Easter 2010 aka the Easter I almost popped my belly was so big.

Having Ella's birthday, Easter, and General Conference all in one weekend has made for a busy time. It has been my number one goal to make it through this weekend without giving birth. . .and now I have and feel nice and relaxed. Now this little girl can come whenever she wants- hopefully sooner rather than later. Rory blesses every night that "baby Violet will be born." She is so excited, it is cute and much better than jealous. I remember when Hudson was born (Rory was just 2 1/2 then) she didn't realize what was going on until after she saw him. So the whole time I was pregnant she must have just thought she had a mom with a really big belly.

And now I am a mom with a really big belly again. This time Hudson gets to be surprised. I can't wait to meet this little one.

The kids had fun at Gram and Papa's house with the Easter egg hunt and dinner. I think Violet might have gained one pound today from all the delicious food I got to eat. Jared made hot cross buns- mmm they are delicious. We are definitely having those for breakfast tomorrow morning. Yum.

I have been feeling particularly grateful for the Atonement this Easter. I don't consider myself to be the most spiritual person. I love the gospel and the Savior and don't have any doubt that it is true- but sometimes I feel like I lack in the emotional part of spirituality. I don't get teary-eyed easily, I rarely share my testimony, I guess I am just low key. But I am so grateful for the gospel and the Spirit and the light it gives me. I am grateful for the chance to be on the earth and raise a family and learn what love and joy and hardship and pain mean. I am grateful for the chance to be a mother- sometimes I feel I am messing it up dreadfully, but then I get a little unexpected kiss from one of my children or see them learn or grow in a new way and I feel like I am the most important person in the world. I can't imagine filling my days with anything other than motherhood, it had been the richest blessing I have ever had in my life.

Just look at them:



What cute little scoundrels they are!
Happy Easter!

Dear Ella,

I know you are a big girl now, 6 is a pretty big girl. But can you stay a little girl for just a little bit longer? Kids these days grow up so fast. . . it is okay if you want to do things on your own and stay up late and play with friends, and count to 100 and write in cursive, but can you still do these things too:

call General Conference: "Jennifer conference."

sing songs with your little vibrato voice. in the car, and at church, and at home. it makes me smile and giggle.

insist that I give you 2 kisses before getting on the bus. One at the door and one at the bus.

hold my hand at the store.

ask for "2 things" (that I love about her) each night before bed.

say ickstusting when something is gross.

climb into bed with Rory when you get scared at night.

draw me 53 pictures everyday that usually include butterflies, hearts, flowers, rainbows, and the words: I love you mommy.

I know that whatever you are doing it will be cute and lovely and beautiful. You are such a sweet, smart and funny girl. I love you!! Happy 6th birthday, Ella Maurine.

3 things that happened today

1. Hudson split his head open. I did not get to witness the actual event. I was in the next room- I got to hear the event (bang, scream, cry) and then listen to the girls' versions of what happened.
Apparently he ran into a pillow and then hit his head on the closet. Whatever it was, it was bloody. I was a little freaked out to see so much blood. Hudson just couldn't see because it was running down his eyes and cheeks and into his mouth. I immediately scooped him up and applied pressure until it stopped bleeding. He ended up getting super-glued back together at urgent care. He is just fine and will tell you he has purple glue on his head.

2. Had my weekly appointment with Dr. H. Still 2 centimeters dilated and 50 percent effaced. So basically, it could happen at any time- or not. SO no new news. This baby does get the hiccups an awful lot- Rory likes to sit and count them. Ella likes to talk to the baby. She'll come lift up my shirt and say, "I love you Violet. . . . this is Ella." Hudson likes to say that he has a baby in his tummy and that it is kicking him. Hmmmm.

3. Ella got her Grandma package in the mail- can you tell she is in heaven. She wore those boots all afternoon and I think still has one on right now as she is sleeping in bed. She laid out all her clothes for tomorrow: they include a vest and cowgirl hat. I am sure she is having some sort of cowgirl dream right now.


Now I am going to try and get comfortable in bed and read my book. Maybe I can have a dream about riding horses, too. That would be nice. Good night.

besties

nice thing about having a best friend:

you can wear matching shoes,

and think it is the coolest thing ever.

A Pageant-ing we go!

Baths taken, check.
Jammies on, check.
Picnic packed, check.
Wagon loaded, check.
Cozy blankets spread. . .

It's nice living next to the Temple, especially at Easter Pageant time.

If you go on the final dress rehearsal night, it is WAY less crowded and starts an hour early. . . but that is supposed to be a secret. ---

combining boy and girl

rooms, that is. my brother Chad and I shared a room until I was 8, so I was not worried about this at all.


First, we set up the toddler bed. Hudson was excited about this.

Then we moved furniture around to make accommodations for the crib-

which was finally complete with the bedding.

Because the Dr. said it looks like the baby may want to arrive a little earlier than planned. . .

but I'm not getting my hopes up.

morning time

(this is me as a baby, has nothing to do with this post- but it makes me smile)

Yesterday I got up around the usual time- 6:30, because I had to turn off the irrigation. Jared was long gone to work and the kids were miraculously still asleep. I tramped through the FREEZING cold calf deep water in nothing more than my skivvies, a robe that seriously did not cover my pregnant body and old slippers, then got embarrassed when the neighbor (he was good-intentioned) peeked his head over the fence and said he could have done that for me.

After I went back inside and defrosted my feet, I realized it was still quiet and checked on the children. They were still ALL asleep. So I took a long shower. They were still all asleep. I blow-dried my hair, got dressed and checked my email. They were still asleep. I thought I was in heaven.

At 7:45, the two girlies finally rolled out of bed and started their daily ramblings. I was glad to hear them, but I was also very grateful for my little time alone. Too bad that can't happen every morning. (kids sleeping in- not exposing myself to the neighbor.) Quiet alone time has been few and far between around here lately. How do you get time to yourself??

2 five year olds

doing yoga in their undies.


good morning to you!!

OJ

Want to keep 3 kids busy for at least 45 minutes?

give each one a orange picked from one of your citrus trees. . .

and a cup. . .

watch as they poke a hole in the orange and then proceed to squeeze the juice out into the cup.

Fresh squeezed orange juice, and 3 busy kids.

35 1/2 weeks

and yes, my legs really are as white as my (white, white) skirt.

I look forward to being able to:
run again
sleep on my stomach again
touch my toes easily again
breathe freely again
wear normal clothes again
walk un-penguin-like

but most of all, I look forward to holding our sweet baby girl and smelling her new-baby smell.
can't wait!
and hopefully won't have to much longer.
we'll see.

Carnival

The girls really have been wanting to ride the ferris wheel. So when this little carnival popped up in an old Kmart parking lot, I thought it might be fun to indulge. We let them pick out 2 rides. Any more than that and we might have had to take out a small loan. Those tickets are not cheap. It was fun, it reminded me of going to the fair each year as a child. You know, when I actually wanted to ride on the rides. Now they just all look painful.

Remember this ride, Ali? It is the ride of death.

here is your invitation

come join the party! it's free even.

Lately,

I am feeling:

tired- all the time
calm- about the birth
excited to meet our new little one
frustrated- that nothing I want to get done seems to be getting done
grateful- that I have such an amazing husband and darling children
scatterbrained- I apologize for anyone affected by this
incapable- of mothering 4 children. yikes.
moody- sorry, babe.
content- with my life in general. I have so much that is beautiful in it.
anxious- to not feel nauseous anymore.
happy- to have been married to my sweetheart for 8 blissful years.

Do you know what kind of flowers these are? I got them in celebration of our pending addition. They are so sweet and delicate, they make me smile each time I pass the dining table.


They are violets.

A Birthday Photo Essay from Finish to Start

The End. . .

The beginning.