8 Months!

My baby boy is 8 months old! Actually, he's 8 1/2 months now, I am just super slow at posting updates.  He can roll pretty much anywhere he wants to go and it starting to scoot (he is on his belly but pushes with his toes).  He eats like crazy and is a whopping 20 pounds!  He's starting to learn to wave but hasn't yet mastered clapping.  He also LOVES to eat Cheerios.  

I still struggle with getting him to take decent naps as he feels 30 minutes is plenty of sleep.  But for the most part he is a super happy boy and I just can't get enough of him.  I already wish there was a pause button so he would stop growing so fast!  

5, 6, and almost 7 months!

I am so behind on my blogging - not that anyone even reads this anymore.  I guess it's a good way for me to journal and keep track of things for myself if nothing else.

Lincoln is three days shy of turning 7 months.  SEVEN MONTHS! I can hardly believe how quickly the time has passed.  I know I missed his 5 and 6 month updates so here they are in a nutshell, with pictures too.  :)

Five Months:  At five months Lincoln was able to roll over one direction - from back to tummy.  Apparently he likes to do things the hard way as it's actually easier for babies to roll from tummy to back first. He started becoming more aware of his surroundings and was doing much better at sleep training. We started him on solid foods at 5 months and so far he has loved everything he has tried. I hope that means he'll be a very good eater and not a picky one like his mama.

THis 

Six Months:  At six months Lincoln mastered rolling over both directions and rolls all over the floor but still only rolls right to left and always seems to get stuck and won't roll back the other way.  He's getting much better and sitting as well.  He loves to be upright either sitting or in his exer-saucer though he doesn't mind rolling around on the floor from time to time as well.  He's a mover and I have a feeling he won't be still much longer - at least not once he starts crawling. He still eats like a champ and went on his first vacation a couple weeks ago. He spent 3 days with  my family (all 40 of us) at a lake house with a private lake outside Logan - to celebrate my parents 50th anniversary!  He was a champ there as well.  

Seven Months:  Even though he is 3 days shy of being 7 months, this is the most recent pictures I have of him (who knows if I'll get around to posting his 7 month update).  He is in the process of teething and has the beginning of one of his bottom teeth starting to poke through his gums. This picture is very indicative of how he has been through the whole process.  Very happy and barely whiney.  I have been SO glad for that! He sleeps like a pro now and will put himself to sleep without even a fuss for both naps and bedtime. Sleep training was a killer on both Ryan and me but it has definitely been worth it! 

I cannot believe how quickly our little man is growing up. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital.  He makes us laugh every single day and we can not imagine life without him.   He is our bouncing baby boy and we love him so much!!!

4 Months Old!

Lincoln turned 4 months old on the 3rd.  I can hardly believe this little guy has been part of our lives for 4 months already! He is getting so big and growing so fast.  I think he weighs only 3-4 pounds less than his 10 month old cousin - he is a little chunk!  But we love his little face and that precious smile. It is impossible for me to be frustrated with him (which usually happens when he won't nap or go down to bed) when he just looks up at me with his adorable little smile.  He is so full of love and I hope he stays that way forever!

He is getting much better at holding his neck up for extended periods of time. He enjoys his tummy much more now that he can lift his head up and look around. He also loves sitting in his bumbo and also going for walks in his BabyBjorn carrier.  He just loves to be up looking around. He gets bored on his back and often whines to get our attention.  He can roll to his side now and with a little help from us he can completely roll over. He just amazes us every day with all the new things he is learning.

We love you, Lincoln!  Thank you for brightening up our lives every single day.  :)

Two Months Old!

Our little man is now two months old. Well, he's nine weeks actually - I'm just a little late posting this.  :)  I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone.  It has been challenging but also very rewarding. Lincoln brings us so much joy and laughter and I cannot imagine life without him.




It was so fun to watch his eyelashes and eyebrows grow in. His lashes are so long, I know he didn't get those from me.  He's also started to smile and laugh.  He loves to play "strong legs" where he will sit on my lap and then put up to a standing position with his legs. He smiles and giggles non-stop!  He also loves bathtime. He would sit in his bath and kick around for hours if we let him. I hope that is something he will continue to enjoy as he gets older.  He's also found his tongue and loves to mimic me when I stick mine out at him. We play "tongues" multiple times a day.

Being a stay-at-home mom has been the best decision I could have ever made. Like I said, it can be challenging and sometimes I find myself counting down the days to the weekend when I know Ryan will be home to help me.  I have shed many tears from exhaustion and just not knowing what the little guy needs when he's screaming at the top of his lungs for what feels like hours (usually ony 5-10 minutes).  But for the most part, he is a very happy baby and he is definitely worth quitting my job over.

I was telling Ryan the other day that this is one job I don't get a break from and it's hard but I absolutely love being his mom and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy 2 months, little man! We love you to pieces!

Introducing Mr. Lincoln...

On January 3, 2014, Ryan and I welcomed the newest addition to our family, little Lincoln, weighing in at 7 lbs 10 oz and being 20 inches long.  He was the perfect little lad and waited until his actual due date to make his grand entrance into this world.

 He had a little trouble with his oxygen levels shortly after birth because he had swallowed some amniotic fluid into his lungs. He ended up staying in the NICU for almost a week.  But he was a trooper and did amazingly well!

I came down with a head cold a couple of days before delivering, so I had to wear a mask every time I visited Lincoln in the NICU.  There was no way I was going to pass it on to my little guy or to any of the other tiny babies that were there.

Here is Lincoln in his prison stripes. He was so ready to bust out of that place that was holding him prisoner.

After six days tied up to wires and machines, Lincoln was finally set free! We were lucky enough to be able to room in at the hospital for a couple of days while Lincoln was there but once we got kicked out we headed home without our baby and it just didn't feel right! We were so excited when we were finally able to bring him home!

The day he came home.

Lincoln has now been a part of our family for 3 weeks and I already can't imagine my life without him. He has brought us so much joy. So far, being his mom has been absolutely exhausting and absolutely amazing! He came to us just a week before our 2nd anniversary and we now call him the most perfect gift we could have ever asked for.  :) 

A Picture is Worth...

... a thousand words.  Or so the saying goes.  Therefore, I will let this picture do all the talking.  :)

We told our family by wearing our blue shirts and it took them forever to figure it out! It was awesome.  We then pulled these out and let all the kids devour them:

When we first made our pregnancy announcement (a few months ago) my brother-in-law showed my 3 year old nephew the ultrasound and asked him if he knew what it was.  He looked it over real good and then proclaimed, "A SHARK!"  Therefore, we let everyone know that we are having a little blue (boy) shark. They thought it was so awesome!  

Our due date was January 3rd but has since been moved up to December 31st.  Here's hoping we have a New Year's baby and get to take home all the cool prizes.  As long as I don't end up on the news, that is.  :)

Christmas Stockings!

When Ryan and I hauled out the Christmas decorations this year I noticed that he didn't have a stocking. He told me he had one as a kid but wasn't sure what happened to it. So for two weeks my stocking hung all alone on our fireplace. I thought it would be fun to have a stocking for him that was similar to mine so I did what any wife would do - I called my mother for help.

My mom had made stockings for her and my dad and all eight of her children. They hung on our mantle for years. I knew that if anyone could help me make a stocking that looked like mine, it would be her.

So one Saturday two weeks ago I spent four hours at her house cutting and pinning and coming up with a design that I just knew Ryan would love. We didn't get the entire thing finished (not even close) but I worked on it nearly every night for about an hour or so each night and I finally finished it today!

Ryan was gone helping someone move (because he's so great like that) and while he was gone I finished the stocking and hung it on the mantle. When he got home he sat down on the couch to relax and all of a sudden from the other room I heard,

"Cutie!"

Then he came into the room where I was, planted a kiss on me and said,

"I love my stocking! It's awesome!"

I wish I could have captured that moment on camera but I didn't. I knew he would love it though simply because of the design:

Yes, it is Mario. And seeing as Ryan LOVES video games I knew he would love it. And he did!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Sweetheart! I'm so glad my stocking doesn't have to hang alone anymore. :)

Baby #21

I am an aunt again! I feel like I say this all the time, but it's probably because my siblings breed like rabbits. I'm not complaining though, I absolutely love being an aunt! Those kids are so much fun and they definitely keep me on my toes.

Anyway, baby #21, a little boy, was born last night at 7:40pm. He was obviously super excited to get here because he came 8 days early. He is now the seventh child for my sister, and the fifth boy. She is definitely going to have her hands full.

I don't have a name yet, or any pictures, but hopefully I get to go see him tonight. I'll try and update more tomorrow but for now, both mom and baby are doing great!

Here is a big congratulations to my sister, as well as a big welcome to the newest addition to their family! I can't wait to meet him!

Mother's Day...

Yesterday was Mother's day and to all of you who are mothers out there, I hope you had a wonderful day! I look forward to someday being able to celebrate this day with you, as an actual mother.

Mother's Day started years and years ago (I can't tell you how many years ago because it was way before I was born and I'm too lazy to look it up) as a way to honor mothers and celebrate motherhood. Mothers put in so much time in raising their children. They sacrifice, they love, they teach, they praise. A righteous mother is, by my standards at least, the best leader of the world. She raises her children to be smart, couragous, kind, generous, and strong. I've seen this example of a mother in my own mom as well as in her mom (my grandma). And as my sisters have married and had children of their own, I have also seen them become this same kind of mother. I feel grateful every day to have been surrounded by so many righteous mothers throughout my life and I look forward to Mother's day each year so that I can honor these mothers.

But here is what now bothers me about Mother's Day. I don't understand why I (a single, childless woman) am now being honored on a day traditionally set aside for Mothers.

I understand that in todays world people expect to be treated equally and fairly. I get that nobody wants to leave anyone out or make someone feel like a lesser person because they don't happen to have what the person next to them has. I get that nobody wants to offend anyone. I get it. But the truth of the matter is, I am not a mother.

Sure, you can tell me that I have a motherly heart. I think every woman was created to have a motherly heart. You can tell me that I mother my nieces and nephews as well as the sisters in my ward who I visit teach (someone actually told me this yesterday) and that, therefore, makes me a mother. Yes, I get that I can be the "motherly type" to many people, but being the "motherly type" does not make me a mother. And that is not the point of Mother's day.

I don't want to stand up in church and be recognized as a mother on a day that should be reserved for those women who have given up so much of themselves and sacrificed so much of what they have in raising children. They have done more as real mothers than I could ever dream of doing as a "motherly" person. Mother's day is supposed to be about them. Not me. Nor should it be about the 18 year old girl sitting next to you who just graduated from high school unless, of course, she happens to be a mother. If she is, then praise her, honor her, let her know how much you appreciate her for the work she is doing to raise a righteous child of God. I am perfectly fine with that. I promise you will not offend me by honoring her.

When I finally happen to marry and have children of my own, I will gladly stand among those who have given all they have to raise righteous children of God. But for now, please let me sit on the sidelines as a single, childless woman and allow me to honor those who have actually earned the title Mother.

Being given a gift on Mother's day when I have not yet earned that title is, in my opinion, not necessary. Because of that, I took the gift I was given and gave it to someone who I thought truly deserved it.

My mother.

The Love of a Mother...

I woke up Sunday morning to a voice mail from my mom, letting me know that my uncle, her brother, had passed away Saturday night. Though sad to hear, I knew he hadn't been doing well for several years so in a way, I felt a sense of peace in knowing that he had finally passed on and was no longer suffering the ills of this mortal life.

As I went to church I found myself unable to focus on the lessons and talks of the day. Instead my mind was turned toward my uncle and then toward my grandma. My uncle was a very good man but he wasn't a perfect man. He, like most of us, had his share of struggles. But my grandma never gave up on him. She never stopped loving him, never stopped praying for him. Several years ago things got to the point where he was struggling to care for himself. He moved back in with my grandma and she started caring for him again. Eventually it became too much for her and she, along with her other kids, thought it best to put him in a nursing home. She visited him nearly every day and her other children each took one or two days a week to drive her there. For years she did this; always continuing to show her love for her son and never wanting him to be alone.

The minute church was over I jumped in my car and drove straight to my grandma's who, by the way, turns 90 this year. When I walked in the door she immediately threw her arms around me and we just stood there hugging each other for about a minute. I asked her how she was and she ushered me to a chair where, for the next 40 minutes, we sat and talked. We laughed together and we cried together. She mentioned more than once how she felt like she had "been put through the ringer". She said she thought her other kids were doing okay but "it's different when you're the mother" as she put it. She and her other children were with my uncle when he died which brought peace to her heart, and mine, knowing that he hadn't died alone. My uncle didn't have a wife or family of his own and Grandma was always worried about him being alone, having nobody to look after him. It brought tears to her eyes, and mine, as she expressed her gratitude in knowing that Grandpa is with him now and that he'd have someone there on the other side. She also told me how happy she was to find a cemetery plot next to some other loved ones so he wouldn't be buried all alone either. I sat there in awe of this woman. Even in her son's death she worried about him being all alone. That is the true love of a mother.

It was a remarkable 40 minutes with my grandma, to sit with her in her time of sorrow and still be able to learn from her example. She raised a family where, despite everything else, love always prevailed. That's the kind of mother I hope to be.

my grandma holding her 35th great-grandchild on her blessing day.

Making Gravy...

My roommate and I made dinner together on Saturday night, and my job was to make the cream sauce for our swedish meatballs. It was looking a little lumpy and my roommate asked the question, "Does your gravy turn out lumpy too?" I laughed and said "Actually, I've never made gravy".

What?!?! Camille has never made gravy!?!?!?

That's right friends, I have never made gravy from scratch (gravy packets don't count, do they?). My roommate couldn't believe I'd never made gravy before and I said,

"I know. Can you imagine what it will be like after I'm married and I have to call my mom and ask her how to make gravy?"

{I pretend to pick up the phone and dial my mom}

"Hi mom, can you tell me how to make gravy?" and she'll say "Camille, you are 35 years old. You should know how to do this by now."

I guess my roommate thought I was being too optimistic because she changed my mom's response to, "Camille, you are 60 years old, you should know how to do this by now!"

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Congratulations on 44 years! You are the best parents I could have ever asked for. Thank you for your love, your wisdom and your humor. I know I haven't always been the perfect daughter, but I thank you for your patience and your support. Thank you both for raising eight amazing children. We owe all we are to the both of you.

Mom, thank you for showing me how to be a woman of God, and a great wife, mother, and grandmother. And thank you for teaching me how to be a good sport in case my husband ever decides to use me as a human shield in a water fight.

Dad, thank you for showing me how to respect others and how to give unselfishly. Thank you for teaching me how to honor God in everything I do. And thank you for never using me as a human shield.

I love you both!

Blessing Day...

Yesterday was my nephew's blessing day. Here are some pictures from the occasion:


He really does like me, I promise!

Four generations:






Grandma needed to borrow the Yoda stick:




Just a little nap...

So I cut off my sister's head. I still love this picture!

My other nephew had his birthday on the 4th, so we celebrated at his house after the blessing:

Just me and my Grandma:

My nephew did a triple take before he realized I was wearing his tie:

Paging All Mothers....

I had an interesting moment at Wal-Mart over the weekend. I ran to pick up a few items and after I went through the check out line, I proceeded to leave the store. I admit I was kind of in my own little world. I knew I could hear some screaming, but it took a few screams before I snapped to and realized that a child was lost and was screaming for her mother. By this time I had just hit the detectors at the exit of the store when I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around.

What I saw completely froze me in place for a good 10 - 15 seconds. A little girl, about five years old, with big brown eyes and dark curly hair, frantically screaming "MOM!" and searching for anyone who looked like her mother. She had a little walmart bag in her hand and I guess she thought that her mom left without her so she had been running for the exit to find her. She had been behind me the entire time. So when I stopped and looked at her, she stopped and looked at me. Her eyes showed just how terrified she was. I looked at her and then looked around at the 3 walmart employees who were just standing there. I looked back at the terrified girl, then back at all three employees.

I admit, I felt myself getting a little irritated that the employees were just standing there and weren't offering to help this girl. After about 15 seconds I leaned toward her and said "Are you okay?"

She looked at me with her big, brown, tear filled eyes and shook her head. Then she quietly muttered "I want my mom."

I said "You don't know where she is?" and she shook her head again.

I said "Okay" then looked at the employee who was closest to her and said "Do you think you could help her find her mother?"

He gave me a dumbfounded look and said "You're not the mother?"

I gave a half laugh and said "No, I'm not the mother"

He took the little girl by the shoulder and said "Let's go page your mom". And with that, I walked out of the store.

For the love people! Do I look like a mother?!?!

Oh wait...I actually do.

No wonder they weren't helping her. The girl was basically following me out of the store. I'm sure they just thought I was simply ignoring her tantrum.

I guess it's a good thing I didn't start yelling at any of those employees like I wanted to. And it's probably a good thing that I stopped to help. Had I not, they may have had me arrested for child abandonment.

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday was Mother's Day and it was a great day at my house! Two of my sisters and I made dinner for my mom, which actually turned out rather delicious. I just have to give a quick shout out to my mom because I love her. I am so grateful to her for her unselfish love and sacrifice in raising 8 fantastic children. She's a wonderful mom!

But back to Mother's Day. At 5:00pm another sister called (I have lots of sisters) to wish our mom a Happy Mother's Day and during the conversation said " I think I might be in labor. I started having contractions in sacrament meeting and now they're starting to get harder." I guess after having four other kids, being in labor is really no big deal anymore. But, since her husband is now the bishop and he had to go to the hospital to visit a woman in their ward, she just thought she'd go with him and have her doctor check her out.

At 7:00pm her husband called back to say that she was admitted and they broke her water. So all there was left to do was wait...

And at 10:30pm my mom called to let me know they had a little boy. 8 lbs 8 oz 20 in.* Still nameless, but both mother and son are doing well.

Isn't that the best Mother's Day present ever?

*More info and pictures to come.