1. I loved general conference this weekend. It took me a long time to "grow up" and realize how great general conference really is. It was a few years ago that I really wanted to sit down and watch all the sessions. When President Monson speaks, there is no doubt in my mind that he is the living prophet. I am so grateful for him and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. While so grateful for church, I am having a hard time in the ward I'm in now. It's a good thing I have my parents because I'm pretty sure, without them, I'd have no friends there. It's not anyone's fault. Overall, the people are nice, but it seems as though everyone already has his or her own groups of friends, and nobody else is welcome to join. I could probably try yo be a little more social too, I guess. It's a good thing the church is true whether I have friends in the ward or not.
3. Swen is a genius. This past week he has learned two amazing things. He can wave hello or bye-bye. It's one of the most adorable things he does. He twirls his left hand around while opening his fingers over and over and he does it ALL the time. Another new trick is that he has randomly decided to help me when he gets his diaper changed. He lies on his back and spreads his legs wide open for me while I change him. It's so funny. I crack up every time.
4. In addition to being a genius, Swen has also developed a sense of what he wants. And when he wants something, he REALLY wants it. When he doesn't get it, he gets super mad, screams, and throws himself backwards. The thing that makes him the most mad right now is when he can't go outside. Every time the door opens, he crawls to it as fast as he can and the screams the second it closes. Luckily, the weather has been great so we've been going on lots of walks. Seth loves to take him out to swing on the playground so he does that almost every day too.
5. I've finally figured out how to iron dress shirts. It has taken a long time, and now I actually enjoy doing it.
6. Being a mom gets better and better all the time. After 26 years of being in school and not only working, but excelling, in a variety of jobs, I have found my calling in life. I was meant to be a mother. I have never been so happy in my life to be with a tiny little person all the time. There is no greater gift than a child, and I'm so grateful for the blessing of being Swen's mommy.
7. Swen is still an AWFUL sleeper. He literally wakes up between 10 and 20 times a night to nurse a little. Before each night, I tell myself that I will NOT nurse him. I'll rock him, or snuggle him, or do whatever he needs until he goes back to sleep. However, when I'm exhausted already, that is the last thing I want to do, so I just nurse him all night long. My mom keeps telling me he will learn to sleep eventually, but it is getting harder and harder to believe her. I try to remind myself of all the other things I didn't think he would ever do- ride in his car seat, not need to be held all the time, eat people food. He struggled with all of these things, and I just waited patiently. I never pushed him or forced him to do anything. Sometimes I'd pull over 8 times going on a 10-minute drive and take him out of his car seat so he wouldn't scream. He now rides in it happily almost all of the time. He also loves to play by himself and is slowly learning to eat food. So for now I am trying to be patient and not die. In the not too distant future, Swen will NEVER want to sleep in bed with me again, so I will enjoy it now. Are there some things I might do differently with Swen's sisters (haha get it?)? Probably, but it is too late to look back with Swen now, and he is a great snuggler. Here is a picture Matt snapped when he got home from work one night.
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| I look ugly while I sleep, yet I still love this picture so much. |
8. We finally got a hiking backpack. It works great for hiking and it works even better for getting things done around the house. I love it.
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| Teaching Swen how to rock climb already! |
9. Matt is still a cute husband and dad. I won a gift card for a free night downtown at a super fancy hotel, and it doesn't expire until July. Then this short conversation happened:
ME: I bet by July I may feel comfortable leaving Swen for a night so we can get away.
MATT: Yeah, but I think it would be really fun to take Swen to explore downtown and take him swimming at the hotel.
I don't know many guys that would chose to bring their baby instead of having a night away. He truly is a great dad and loves playing with Swen.
10. I make up songs for Swen to the tunes of church hymns. I can't sing, but he loves them anyway. This is his favorite (if you know the hymn "I need thee every hour" then you know how this song sounds.
I love you all the time.
You're my little perfect boy.
I love you with all my heart.
Forever and ever.
I love you. Oh I love you. All the time I love you.
You're my perfect little baby.
I'll love you forever.
I sing that to him whenever he's nursing. He just looks at me and listens. It's the most peaceful part of my days.
11. I am obsessed with taking pictures of my model baby. I'm almost up to 1000 between my phone and camera. This is after deleting the ones that have already been developed.
