Levi 5 months

My sweet slobbery baby is already 5 months old. I took some great pics of him this last month, you will notice he is ALWAYS being held. I am raising a soon to be clingy toddler on my hands no doubt. At least he is secure and well fed...has the thighs and double chin to go along with it.

He loves to snuggle up into my shoulder and I especially love to scoop his hand into mine as I balance him on my right bicep.

He does not sleep more than 3 hours at a time at night. I often have contests with the rocking chair as to how long I can sleep in that vs. my bed. At least he falls asleep quickly after nursing. I think I produce skim milk, and perhaps that is why he always wakes up...he is hungry?

He loves to suck and reach for toys. He DROOLS like a running faucet, often drenching his shirt down to his diaper. I love how his hair is growing in and we still can't decide which shade of grey or brown are his eyes.

The boys still fight over having "Eee i" (Levi as Isaac screams from the carseat next to him). They love to hold "baby Levi" and just recently I saw Wesley wrapping him up in a blanket like baby Jesus and twirling him around to get him dizzy. No son, we won't do that anymore.

happy homemaker

I have really enjoyed these last few days of being a stay at home mother! Now that most of the workers, painters, landscapers are gone...and we no longer have any house guests living here (for now!), I am LOVING my solitude, privacy, cleanliness and home.

I love being able to leave the kitchen dirty until I get back from the gym, and not having to feel embarrassed for whomever might stop by and see my mess! It's so nice to just come home, unload the kiddos, take a HOT shower and get ready by 11am (vs a 7am crunch like last year).

I love doing my small daily chores (dusting, dishes, laundry, vacumming, etc). Little by little, the house gets cleaned...and dirtied...and then cleaned again. A never ending project, but I am grateful to have TIME at home to clean it as I go...and not stress over it b/c I am working full time or have places to go all the time. I love having time to email and research and chat online!

I love making lunch dates with new friends at their homes and getting to know them better. I love play dates for Isaac, even if he won't leave my side during it all. I love having the freedom to do these things...socializing!

I love spending time with Isaac as he plays alongside me and follows me everywhere (ok, that part does get annoying and I am working on having patience! He is really good at watching movies, so I have that outlet...) I love sharing quesadillas and liquados and cuddling him up. No more naps for him, but I think I like the afternoon "outings" that we can now have. I love tossing the ball on the floor with him, reading him books, giving him "crackers and milk" and how he insists that I watch him as he "peets!" (potty)

I love taking care of my baby Levi. I love feeding him, cooing with him, rocking him, and setting up the humidifier with Vicks so he will sleep soundly. I love rubbing his fuzzy hair and kissing his slobbery wet double chin.

I love being able to go to ANY grocery store I want without a time restrain! I love having our little bit of money to spend on weekly food budgets, and making the menus and price matching with the neighborhood stores. I love having dinners and afternoon snacks ready for my boys.

Mean mom DOES come out nightly around 8pm, but other than that "twilight hour" of madness where my kids are LOUD and obnoxious, I am truly HAPPY to be at HOME.

Baseball winter 2011

Baseball season came and left us in a hurry. Wesley can be seen at any moment just swinging an imaginary bat in the air all around the house. He LOVES baseball and he LOVES sports. Thank goodness that Grandpa Lowe was available to take him to and from practices this season b/c they were twice a week at 7:30pm! Really! Mama has no time for that...she's got to be home with the other sweet boys and put them to BED.

We all enjoyed the chilly Saturday morning games and seeing Wes throw a few balls to base. I better get used to this sports scene b/c it won't be leaving me any time soon!

I really do love seeing Wesley play and it makes my heart full when I see him play :)

Hidden Manna

I was complaining to Jared just last week about how I hadn't received a calling in church yet... we were sitting in Gospel Doctrine, the calling that I formerly had, and I was feeling insecure and kinda sad that I had not been extended the same invitation to continue teaching (now that we are in a new ward). My counterpart had been called to teach the class, but I had not.

I couldn't focus in the class, as this new teacher is pretty in depth and likes to dive deep into doctrinal ideas. I leaned over to Jared, and asked him, "What are we learning about?" He said, "hidden manna." What? I still had no idea what that meant, but I was GLAD to not be teaching that class! What the heck is hidden manna? Jared then told me to be grateful to have this little break and to not stress having a calling, that my time will come.

Not 10 min later, a brother in the ward pulled me aside. He then asked me if I had been the previous gospel doctrine teacher, which I told him I had. Then he said that the current teacher was being released and wanted to know if I would teach. So, pretty much, out of default I am going to be the Gospel Doctrine teacher again! He then asked me if I knew of anyone else who was a teacher that would be a good fit. What? Is this inspiration b/c I sure don't feel like it!

So...now I get to research Revelations in the Bible for this last lesson. It's pretty in depth with the seven seals, etc. I am a bit nervous b/c I don't know the people in this new ward by name, and they seem to want to really be "in depth" during class. I am NOT an in depth kind of teacher! I am more about feeling the spirit and being refreshed by others' comments.

I am nervous. Hopefully class will go well tomorrow and I won't feel too incompetent.

Dear Santa

Enjoyed the good 'ol Surprise 2nd ward Christmas party this year. Lasagna, rolls, salad and chocolate was on the menu. My boys told Santa what they wanted (Austin: ninja robot, Wesley: tetherball and DVD's, Isaac: Buzz).

Isaac helped himself to the butter on the table and ate it with a knife. Wes and Austin got sweaty chasing each other after the Christmas program.

I enjoyed all the fudge and homemade cookies that I could, while rocking and nursing Levi.

New look and new pantry

I decided to cut bangs...so...I googled how to do it on youtube and went for it! It's fun to have a different look, as well as longer layers. I have also been obsessive of my eyelashes, wanting them to look longer, thicker and curlier. I combined a few different mascaras, bought a spoolie and continue to crimp them as often as I can.

We also got a new pantry! We took out the desk unit in our kitchen, threw in a door and shelves, and now have a beautiful extra pantry that I use for breakfast and snack items. I love to keep it organized, and now my shopping list is quicker to make b/c I can actually SEE the food I need.