February 09 Movie

Double Whammy!

My niece was born this morning in Michigan!! This is Trent's fourth. Trenton is a whitey like me and Lyndi is half Peruvian, so you never know what their babies will look like. They already have one lighter than Trent and one darker than Lyndi, so really, it is always a surprise.

-and-

My brother Tyler got home from his mission this afternoon!! I was there via phone and could tell when all the missionaries came out because the airport went into a sudden uproar. They say he is super tan with really blond hair. Ty served in Argentina, Buenos Aires North - the same mission that Trent served in and that my dad served in (although in my dad's day it was just 'Argentina North'). Despite having all served in the same place, they never shared an area.

Interestingly, my brother Davis and his family also moved today - they are off to Pennsylvania for Davis to get his MBA at Wharton. And Cara's husband started building his new office this week in Nebraska (he is a pediatric dentist). And next week Ryan will be turning in his mission papers. We're a busy family!

Stats, Saids, and Songs

Just another no-reason-to-be-here-other-than-to-add-visual-interest picture.Stats

Enoch: 7.5 mo, 19 lbs, 28 in
Elijah: 2.25 yrs, 32 lbs, 36 in
Seara: 3.5 yrs, 31 lbs, 37 in

Well it's no wonder I always get asked if Seara and Elijah are twins! She's an inch taller, but he's a pound heavier!

He Said, She Said

Seara: No Elijah, don't jumping. You do jumping and you go to time out.

Elijah: Seara is a boy.
Me: Seara is a girl.
Elijah: I'm a girl.
Me: You're a boy.
Elijah: You're a boy.
Me: Nope, I'm a girl.
Elijah: Daddy is a girl.
Me: Nope, Daddy is a boy.

[overheard from outside their bedroom]
Seara: Are you ready to shine in the sky?
Elijah: No! No shine in the sky!
Seara: Yes! Yes shine in the sky!
Elijah: NO!
Seara: YES!
Elijah: NOOO!
[fighting sounds ensue]

Words & Songs

About a week ago I was sitting on the couch reading a book, while the kids read their own books on the floor beneath me. Elijah, completely out of no where, suddenly exclaimed, "Bikit!" and began to giggle. He said it again. And giggled more. So I asked, "Bikit?" (obviously wondering what he meant). We at that, Elijah lost it. He couldn't stop laughing. For the rest of the day, all you had to do was say "bikit" and Elijah would burst into giggles. Since then he has discovered a real love of words and the way they sound. His favorites - that bring endless repetition and laughter - are "bikit," "click clack," "hip hop hippity hop," and "berserk."

While Elijah discovered his love of words, Seara discovered her love of music. As much as I loved Singing in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Meet Me in St. Louis growing up, I couldn't help but make fun of how RANDOM it was for people to suddenly begin signing to each other. It was so fake! That doesn't happen in real life! But, just as I have eaten my words for every other dramatic thing I've said, I've recently eaten those ones as well. Because MY LIFE is now a musical. Thanks to my three year-old, who can put any request or comment to song, and then requires that you answer back in song. Don't you wish you could be a fly on my wall?!

Eastern Excursion 29: Bethesda

BETHESDA

Sam tells me that he's still recovering from our New York trip, so this week we just took a leisurely drive to Bethesda. It is a tiny, normal-looking place about the size of Provo. It is also super expensive to live in and has a reputation for housing only the rich. "Wait!" you say, "How can it be normal-looking but expensive at the same time?" The secret, dear friends, lies in the three rules of real estate: location, location, location. The closer you are to the ocean and to big cities, the more expensive the houses are. Thus our home in Spanish Fork would probably be four or five times as expensive if you transplanted it in Maryland. Our apartment here has 1000 less square feet and yet we pay $500 a month more for rent than we did for our mortgage. OUCH.

Okay, so the reason we actually went to Bethesda was because back in our Wyview days we used to talk about how so many movies take place there. Unfortunately, now we can't think of any other than the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. So, if you think of any off the top of your head, please let me know! This is driving me crazy and all my google searches are yielding nada.

The one real site we stopped at on our trip was Uncle Tom's Cabin. Let me explain. Once upon a time there was a man named Josiah Henson. He was born on a slave plantation in 1789 and worked his entire adult life on a plantation in Bethesda. In 1830 he escaped with his family and wrote a book about his experiences as a slave. A woman named Harriet Beecher Stowe read his book and wrote a novel inspired by his life: Uncle Tom's Cabin. This little cabin is the original home that Josiah Henson, or "Uncle Tom", lived in as a slave. Pretty amazing that it is still standing, huh?! I must confess that I have never read Uncle Tom's Cabin, but I'm pretty inspired to do it now!

SuperMom Quest - step 1

Okay, so I've told you all about coming to terms with my calling as a mother and learning to really love my job. Loving it, however, doesn't automatically make you a great mother. (If only that were true.) So the next thing I started working on I call the SuperMom Quest ...


Step One
Regularize all those 'family' things that I often do, but that I'm sometimes sporadic about, and simplify them for children (us not-so-natural moms are really dumb about things like that).

Family Prayers - We cut them in half.
Family Scripture Study - We started doing it while the kids eat breakfast (so their mouths and bodies are occupied and they can only listen).
Family Dinner - We picked a scheduled time and did it regardless of whether Sam was gone at class or not. (Although when he is gone dinner is something lame-o like chicken noodle soup. From a can.)
Family Home Evening - Hmmm ... for that one I'm just gonna cut a paragraph straight out of my personal journal:

I am a QUEEN. Yes, I am. I'm pretty much the most successful mother in the history of the world. Ever. Let me tell you why. So Family Home Evening has pretty much been a dismal failure ever since Seara was born. Part of that has to do with the fact that Samuel and I didn't really tailor our lessons to a toddler (or really know how to) until this summer when we bought the new nursery manual ... And it worked like a wonder! There was wiggling and whining, but the kids sat still for almost of all it, participated, and had a good time. Sam and I were so excited!! After that we all sat down for dinner - another new thing we've only done a couple times. We all sit at the big table and try to have a traditional meal ... [and we] talk about how much we love broccoli (because obviously the kids don't and we're trying to show them that it is awesome) ... after that Sam shooed the kids in the bathroom and while he got them all ready for bed, I did the dishes. The kids are in bed, the house is clean, and I am a QUEEN.

the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

This picture has nothing to do with anything. I took it a month ago to show my mom the
sweater I bought with her Christmas money. The post just needed a visual stimulus, so I put it in.

the GOOD: Enoch got over his milk issues around the time he turned six months, so I've been back on dairy for about six weeks! Woohoo! My diet has mainly consisted of cheese, ice cream, and chocolate milk.

the BAD: Once upon a time, when Seara was a year old and I was six months pregnant with Elijah, we went to our doctors. Seara was under weight (still) and her pediatrician told me to give her whole milk to try to boost her weight gain. I was also under weight (for being six months pregnant) and my midwife also told me to try drinking whole milk to try to boost my weight gain. Gross, gross, gross. GROSS. Really gross. I mean REALLY gross.

At first whole milk was revolting to me (in case you hadn't realized that yet). I could barely choke down cereal. After a couple weeks I could drink the milk with a boat-load of Quik, and soon after that I was fine. No, I was better than fine. I was in love. Whole milk was amazing! It was so rich, so creamy, so marvelous!

When Elijah was born Seara still needed whole milk, and I loved it so much I wasn't about to quit. So I didn't. And I quickly learned something else about whole milk. See, Seara was always really thin as a baby, and I was pretty well aware that it was my fault because my mama milk just wasn't that fatty. Well the whole milk solved that problem! I had to go off dairy for only two months with Elijah (bless his heart), but otherwise he was as healthy as a horse. Who knew that your healthy fat consumption was directly correlated to the healthy fat that you produce for your babies?? (No seriously, it sounds so logical, but women are rarely told that some nursing problems can be ameliorated by ensuring that you get enough fat in your diet. I'm so glad my doctors have generally given lifestyle directions before they put me on some pill or told me to supplement with formula!)

the UGLY: We have been informed that Seara's weight gain has been stable long enough that we can now give up drinking whole and drop down to 1% milk. Not just can. Should. As in, they want my kids on 1%. And I'm not the type to fight the whole 'my milk/their milk' battle. I buy one kind of milk and we all drink it. Which means that I have to drink 1%. ONE PERCENT. Ew. Even the thought revolts. Unfortunately, Enoch is now eating solids well and he is so far above the curve on weigh that I can't use him as an excuse. Ugh.

Whole milk, I sure will miss you!!

(Do you think this will make we lose weight? Not that I know what I weigh anyway. The last time I checked my weight I was 9 months pregnant. But wouldn't it be fun to see how much weight I lose if I change nothing in my lifestyle or diet but the milk?? :)

Seara's Primary Scripture

Sam is so gonna hate this picture. But it was the cutest one of Sease!

Today Seara gave her very first scripture in Primary! She had it memorized, which didn't really matter since she tried to eat the microphone as she recited it and no one understood a word she said. I had worried that she might be nervous, but apparently she is her father's daughter: she loved the audience and hammed it up.

Here is a video we made this morning of her scripture. Elijah insisted on doing it as well, of course. (Oh, and Seara spilled on this outfit after we made the video, hence she is wearing something different in the picture above.)

"2 Nephi 2 :20 And [Adam and Eve] brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth."

Comp Inv (Sam Post)

Summary of the kids from our Companionship Inventory the last few months.


Sunday, August 3, 2008
Seara: Janae's given more flax. Pray for Seara in couple and family prayer. Get kids ready for bed earlier (7:30). Keep a schedule with work so that Seara and Elijah know when I'm coming and when I'm going.
Elijah: Lije is handling the new baby pretty well, but he gets beat up on a lot. Maybe go swimming one day this week, maybe after going to the park. Maybe go swimming when we hang out w/ Bryce and Carol. When they get out of the table, we take away the food.
Enoch: The kid doesn't know night from day. Be nice to the kid. 

Sunday, August 31, 2008
Seara: remove her from the situation when she gets upset, show lots of love
Elijah: no problems here!
Enoch: going through a growth spurt, otherwise normal

Sunday, September 7, 2008
Seara: Doing better when we're patient with her. Dad needs to let Seara decide to do things.
Elijah: Help him see that he can't scream in the middle of church. Don't give him negative attention.
Enoch: Enoch is starting to be more awake and more needy. We need to be patient with that. Enoch just burped. 

Sunday, November 23, 2008
Seara: Needs mom/dad time
Elijah: Need to be patient with him. Dad needs to do better about having prayers. We need to give him patience and love.
Enoch: Needs some time with his parents. 

Sunday, January 11, 2009
Seara: Doing well with her situation.
Elijah: If he gets attention, he's okay. React with patience and love to him. Praise all the kids.
Enoch: Needs to get started on solids. Woo hoo! 

Sunday, February 1, 2009
Seara: she's doing great, we should still pray about her situation. She has started using the restroom sporadically.
Elijah: he has a hard time controlling his temper. We'll have to pray about what to do.
Enoch: finally seems to be getting solids. We need to work on getting him to eat things other than bananas. He really needs to start sleeping through the night again. 

Sunday, February 8, 2009
Seara: Kudos for using the restroom twice!
Elijah: Pray about Lijah's temper.
Enoch: Needs to start eating solids.  

Sunday, February 15, 2009
Seara: She's great. We need to encourage her over the toilet situation and continue to praise her obedience.
Elijah: Pray about Lija's anger prob, swift & severe consequences.
Enoch: Keep up the solids. Pray about sleeping through the night.

Three Blurbs on Valentines

My Special Someone

Growing up I always looked forward to the day I would have a special someone for Valentines. But when I finally got old enough, it always seemed to elude me ...

1999 - I broke up with Spencer in December.
2000 - I broke up with JD in January.
2001 - Scott broke up with me in January.
2002 - Matt tried to break up with me in early February, but I figured it out and preemptively broke up with him even though I liked him a ton. Gotta save face, you know?
2003 - MISSION! Phew.
2004 - Ryan broke up with me the night before. Then showed up at my apartment at 6 am. Valentines morning to make up. Then broke up with me again that night. Then made up with me again the next night. Three days later I broke it off for good.
2005 - I FINALLY HAVE MY SOMEONE!!!

Then & Now

We always celebrate Valentines by going to the temple and having a nice dinner. (Although often they happen different nights because we have a nursing baby.) I recently found this picture of Valentines from a few years ago and I couldn't help but laugh at how much has changed. Three years, but oh the difference!

2006

Number of kids: 1
Temple Visited: Salt Lake City, Utah
Time spent beautifying: 2 hours
Where we ate: The Melting Pot
How much we paid: $200
(Sam wants me to say that we did have a $50 gift card ... as if spending only $150 makes us so much more frugal!)

2009
Number of kids: 3
Temple Visited: Washington, DC
Time spent beautifying: 8 minutes
Where we ate: Hard Rock Cafe
How much we paid: $45

SuperMom Valentines

This is my first Valentines as SuperMom, so for the days leading up to Valentines we ...

made Valentines cupcakes,

made heart shaped jigglers,and made Valentines cards for each other.

Seara Was Here

This I Believe

"This I Believe was a five-minute CBS Radio Network program hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow from 1951 to 1955 ... The originating American show encouraged both famous and everyday people to write short essays about their own personal motivation in life and then read them on the air. This I Believe became a cultural phenomenon that stressed individual belief rather than religious dogma ... The show was revived by Dan Gediman and Jay Allison on NPR in 2005" (This I Believe, Wikipedia).

I listen to This I Believe often and always wanted to write my own essay. I mean, President Hinckley wrote his own, why couldn't I? So in early December last year, I wrote it. I never really planned on sharing it publicly, but today I feel gutsy, so I'm putting myself out on a line and publishing it. Part of me feels nervous - sick to my stomach - to bear my soul so openly. But the other part of me feels like I need to share this. So here goes.

My This I Believe Essay

by Janae Ricks

I believe that people can change.

If you had asked me as a kid what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have told you "a mother." I was raised in a home where motherhood was both cherished and valued. Where my dad often worked two jobs so my mom could stay home with us. I knew motherhood was important. But as I grew I learned something about myself:

I was not a natural mother.

I avoided babysitting. When I did babysit, I was more likely to put on a movie and clean the house, or send the kids outside and watch them from the window as I did dishes. I felt uncomfortable around kids. I wasn't sure what do with them or how to play with them. I was relieved the day I turned 16, knowing I could get a real job and finally stop relying on babysitting to earn money.

When I got engaged to be married, I remember how often people talked about having kids, and I was secretly annoyed. I wanted a small family and had no intentions of starting it any time soon. I had talents I needed to develop, an education I planned to pursue, and life I wanted to live, all before I considered children.

But as the sealer in the temple reiterated God's command in the garden of Eden to "multiply and replenish the earth", his words resonated in my mind. I couldn't get that idea out of my head. A month later, I came to terms with it: we were supposed to start a family. Shocked doesn't even being to describe how my husband felt when I told him I wanted to have a baby. He would have been less surprised if I had joined the circus. It took him a month to come around himself, but he ended up feeling the same way I did. We were going to have a baby.

I got pregnant right away, but my misgivings about children were still at the forefront of my mind. I would do what God asked by having a child, but I wasn't about to give up my hopes and dreams. I would still get my Master's and work at least part time. I took the GRE and found a professor with similar interests who offered to be my mentor for my Master's thesis and to aid me in my acceptance to the university's grad program. Everything was going according to plan.

Then one day I read in 2 Nephi 9:51, "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy," and I knew. I should not labor for something that wouldn't satisfy. My Master's degree and professional work would ultimately not be satisfying to me. But motherhood would be. In my heart I knew that was true, but in my mind the idea seemed absolutely ludicrous to me. I loved my studies, and I felt so awkward and uncomfortable around kids. But I knew God wouldn't lie. I was supposed to be a mother. A full-time mother. So I shelved my grad school plans for good and waited for the baby to come.

I loved Seara the instant I saw her. She was absolutely precious to me. Getting her to nurse was a horrific experience, but I trudged through the first two miserable months because I loved her. It paid off and soon it became both easy and natural. She was a mild baby, content most of the time, which worked perfectly with my independent ways. She quickly became my appendage; seemingly attached to me, yet not hampering the life I lived. Even though I was doing what I was told, my heart hadn't changed much. My life was still important to me. I essentially lived the life of a childless woman, while carting a baby along. Seara was patient.

I found myself pregnant again when Seara was 6 months old. I was surprised, but pleased. Pleased partially because this way I'd have my small family fast, get the kids out of the house while still in my early 40's, and finally be free to move on with my life. When Elijah was born my heart expanded. It was love at first sight once again. This time, though, my baby required a lot more love, holding, and attention. I wasn't used to giving so much to my child and I struggled. With two small children, my legs seemed to be cut out from under me. All of the sudden, my freedom was gone.

The life of a stay-at-home mom was hard. I took care of my kids' temporal needs, but struggled to spend any quality time with them. I didn't know what to do and got bored easily. Seara didn't mind playing alone, and Elijah was entertained by his sister, so I was seemingly off the hook. Elijah was 11 months old when I got pregnant for the third time. Once again I was excited, largely because I loved my children, but partially because I was that much closer to being done with my family and finally moving on with my life.

Then one morning I woke up and felt something I had never felt before: excitement for the day ahead of me. Seara was 2 1/2, Elijah was 1, and until that day I had never once felt excited to be a stay-at-home mom. For two and a half years it had been a real challenge. I loved my children, and I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to take care of them, but staying home was hard on me and I had generally looked at the days ahead with reluctance. This day was a huge turning point for me, and it buoyed me up for a day in the not-so-distant future.

I was reading the news one morning, and came across an article about a recent academic study that had been published to great acclaim. I immediately recognized the name of one of the study's two authors: my mentor professor. And his graduate student. The article was on my focus of study. The timing was perfect. This would have been mine if I had stayed in the Master's program. I wept bitter tears. I felt as if my talent had been wasted. I could have done so much good. I was glad I had followed the promptings to be a stay-at-home mom, but I still regretted what I had missed. And I still worried about developing my talents to help the world.

In the days ahead, the Spirit taught me a lesson I will never forget. If I wanted, I could become the professional I dreamed of becoming and make a difference in the world. But in doing so I would go against everything the Spirit had told me to do, and I would not be worthy to return to God. I would be able to use my talents for a short time on earth, and then I would lose them for eternity. Or, I could align my will with God's, give up my selfish wants, and follow his plan for me. I would not be able to use my talents the way I dreamed of on earth, but by following him, I would be worthy to return, and then my talents would be magnified and I would be able to use them for all eternity. The choice was simple: choose God and have your talents forever, or choose your talents but lose them at death.

I chose God. I was not given the talent of natural mothering, but just because it didn't come naturally didn't mean I was excused from my calling to be a mother. This was a gift I was going to have to develop. I had to change.

Being with children still wasn't easy for me. I had to make a concerted effort each day to spend quality time with my kids. I did research to come up with creative ideas of things to do with them. I called my mom and sister for advice at nearly every obstacle I encountered. I begged for help from God each morning and repented from mistakes each night. It was real work.

When Enoch joined our family I looked at him with new eyes. I was finally understanding how wonderful and beautiful motherhood could be, and my newborn was that much more precious to me. Conventional wisdom would tell you that three small children would feel more oppressive than two, but it didn't feel that way to me. I was learning to love motherhood and I felt thrilled to be able to give my life as a gift to my children.

I learned not to make my kids part of my life, but to make them my life. I learned how to be a mother. And in doing so I found a joy that is incomprehensible.

Eastern Excursion 28: Walters Art Museum

the WALTERS ART MUSEUM

My children enjoy reading museum literature as we peruse the exhibits. (Ha, ha!)

I know, I know. Yet another museum post. But never fear! I made a very serious attempt at making this post entertaining for you. By taking random and bizarre pictures. (Don't worry, we made sure no one was looking when we took the pictures. At least we have some shame.) In case you were wondering, though, it really was a beautiful museum. Tons of famous art. Real mummies. Amazingly designed rooms. Fabulous.

All old-age Catholic priests were apparently also boy scouts.

Some day I'll grow up and stop acting like a 15 year-old. But not until my husband actually looks older than 15. As long as I'm married to someone who looks like he's still in high school, I reserve the right to act like I am still in high school. But seriously you guys, I humiliated myself like this out of altruism. I did it for your sake. For your amusement. Honestly, I'm just taking one for the team. I'll take your gratitude in cash. Or comments.

"My neck is hot, please give me money" and "Check out this new dance move."

I found this glass display case of "Wonders of the Universe." Notice what the centerpiece is? I mean, I know his claw is deformed and all, but honestly. Only in Maryland would the blue crab be the center piece of the display.

Drivin' in the Car

I just remembered that I had taken these car pictures on our way home from New York. I just wanted to throw them in here for when I print my blog book!