Getting to know Sarah

I am loving getting to know our little Sarah. Its wonderful that as she grows she shows more of her personality - the cute and the frustrating. Some of the things that I've noticed so far:

• Sarah must always have a spoon in her hand. It used to be anything hard like a block, car or hard toy, but now it is definately a spoon. There is NO WAY she is going to be without a spoon. When she wants to play with something, she hands me the spoon for safe keeping, or she somehow plays with the toy while still holding the spoon. Todd is out at the moment buying more spoons. Luckily she likes the cheap disposable kind and is not fussed on the colour.
• She is very good at communicating. As a speech pathologist I'm particularly proud of this trait. She always emphasises the ends of her words, especially words like 'cook', 'come', 'book', 'don't' and 'walk'. Sarah has figured out that although she can only say one word at a time, people talk in sentences, so she goes something like this "da da da da walk" or "la la la la cook".
• Sarah loves water. She loves the bath and beach and being outdoors. She loves dolphin rides on Dad's back at the pool. But she doesn't like going under water. Sarah loves splashing in the dog's water and spilling water at every opportunity. She doesn't seem to get the fact that mum doesn't like this.
• Sarah's favourite toy is a book. Often I'll see her climb on the couch and flick through a book by herself. Every night before bed we read no more than three books, otherwise it would definately get out of control.

Although Sarah's determined spirit can be trying at times, I definately see that she has enormous potential, and its my job to help her find what she loves. I'm looking forward to meeting our little boy, only about 5 weeks to go now!

Nothing could be more adorable

These photos are a bit old (September 2007) but I just had to post them. My cousin's wife, Sarah Smylie, took them at her place in Salt Lake City and inspired Todd and I to splash out and buy an SLR camera. Anyway, as you can see they are just beautiful.

Sarah has the most adorable dimples in her shoulders. I've never seen this in another baby before. She's had them right from birth and still has them.

She had just learned to fold her arms for prayer, and she sometimes even reminds us to say a prayer on the food. After each prayer we always have a little kiss.

I love that concentration dribble.

Whinge-fest

I've been meaning to post again since I made that grand entrance a couple of weeks ago, but its been a shocker of a week, and I didn't want this to be a whinge-fest. But we're all family right? Sarah's been sick. Now for those of you without kids (probably not many of you) you might think that's not a big deal ... but she's been sick for about a month now. Cough, runny nose, temperature and rash on and off, and very grumpy. She goes from cuddly sweet sick cherub to raging little monster in the time it takes to say "no more chips". All I can do is wait for her frustration to subside and for her to crash on me again (sometime offering grapes, blueberries or breast milk helps). Yes, that's correct - I've started breastfeeding her again. I feel like that's some sort of confession "Its only once a day, and not for very long ...". Its just so handy. It gives me a few minutes of peace, and I love to see her snuggle in, her little body relaxing on mine and her eyes rolling back in her head as she drinks in 'the good stuff'. I was planning on weaning before the new baby arrives, but one thing I've learned as a mother is expect plans to change. Ah well, it might come in handy when my milk comes in an the cold cabbage leaves aren't working.
Anyway, while caring for a sick child I've also started a new contract (for speech pathology) with a private school down the road, plan and run a visiting teaching workshop (as I'm Relief Society President), attended numerous meetings, taught a lesson, cooked and cleaned (well, intended to anyway), all the while my body has been completing my 32 week old baby's developing lungs. Talk about multi-tasking. Thank goodness for my sweet husband, who rang my mother-in-law, Cyndy and 'suggested' she take Sarah for an afternoon, to let me have a nap. I don't know what I'd do without family around. I slept all afternoon and felt like a new woman (but still one with a massive belly).
I figure life can't get much more busy, but I can hear you mothers out there saying 'wait until you have a couple of children'. It reminds me of when I was in early labour with Sarah saying to Cyndy "The contractions can't get any worse, just a bit longer and closer together" - boy, was I wrong! I admire my sister Kelly with 5 boys, Rebecca with her 4 kids and especially mum with 7! How did you do it?
Now I've got that off my chest - Life is full, but I really am so blessed.