.  I didn't have my camera out and I'm mad.  So when Aunt Stacy and Megan came for a few days I pulled out the camera and tried to snap a few quick pictures.

 Matching hair.  Girls picked out their outfits.

 February Week 1:  Playroom.  I love our playroom.  It's usually a complete disaster up there but the kids have been pretty good at picking up before bed each night.  We spend a lot of time up here.

 This is my little corner of the play room.  This baby won't be getting much use lately.

 That's because I'll be busy with THIS baby.
I am so GRATEFUL for him.  I had given up hope on him every coming to our family.  I didn't feel like our family was complete but there wasn't a whole lot I could do about it.  So I am so thankful to have him safe and sound.  When I was pregnant with Carter I worked in the NICU and my Dr. asked me to PLEASE not work next time I was pregnant because I was a mess.  I knew so much about what could go wrong because I saw sick babies all the time and I was sure my baby had every single thing wrong with him.  While it wasn't as bad this time, I was still sure something would go wrong.  I rarely saw babies that weren't sick.  I thought he would go to the nicu for a few hours at least.  He was born perfectly healthy though, much to my surprise.  I need to have more faith.

 More playroom pictures.  I am grateful for their creativity that buys me a few minutes each day.

 Please note:  This post spans 3 days.  Halle is wearing that Rapunzel dress each day against my wishes.  She pretends to be somebody new each day.  She, of course, is always the princess.  She has been Giselle, Rapunzel, Annie, Esmerelda, and Dorothy this week.  Savanna is such a good sport.  She always ends up being the boy or dog.  One day Hal made her be the goat and I was the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  She has really  helped me let go of my dream of having perfectly dressed, matching little girls with their hair fixed perfectly.  She's teaching me to go with the flow.

Another mealtime picture.  Sweet Stacy made us a delicious dinner.  We are so glad she came for a few days.  The girls loving having a buddy around all day.  I think poor Megan was a little overwhelmed by them a few times.  They can be crazy.

 I love her and all her spunk.

 My Manna.  Probably the sweetest person I've ever met.  She's my little helper all day long.  What would I do without her.

 Still dressed up.  She was worried I was going to make her change.

 I really love having a new baby around.  I feel lucky.  I hold him and cuddle as much as he'll let me because I'm pretty sure he's my last little guy.  It makes me sad.  Have you heard the song by Taylor Swift called Never Grow Up?  I have it at the bottom of my blog on my playlist.  Play it if you dare.  It came on the other day and I lost it.  It makes me sad to think of my kids growing up so fast.  Just typing this makes me cry.  I'm happy they are learning so much and developing their little personalities.  But how is it happening so fast?  This little one is already 2 weeks old.  How??  It is hard when they are little, but they are so fun.  I feel like this time is special and I'm not enjoying it enough.  So, this is a little reminder for me to soak in every precious moment with my littles because they are fast on their way to becoming big.

 He's always looking off somewhere.   He's probably looking at all the angels sent here to help us.  We surely need it.  I know I've put this quote on here before, but I just love it.

Mothers, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are, better than you are, and better than you have ever been. 
Elder Holland

I'm so grateful for so much more today, but my little man needs me so this will have to do for today.