MOVIE TIME!!!

Some people worry about saying too much about their kids on their blogs. I don't. I think Samuel's the greatest thing since Keenan! Here are a few recent clips:

Last week's favorite sound.

This week's favorite sound.

Speaks for itself.
(Laughs rather...)

Zrbtts!!

First bite of non-milk.

An amusing clip of Samuel and cousin Abraham
from our Thanksgiving trip.

Holiday Beginnings and Samuel's Blessing

Sammy got this cute onesie from his cousin for his 3-month birthday!
It has a picture of 6-week Abe holding newborn Sam, and says,
"Hammy -- I've got your back. Sammy."

Virtuoso.

Unbeknownst to Keenan, he soothed his boy right to sleep.

We got to spend a terrific week in Utah for Thanksgiving.
Sammy and Hammy got some great bonding time.

Samuel became Abraham's new, most favorite toy.

Grandfather Marshall and Samuel practicing "the trick."

While in town, we took the long-awaited opportunity to bless little Samuel. Keenan gave him a beautiful blessing. Some highlights from the blessing include:

• Robust health
• The ability to learn from trials
• Discover in his image the countenance of Jesus Christ
• Motivate, support, and sustain those around him in life
• Feel, understand, and know the truth of gospel principles he'll be taught
  
• Testimony will be strengthened as he lives the principles of the gospel
• Mind will develop sharply; ability to retain information
• Meek and mild manner a balm to those who surround him

It was a privilege to be surrounded by family for this noteworthy event.

(We inadvertently left Keenan's white shirt at my parents',
so Andrew was kind enough to trade him.
That's why their shirts look strangely sized.)

We're really excited for our first Christmas together!

Samuel's first toy from Santa.

Sweet Pea

I owe Many Thanks to the many who contributed to my query from my last post, both by blog and by Email. Your valuable insights fell on welcome ears. I still haven't been able to let Samuel cry it out, but I am happy to report that he's been falling asleep easier and is now consistently sleeping a six-hour stretch at night! Here's to 10!

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I have failed to report on the exciting trip I got to take to Utah last month. My Dad called me one night, asking if he could fly me and Samuel to Utah for my Mom's birthday present. So I happily agreed and we flew out the next day (her birthday)! We really surprised her. Dad took her out to dinner as I was arriving. When they got home, everyone was waiting in the living room, and Mom was especially happy to see that Andrew and Ariel were there from Provo for her party. Mom immediately approached Ariel so she could hold little Abraham. What she didn't know is -- we had made a Baby Switch. She looked at sweet Abraham and smiled, saying, "Hello... baby... (still smiling)... wait a second... something's not right here..." At this point I emerged from the kitchen holding the real Abraham, and she realized that Ariel was holding California Samuel! She was so surprised and so happy! What a great idea, Dad!

I'm so glad Samuel got to spend time with his long-lost cousin, who is 6 weeks his senior.

Hammy left, Sammy right


Tummy Time! Sammy left, Hammy right

I got to go on an outing to Logan for a few hours while my sister Julia had a cello lesson there. I tried to call some old friends to visit but couldn't reach anyone on such short notice. So Samuel, Thomas, and I hung out at beautiful First Dam. Thomas is getting SO TALL!

Being with Thomas is always a highlight. Here's what he does when he wants a peanut butter sandwich. What a symmetrical fellow!

Utah's October Sky was breathtaking. Much different from our view in Los Angeles.

It was a great trip. Very short. But we'll be back for Thanksgiving this year.

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Samuel is now three months old. Time is flying and to my horror, I realize that I am taking less and less pictures! But we caught a few good ones around Halloween...

My sweat pea and my lovely new glider.

Can he get his fist and the pea in his mouth?
Don't put it past him.

Getting tired...

Tuckered out.

Crying to Sleep

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please share your thoughts with me afterward (even if you're not a mom or dad)!

As I have heretofore disclosed, I love being a Mom! And I spend much thought on what may be best for Samuel, who is now 2 1/2 months old and seems a contented baby. Thus far, I have simply focused on meeting his needs as I see them. A few days ago though, mainly out of curiosity, I picked up Babywise, which I received at a shower. I find many great recommendations therein, but I remain somewhat unconvinced by others. For example, I find setting a feed/wake/sleep pattern (in this order) a very good idea. Since he was born, I've been nursing Samuel roughly every three hours, so that wasn't a big change, but I haven't been strictly organizing his sleep patterns. I love the regularity that the suggested routine has brought me. I am getting more done, and Samuel really is sleeping better, or rather, more consistently.

That being said, my biggest question remains concerning the manner in which I let him fall asleep. Dr. Ezzo insists that a mother let her baby cry himself to sleep every time... no "sleeping props" (i.e. rocking or nursing to sleep, or sleeping with Mama), which he considers dangerous because they create a reliance on Mom to be able to fall asleep. I do think it's a good skill for baby be able to fall asleep on his own, but I am presently having a hard time with this. Granted, I haven't purposely let him just cry since he was born, and neither of us is used to it. So when I've tried it, he has wailed out of his sweet little mind. Despite the amount of time I've let him cry, he has not yet succeeded in falling asleep completely on his own. Maybe I haven't waited long enough. If I hold him until he's close to sleep, then put him down, he can fall asleep. He can also sometimes wake up during his slumber and fall back to sleep by himself.

What are your opinions on this? Despite his expertise on many points, in my mind, Dr. Ezzo isn't giving babies enough credit. I have reason to believe that they are more coherent and feeling than he propagates. He seems to believe that it is possible to "spoil a baby," thus leaving him unprepared for life. If I can get Samuel to sleep or near to sleep (by swaddling him, singing to him, or taking him on a walk) in the same time it would take him to cry himself to sleep, why not choose the less stressful path for both of us? Is there danger in this? Will the manner in which he falls to sleep minimize the quality of his sleep or lessen his ability to sleep through the night? If I help him get to sleep, will it undermine my ability to set boundaries for him once he understands them?

You are the experts. What have you found? Any thoughts? Ideas? Observations? Success stories? If it turns out that letting him cry himself to sleep every time is better for us, I am open to that. Talk to me.

My Favorites

The subject of this post comes from Keenan. Often, when he comes home or enters a room or gives us a hug, he says with a smile, "Hello, Favorites."

Yesterday the 9th was Keenan's birthday. It was mildly low-key, but we had some great food and Birthday Boy got to spend as much time as he wanted browsing Amazon for piano CDs and piano sheet music and books about piano, watching Youtube videos of distinguished pianists, listening to recordings of distinguished pianists, playing his own piano, and admiring his son's beautiful potential pianist fingers. Life was good. Wonderfully, all his engagements at school were canceled except his Piano Literature exam on Russian piano composers, which he enjoyed taking and probably aced. Here he is with his giant cookie, baked the night previous for his pre-birthday enjoyment. I should have shaped it into a piano.

Tuesday the 7th marked seven years since Keenan and I started dating. My associations with Keenan have greatly enriched my life, before our marriage and after. Our lives' paths shifted in just the right ways to see that we were led to meet just when we did, back in 2001. Through the incredible ups and the minor downs since, we have been blessed to learn very much about ourselves, individually and as a partnership. I must be the luckiest girl around because I doubt I could fashion a finer husband than the one I found. He always puts my needs before his own. He pushes me to do my best and believes in my ability to succeed in what I pursue. He never focuses on what is lacking but emphasizes the good he finds. He's a hard worker and a humble believer. He has a brilliant mind and a grateful heart. He is my truest friend. I'm glad I have a good long time ahead with him. :)

Keenan told me he wanted to marry me just a few months after we started dating (he was 18, I was 19). In pondering that possibility over the ensuing years, I was happy to think of marrying him so my sons would have someone like him to guide them and raise them up to good. Samuel is a lucky one indeed. For that matter, so are the young ladies he may frequent one day.

Tuesday was also Samuel's two-month birthday! He is doing great and it is such a treat to be his mother. I've been thinking much on mothering as of late. There's really nothing to it. Now don't be alarmed -- by that I mean that it really does come naturally. No one has to teach a mother to adore her child or discern his needs. Though the wealth of information written on the subject is informative and interesting, just becoming a mother endows a woman with all that is necessary to care for her little one. No matter the time of day or the need, it is always a pleasure for me to serve my little guy, and I've never been like that so constantly with anyone. Mothering is giving me the chance to become a better person much faster than I would otherwise be able. As I look at Samuel, I see him as an equal to myself and have a great deal of reverence and respect for him. Not that I come close, but I'm starting to understand how my own mother can be so cheerful and giving all the time. Women were meant to mother. I never really understood that until now. And I'm lovin' it.

Samuel has his whole thumb in his mouth in this photo.
He can get all the other fingers there in too.

In other news, last weekend we had a very enjoyable visit from Keenan's Dad -- our first house guest. Samuel seemed happy for the opportunity to get to know Grandpa Craig a little better. We're all glad he sacrificed the time at work to come out and see us where the sun shines best. Who's next?

(Note the HOLLYWOOD on the mountain behind...)

Irresistable...

Easy as Pie

Lately I've been wanting to attempt a pie, so on Sunday I made the plunge. It wasn't as easy as we so often say. Actually, at times it was downright traumatic, so the finished product is worth posting about. The top turned out a little too crisp, but overall it was satisfying. (Next time maybe it will look prettier -- like the ones in the books... and maybe my crust won't keep falling apart.)

Speaking of cooking, I had a serious bout with some bread dough the other night. I became very upset, threatened to throw the dumb dough away and skulked off to my bedroom. I heard Keenan getting tenacious in the kitchen and made him come tell me what he was doing. He finally relented, "When life gives you lemons... make lemonade!" (His way of telling me he was making something out of my blah dough). It turned out to be a pizza, topped with Prego, cheese, and tomatoes. As we ate it, he kept telling me how delicious the crust was (it was a bit dense because he didn't want to let it rise, but the pizza itself was quite tasty). I'm grateful for an optimistic husband who goes to lengths to make me feel loved and successful. :)

Samuel's favorite place is his changing station. When we put him there, he's all smiles, even if he's just been terribly upset. This is a onesie that Keenan's stepmom, Mary, couldn't resist giving us. :)

Lastly, if you have time, this is a video of me trying to wake Samuel. We don't get the opportunity very often and found it amusing...

While Keenan Practices

It started pretty innocent. I couldn't see Samuel's face,
and I just wanted to know if he was still awake,
and I had my computer right there,
so I opened Photo Booth...

Soon enough we started posing.

And then it got fun...

Uncle Thomas would be so proud.

Sam's a real cuddler...

And a body builder... (like my bouffant?)

Hope he doesn't feel ill used.
But he's so darn photogenic.

This is what goes on while Keenan practices.

So much for that nap.

There very well may be more to come...