Merry Christmas!

Timothy: Six Months

Weight: 17 lbs 13 oz

Height: 27.7 in

Head Circumference: 17.4 in

In comparison to other babies in the United States, he is really tall (about 90th percentile) and just over average in weight and head circumference.  I think his kissable cheeks make him look a little chunkier than he really is.  

Timmy is still his happy little round self.  He is rolling over more often now and can sit briefly on his own.  We all love that he can ride in the backpack now.  Like Brian, he is so happy in it.  This means I can get more done around the house and do more with Brian.  In fact, I bundled both kids up today and Brian and I were able to play in the snow while Timmy enjoyed watching from his perch on my back. Timmy has also become extremely grabby and has to have something to hang on to and to chew on constantly.

Unfortunately he still wakes up several times a night.  I'm working on that habit.  I don't know why it is so hard with him.  I find myself in his room feeding him before I'm even fully awake.  He's six months old and he does not need that nighttime nourishment.  Feel free to keep reminding me of this please.  I wish someone were there to remind me at 3:00 in the morning when Timmy is screaming like he is in serious danger.  Yes, Mark is there in bed next to me, but he has learned to tune out any crying completely and I find it weird waking him up just for some moral support.  He always has a busy day ahead of him so I want him to get his sleep if he can.  So, here I am with a six month old who still eats once or twice during the night.  So fun.  Really his cuteness makes up for the nighttime wakings.  I know I say it every time, but I could kiss those cheeks all day long.  Wouldn't you if you got to spend your days with him?

Giving Thanks

We had a very nice Thanksgiving.  I love the time we get to be with family and of course I love the food.  On Thursday we went to Mark's parents for a huge dinner with way too much delicious food and fun with the Hsiaos.  It was a very nice afternoon.

Then on Friday we had another Thanksgiving dinner with some of my sisters.  Because my parents are on a mission and Melanie and her husband have no other family around they wanted to get together to celebrate Thanksgiving.  We had it at my house and I made my first ever turkey.  It turned out juicy and delicious and the rest of the dinner was fabulous thanks to Mandy and Melanie.  Grandma Joyce was able to come as well.  We stuffed ourselves and had a grand time playing together.

Brian went straight for the marshmallows.  How they got placed right in front of him I have no idea.  He loved sitting by Grandma Joycie and made her proud by eating an entire huge slice of her pumpkin pie.  

Yum yum yum.  I love Thanksgiving dinner. . .

. . .but I love the people we share it with even more.

Gratitude

Brian has been learning what being thankful means and how to express gratitude to Heavenly Father in his prayers.  I love listening to him pray at night and I can't help but smile while he says things he is thankful for.  Here are a few things he has been grateful for: Doggie, Blankie, lights, blessings, family, toys, things he does during the day etc.  

There are so many things I am grateful for I cannot even attempt to list them all.  However, there are two that I want to write about.

1) My Little Family

I am so blessed to have Mark as my husband and to be sealed to him in the temple.  I am grateful that he is my companion and that he and I can work together to raise our children and to reach that final goal of returning to Heavenly Father.  I think about Mark and our darling little boys and I seriously could boil over with gratitude. I think about them and I know that this is God's plan for me.  I know that we are in the right place and that if we continue working and trying to be better and to build the Kingdom we can share this joy for Eternity.  I only hope I can teach my children what they need to know to gain their own testimonies of the Gospel.   

 

 2) Our House

Two years ago we moved into this house. . our house.  I love it more now than I did then.  I love everything about it.  I love the neighborhood.  I love the front yard and I love the backyard even more.  I love the layout and the kitchen and the bathrooms and that my boys get their own rooms for now.  I love that we can rent the basement and that my sister is in the position to be living here.  I think everyday how lucky we are to have found this house.  Really it wasn't luck.  I truly feel that we were meant to buy this house and that we were meant to be here right now.  Out of all the times in my life when I have felt God's hand in what I did and when, I felt it strongest when we found this house.  I am grateful grateful grateful to live here.