Anna Laughs, an I-Phone, and other Randomness

Well, today was the day...the day that will go down in baby book history...Anna laughed out loud.  She's been giggling for several days, but today was the first real baby book worthy laugh.  My mom was holding her and kissing her little chubby cheeks and Anna laughed!  What a great sound!  She laughs with her eyes first.  Absolutely precious.  She is a very happy baby anyway.  She is so peaceful and smiley all the time.  I can't wait to hear her laugh more and more.

Today was also the day that I got my i-phone.  I was a little hesitant to get it, and I've really had no interest in having one.  I think they just might be our downfall.  True story...a while back, Mark and I were at the most beautiful, romantic wedding I've ever been to (besides my own) and at one point I looked up and over half the people there were staring at smart phones...twittering about the wedding, no doubt...and missing the whole experience.  Anyway, all that to say, I never really wanted a smart phone.  However, my old "dumb" phone had stopped working.  It was always freezing up, and to get it to work, I had to take the battery out and then put it back in.  So, when I came due for a free upgrade, smart phones were about the only thing they were selling and the i-phone was free.  So, I reluctantly got one.  How do I feel now that I have it??  Eh.  It's okay.  But, it stresses me out.  It has a glass screen and I have 3 little kids.  Do I need to say more?  I feel like it's another thing for me to keep up with and take care of...and there is not a lack of that in my life.  So, it kind of makes me feel burdened.  I haven't gotten to play with it much yet, so I'm sure it will grow on me.  I know I'll like the calendar/shopping app, and the traffic and map apps.  There have been a few times when that would have come in handy.  But, if you see me staring at my phone and ignoring my family, please feel free to slap my hand and give me a firm, "NO!"  Oh, and did you know you have to pay extra monthly to have a smart phone...that's dumb, not smart.  Maybe I'm just getting too set in my ways.

Should I even start a paragraph about the NFL awards show that Mark is watching right now?  Do these people really need more awards and accolades...or attention??  Good grief.  I do love how the last two guys have made a point of thanking Jesus...Mark and I were just talking about how everything we do should bring glory to God, so, way to go NFL guys that I know nothing about.

Okay, I'll close with a funny, slightly disturbing story.
Mark was at Chic-Fil-A today and noticed that they were having Daddy-Daughter date night tonight.  So, he came home and said, "Ella, do you want to go on a date with daddy tonight?"
Ella said, "No."  He asked again, and she said, "why?"  I said, "you're daddy's little girl and he wants to do something special with you."  To which Ella replied, "why does my dad always want to date little girls?"  Oh, heaven help us.  Can we all just stop right now and say a little prayer that Ella doesn't go to church tomorrow and tell our pastor, or her Sunday School teacher, or ANYone that her daddy likes to date little girls?? 

One last thing.  Does the NFL really need an "official tire?" 

Oh, and one more one last thing...who should I root for in the Super Bowl tomorrow night?  It would not be possible for me to care one iota less about either of the teams that are playing.  So, someone tell me who I should root for and why and I'll go with that.  I could just go with Mark and pull for the Giants, but he doesn't really know anything about who to root for (Steelers fan...it's pitiful).  So help me out...I need to cheer for someone.

Okay, I'm done,
Jessica
The official blogger of the NFL
(not really)

Things I've Heard Lately...the Shirt Edition

Me:  Mark, that shirt is worn out.  It has holes in it. 
Mark:  I know, and I don't think I can get another one.  My mom got it at the gas station.
Me:  The gas station?
Mark:  Yea, the Shell Station in Ridgway has some nice shirts.
Me:  I don't think anyone over the age of 12 should utter that sentence.


Me:  Aidan, why aren't you wearing a shirt?
Aidan:  We're battling.
Me:  So, why aren't you wearing a shirt?
Aidan:  It makes me lighter, so I can kick better.

Anna Kate

I can't believe Anna is already 2 months old.  She has already changed so much.  She weighs in at 10 pounds and is 23 inches long.  She is a very happy baby.  She almost never fusses, unless she is hungry.  She smiles constantly.  If she is awake, she's probably smiling.  She loves to interact with all of us.  She especially loves her brother and sister.  She will stare at their faces and coo and smile at them.  In the last week or so, she has finally started sleeping most of the night.  She sleeps until about 3:00, eats and then sleeps until about 6:30.  She takes a couple of really good naps every day.  She loves playing with the baby gym that Santa brought her.  It has a zebra on it that she loves to stare at and talk to.  She has started swatting and grabbing at things with her hands.  She can hold her head up and move it from side to side pretty well.  She likes to coo, and when she's happy she kicks her legs.  She has a lot of fun during her bath.  She starts kicking her legs wildly and splashes the water.  She is all smiles while in the bath.  In the last few days, she has starting giggling a little.  I know at any moment she will bust out with a full on laugh.  We feel pretty blessed to have our sweet little Anna.  The Lord has been very good to us. 

Thankful

Lately, I've been feeling very thankful for all the blessings in my life.  I've had several periods of being overwhelmed by God's blessings for me.  It's a good place to be. 

Here are just a few of the things I have been feeling especially grateful for recently:
Last night, Mark and I took the kids out to eat in honor of the anniversary of our first date.  As we sat there with our 3 beautiful children, I felt in awe of it all.  It all started with that first date, and now we have this sweet little family.  My heart is filled to overflowing just thinking of it. 

After eating, we went to Lowe's just to look around.  If I had known when I was younger that I would one day think going to Lowe's was a fun night out, I would have cried!  But we enjoy going and looking and planning projects for our house (that may or may not get completed!).  Last night we bought another bird feeder and looked at fruit trees.  We looked at materials for building a fire pit, and the kids and I looked at vegetable seeds and contemplated having a garden.  It was a really sweet family time and I felt very grateful the whole time we were there.  I loved that my husband just had to get the last platform feeder that was there...it looks like a porch swing, and Mark hung it in our tree as soon as he got home.  I am thankful to be married to a man that loves what I love.

I remember when I was little, every time I spent the night with my grandmother, she would get into bed at night and say, "I'm so thankful for my bed.  Lots of people don't have a bed to sleep in tonight."  I thought of her last night when I finally went to bed...aching and tired, I was very grateful for my bed last night, and grateful that my grandmother set an example of being thankful for what we have.

In the middle of the night, Anna woke up to eat.  I was so tired.  I could hardly keep my eyes open.  But, when I reached into her bed to pick her up, she gave me a big gummy smile, and I melted.  It was all worth it for that smile.  I held her long after she finished eating, with her little head against my cheek, breathing in her sweet baby goodness.  I thought about how fortunate I was to have her, even at 4:00 in the morning.  How many  people out there are longing to hold a baby of their own in their arms.  God is good.

In the morning, Aidan was up and dressed long before I even got up.  He was excited because he was riding his new bike to school by himself.  I could tell he felt older...he was carrying himself differently.  And, as I watched him ride down the street on his bike without ever looking back, my heart filled with pride and gratefulness for this boy.

After I went inside, I sat at the table drinking my coffee and watching the birds at our feeders, and thought about how good this life is that we've built together, God has lavished upon us.

And later, Ella and I sat snuggled up together in blankets on the couch watching cartoons.  She wasn't feeling well, so she was particularly snuggly.  I loved having her there by my side, safe and warm.  I thought about how abundantly God has poured out his love on our family.
God has been teaching me about contentment lately.  I am so glad I have been able to step back and see what I have and enjoy it all.  I have a good life.  I don't have everything I'd like to have, but I have everything that matters, and for that, I am grateful beyond words.

You Owe Me a Coke

Remember as kids how we would all shout "Jinx!" if someone said something at the same time as us?  The other person couldn't talk after that until you said their name.  And then later, it progressed to "pinch, poke, you owe me a coke!"  I don't know of anyone that actuallly got a coke out of this.  Well, this kind of stuff still goes on in schools today.   But, it seems they have evolved a bit.   Aidan has been saying these things for a couple of years now.  But today, was the best one.  We were talking to Ella and we both said the same thing at the same time and Aidan shouted, "Jinx, Double Jinx, Super Blackout Waterfall Jinx!"

Super Blackout Waterfall Jinx?

I asked him what that meant and he said, "You can't go to the bathroom for 2 days."


Now, how do you enforce that one?

In other news, I am proud to report that I have been selected by Reince Priebus himself to participate in a Congressional District Census...commissioned by the Republican Party.  It is a very prestigious selection.  I am one of the "select few" (that was even underlined in the letter) receiving this census.  "Because of my high level of political involvement..."  Wow!  I didn't know yelling at the TV during the news was a "high level of political involvement."  I would hate to see what they consider a low level of political involvement!  I was a little flattered at first, but then I realized they really just want me to send money.  There are a few multiple choice questions to fill out.  The 2 page letter asks for money on about 6 different occasions.  If they really wanted my opinion, they should have given me a blank page.  I have a few ideas I could share.

Sadly, the candidate I would be excited about, probably wouldn't even want to run.  Where is George Washington when you need him?

Finally, this has absolutely nothing to do with this post...but isn't my baby just adorable?

Sisters

Today, Ella and I were talking about all the things that God created.  I asked her, "what is your favorite thing that God created?"  She said, "I like grass, and horses and bugs.  But my favorite thing that God created is Anna."   

Later, Ella was sitting with Anna and said, "You are pretty and kind.  But you are not brave.  You're still really wimpy.  When you are a big girl like me, you will be brave."

I love my girls...so thankful for the blessing of my daughters.



Straight from my Brain

A few random things:

-I tried the Shatter nail polish that I've heard so much about.  Everyone seems to love it.  Even the woman that cut Ella's hair was raving about it.  So I tried it.  I used silver shatter over bright pink polish.  It looks like somebody messed up my nail polish.  Is this the look we're going for now?  I don't get it.   Did I do something wrong?  Ella loves it, so maybe I'm just too old mature for shatter nail polish.  Thanks anyway, Santa.

-Ella and I were watching Wild Kratts this morning.  It was about elephants.  Did you know that elephants only sleep 4 hours a night?  And, they are not consecutive hours.  I think Anna is part elephant.

-I just began a sentence with "and."  My 5th grade teacher would be appalled.

-I've lost 3 pounds since Mark went back to work on Monday.  I think he is a bad influence on me.

-I told Ella to turn the TV down the other day and she refused.  So, I said, "turn it down, or I am going to turn it off."  She sighed, rolled her eyes and said, "You have SO many rules."  Is she 3 or 13??

-We haven't taken our Christmas decorations down yet.  I just can't seem to find the time, or the energy or the motivation.  I've seriously considered throwing them all away and starting again next year. 

-Ella wants to have a dinosaur party for her 4th birthday.  I would love for her to have a more girly party...like fairies or Alice in Wonderland...but, she wants dinosaurs.  Sigh. 

-I can't believe Ella is going to be 4 soon.  Wow.  That just astounds me...where has my baby gone?

-I went to the doctor the other day for my follow-up appointment.  She asked if I had felt sad or blue since the baby was born.  I honestly don't know.  With 3 kids, who has time to feel sad?  Or think about if they're feeling sad?  You know what I feel?  Tired.  That's about it.

-Since I've been writing this, Ella has colored her face and her tummy with lip liner.  Awesome.
I think that means this post is over.

**Oh, one more thing...see that gyro-bowl in this picture?  We got one for Christmas.  They are supposed to be "unspillable."  My kids spilled it twice in the first 15 minutes.  Where do we sign up for those gifted classes??