It was for sale, and I wanted it

I bought Sarah's love for $1.42 plus tax.

I picked up a new coloring book at the grocery checkout Friday. I gave it to her with a box of crayons to keep her busy during Stake Conference this morning, and she was very excited about it. She told me, "Thank you so much! I love you best of all the Mommies I ever had!"

Christmas 2006

It might as well be Christmas. I'm playing the music. I'm watching the movies. I'm doing the shopping. ...and we're wearing red!

It took forever to get through this photo session. Noah was having a hard time with the concept of leaning in toward Karen, looking at the camera, and smiling all at the same time. And Sarah really didn't want to be in the picture at all. She wanted to take the pictures. She wanted to wave the toy to make Noah and Karen smile and hold the camera trigger button. When it appeared that her preferences were not going to happen, she spent the rest of the time making goofy faces and ruining all the shots where Noah was smiling and Karen's head was upright. Then they chased each other around the studio yelling and crawled on the filthy floor (in black pants) while I was trying to check out. But then, that's why I have pictures taken...to remind me that they're cute sometimes, even when they're driving me crazy the rest of the time.

Drat that Harry Potter

Sarah is obsessed with potions. At 4 years old. And unfortunately, she realizes that there's not much Mommy can do to stop her while feeding the baby.

So, today while I was nursing Karen, Sarah and her henchman got out a dozen or so bottles of things from my bathroom sink and cupboards. While Sarah is mixing her potions, Noah is putting shimmery gold lotion hands all over my basket of clean laundry and down comforter...not to mention squeezing it all over the floor.

Granted, this is not much worse or different than the last dozen or so potion episodes (aside from the new loads of laundry this time). Obviously, the consequences I've been assigning have no meaning. She knows she's not supposed to even be IN my bathroom, but the tradeoff is apparently acceptable. And also she "forgot" she wasn't supposed to make potions.

Arrival of Karen Elayne

Karen was born at 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 2, 2006. She weighed 6 lbs. 0.5 oz. and was 18.5".

The whole thing went pretty smoothly for me. I'm not sure if the hard part is over now...or if the easy part is over and the hard part is just beginning. ;)

Sarah thinks "I can handle Karen on my own; what do you think?" We haven't quite dared let her hold the baby all by herself, despite her assurances. Noah loooooves his baby sister. He wants to hold her all the time, and very gently pats her head.



Karen is just so darling...one more picture. :D