Almost

Here is a (highly unflattering) picture for the sake of history.  I am in my 9th month, about 10 days from my due date, and feeling about as tired as I look.  No other complaints aside from that, just so, so tired.  Every time I sit down to read children's books to my children, I fall asleep, usually half-way through the second book.  Honestly, practically every time I sit down anywhere slightly soft and comfortable I fall asleep.  I need a little nap every day, and for the most part, the kids are awesome at giving me an hour and entertaining themselves in safe, peaceful ways.  I am so grateful!

Earlier this week, two of my friends from the ward hosted a fantastic baby shower for me, and I came away with six boxes of diapers, three boxes of baby wipes, twenty new outfits, a few baby blankets, several darling stuffed animals, and a good supply of baby wash/lotion.  Today we set up the crib, washed a good chunk of 0-3 month clothes, and found all the essentials (car seat, burp cloths, baby towels, etc.)

I do not really have strong pregnancy food cravings, but I have had a fresh pineapple addiction lately.  Over the Christmas holiday pineapples went on sale two or three weeks in a row for just .88 cents a piece.  We often had three or four lined up on the counter at various stages of ripeness.  I can and did often eat an entire pineapple myself in one day.  Grapefruit and oranges have tasted amazing too, as of late.  Butter masala simmer sauce with roasted cauliflower over rice is a new favorite too; all the warm, rich spices taste like candy to me.

Ezra and Maren took a sibling preparation class at the hospital earlier in the month.  They often accompany me to doctor appointments and have heard the baby's heartbeat half a dozen times.  We read books about baby coming, and they like to feel my belly when baby has hiccups.  Anticipation is high for everyone, but as with the other two kids, my body hasn't decided to do anything yet, not even any Braxton Hicks contractions.  So, we are waiting.  Almost there, but not quite.

Power to Choose

This year in Primary the 2017 theme is simply, "Choose the Right."  The introductory song for the theme, the one that all Primary's in the church focus on in January is, "As a Child of God."

I love the words.  

Here is the simple message from the first verse:

I came to earth with power to choose.
Good choices bless me and my family too.
As a child of God, I receive special light:
The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right.

I can't tell you how many times those beautiful, simple words have come up in family discussions this month.  Agency is one of my favorite gospel principles; it rings so true to me that we have the opportunity and responsibility to act for ourselves, and that all choices have consequences.

Last week Ezra, Maren, and I were leaving a friend's house, and right before we backed out of their driveway to head home, Ezra lashed out at his sister, and lost a privilege because of his poor choice.  As we drove home, Ezra was feeling remorse for the lost privilege, and lamented, "Mom, I just can't change.  Changing is too hard.  I can't do it.  I just keep making bad choices."  I wanted to jump for joy!  What a profound truth with a perfectly wonderful solution!  With the companionship of the Holy Ghost, I confidently declared my testimony of the sweet reality of change.  I sang those opening lines to Ezra, "I came to earth with power to choose..."  I shared with him the blessing of agency, a gift from Heavenly Father, and the redeeming power of the Atonement that allows for individual choice, and gives us opportunity to make amends and try again.  I encouraged him to include his righteous desires to change in his prayers.

A few days later at dinner, he said an unusually introspective prayer, as he prayed for help to love Maren, to be calm when things made him mad, and use his agency for good choices.  I was touched by his little boy humility.  Truly, the Holy Ghost does help us all to know what is right.  I'm so grateful.    

Maren

Maren's new favorite article of clothing is the above dress, which she calls her "naked dress"; she likes it because it has "strap-es".  She wants to wear this or her swimsuit every day.  No pants, no shirts with sleeves, occasionally certain tights, and a shear poofy skirt, and nothing else.  When we have to go to preschool, she grudgingly changes to meet protocol for a winter climate.  As soon as we are home, she changes back to her naked dress again!  (I am not really excited about her clothing choice, but she is an emotional wreck if the dress is in the wash, so I don't fight her on it).

Recently, we were headed out to church, and she refused to wear a sweater or jacket of any type with her short sleeved dress.  It was cool, but not frigid.  "Mommy, I don't need it.  I just want to feel the sweet breeze."

Earlier this week we were at a friend's house, and the little girl pictured above came up from the basement in tears.  As soon as Maren recognized the crying as that of her friend Naomi, she ran down the stairs.  The two of them came upstairs soon thereafter.  Maren had one arm wrapped around Naomi, and the other arm patting her chest.  She carefully guided her friend to her mom, and then ran over to me.  Excitedly she announced, "Mommy, I'm practicing being a good big sister!  I'm a good big sister to Naomi!"

Maren adores the Fancy Nancy book series.  She wants to be fancy all the time, and will sometimes come to me crying if she can't find enough "fancy" things to add to her outfit: her princess shoes, a headband, a scarf, hair clips, etc.  I believe I have this endearing, fictitious children's book character to explain my child's fascination with immodest, weather-inappropriate clothing!

 As of last Sunday, Maren is a Sunbeam at church.  She transitioned beautifully.  Truly, it was a remarkable thing to behold.  No tears, no hand-holding, no qualms, no fears, just a confident, self-assured presence, and excitement for a new step.

Maren is giggly, fun-loving, and silly.  She likes to wear my glittery lip balm, and smelly-sweet lotions.  She is super girly, and loves everything pink, but is also perfectly content to play cars and dinosaurs with Ezra.

Ezra

Ezra created the above about a month or so ago; a darling sampling (some cut and pasted to be all on one page) of my Ezra-boy's obsession with marine biology.  I have to say, I am very impressed with his accurate, though stylized representations of some favorite water creatures.  My drawings sometimes feel forced; his are so natural and free.  I love it!

Earlier in the week I subdivided a large sheet of white paper into various geometric blocks and Ezra and I made simple Zentangle drawings together.  There was only one rule, every block needs a different type of pattern; he really got into it!  Yesterday, Ezra, Maren and I did watercolor paintings, and both kids sat and painted for more than an hour.  About a dozen pieces of paper later, they finally had their fill.

Last night we watched a NOVA documentary about the mysteries of math in the universe, and Ezra was truly entranced.  At the end he said it was better than expected, and really interesting.  He has the patience for building with little Legos, but also the patience to play dress-up, and kitchen with his sister.  He likes puzzles and brain teasers, and has been particularly enamored with an Aunt Molly Christmas gift, a game called Camelot Jr. that requires basic spatial logic skills.  

He just recently has discovered the joy of new friendship with several boys in his preschool class.  After school on Tuesday he reported that Joshua and Patrick thought his jokes and silly stories were funny.  "I think I make friends easily Mom.  My friends like my jokes."  Ezra has made huge strides in social development in the last year, which is extremely gratifying to see.  He has friends now; last year at this time he was scared/intimidated by of most of his peers.