9 months

Sophie is my little puppy dog. Her tongue is always hanging out whether she's serious or smiling. It's my favorite. Drew thinks her tongue is too long, and I was thinking maybe that's just how she sweats.😜 she has such a long, skinny, pointy little tongue. Recently she has been curling it up, almost like she is trying to touch her nose.

Soph has entered the mischief stage. She is crawling pretty fast now on her hands and knees, and I constantly pulling herself up to stand on everything. She has gotten pretty good balance too. A couple of days ago I caught her climbing the stairs, and now she loves to climb , even tough she ends up sliding down on her belly. 

She also loves to get into everything, and be right in the center of all the action. Whenever I am trying to sweep, vacuum, or do dishes, she is sure to start bee lining it my way to get right on top of whatever I am doing. 

She says dada, blows bubbles with her lips, waxes, claps, and love to smile and giggle. 

She also loves to dog pile and attack whoever is laying down, and loves to attack Marlee and steal her toys. 

Multiply and replenish the earth

I have always had the desire to have a boat full of children. When I was young I wanted 10 (prob because my grandma had 10)! Now 6 or 7 sounds good, but I will take what the lord sends me. I love being surrounded by children. I love my children with all my heart, and love when I get the opportunity to babysit my nieces and nephews.

I have also felt the prompting several times in my life that I need to have a lot of children. I feel that if I have the desire and have had promptings, then I need to have the faith that the lord will give me strength and the means to take care of them.

 One time I felt a particularly strong prompting was at Drew's cousin's funeral. He passed away about a year and half ago in his early 30s. He left a young wife and four young children behind. As I sat listening to his siblings and family reminisce about him, I felt a strong impression and desire to bring many children to this earth. I could feel the spirit testify the truthfulness of this feeling to me, and I started crying because of the powerfulness. 

I know it will not be easy; it's not easy now. And it may not be the lords will for me to have a lot children, or any more children. But I want to move forward in faith, and am thankful he has given me this strong desire.

Mar mar

My dad thinks I am infamous for magically appearing whenever he is naked or in his towel, but I swear it is vice versa. I know that he comes by me whenever he is naked😜. We are living in my parents basement right now, and luckily for my father, marlee has carried on my tradition. Marlee and I were in the kitchen the other day, when Marlee heard the shower turn on upstairs. It was like a que for her that she needed to go upstairs immediately. When she kept talking about Pa in the shower I got worried she'd see something she had no business seeing, and be scarred at such an early age. But despite my efforts, she continued on her course. I then heard from my dad that she opened The door to the bathroom and flung open the shower curtain to reveal my naked and afraid father and said, "what doin' Pa?".... Luckily for both of them my dad heard her coming and quickly threw on his handy towel and braced himself.

Marlee and I were sitting side by side sharing chips and guacamole today, when she put her tiny bubbers arm around my neck and said, "I luff you mommy." with the biggest grin. One of my favorite moments ever.

I was teaching Marlee about Satan and how he makes us feel angry sometimes, and Marlee said, "but mommy's nice, and Sophie, and me too."

Whenever Marlee sees someone crying she says, "oh, he wants his mommy." I was crying on the stairs the other day, and Marlee looked at me and said, "oh you so sad, you want your Ahma? (Grandma)"

I was hormonal yesterday and grumpy, and let out a frustrated sigh, and mar mar said, "be happy mommy." 

Sophie was crying and Marlee said, "oh she's so sad, she wants her lipstick."

She has been saying bye, I'll see you soon. It is so adorable in her little voice.

Here are some things Marlee lOVES, and I mean LOVES

Lipstick, she loves digging in my makeup drawer and smearing my lipstick across her lips and eyebrows. She loves to take out all of my lipstick and line them up on the bath tub, then put them all on, one after the other.

Cheetos

Singing and shaking her voice at the top of her lungs

Any kind of fruit

Root beer 

Fut weeders (fruit leathers from Costco)

Hazey (her cousin hazel), she is obsessed with her, and is her little shadow. She wants whatever she wants. 

Taking dance classes with Hazey

Cheerios, or blue cereal (frosted flakes) she tries to eat it for every meal

8 months

The refiners fire

"We must not only be tolerant while others work on their individual illnesses; we must also be kind, patient, supportive, and understanding. As God encourages us to keep on trying, He expects us to also allow others the space to do the same, at their own pace. The Atonement will come into our lives in even greater measure. We will then recognize that regardless of perceived differences, all of us are in need of the same infinite Atonement."-Elder Dale G. Renlund 

Wow. What an amazing quote! This is just so good. It can be applied in so many different experiences and to so many different people we interact with: from those we love (especially our children), to strangers, and to those who hurt us.This little gem has really helped change my perspective. I have felt a shift in my feelings towards others, and I am so happy about it. And I am eager and excited about the refinement that I can feel is beginning to change within me.

"Some years ago a wonderful young man named Curtis was called to serve a mission. He was the kind of missionary every mission president prays for. He was focused and worked hard. At one point he was assigned a missionary companion who was immature, socially awkward, and not particularly enthusiastic about getting the work done.

      One day, while they were riding their bicycles, Curtis looked back and saw that his companion had inexplicably gotten off his bike and was walking. Silently, Curtis expressed his frustration to God; what a chore it was to be saddled with a companion he had to drag around in order to accomplish anything. Moments later, Curtis had a profound impression, as if God were saying to him, “You know, Curtis, compared to me, the two of you aren’t all that different.” Curtis learned that he needed to be patient with an imperfect companion who nonetheless was trying in his own way."

How many times have we done this in our lives? Put ourselves above another because we think we are not suffering from that same 'illness'? But really we are suffering from some other problem, different, but equal in value. I think this is something as human beings that we have to keep reminding ourselves. It is so easy to see the faults in others, but for some reason so hard to see the faults in ourselves. We put ourselves on a pedestal, when really we are equal in the eyes of God. Another good lesson I am continually trying to learn. 

funnies

From the mouth of Marlee:

"Mommy don't wash my hair it's pufect (perfect)/"

"Mommy don't wash razberries they're pufect (perfect)."

"I miss my friends toopah (cooper) and Easton."

Whenever she sees someone crying she says "she's so sad she wants her mommy/daddy."
I was sitting on the floor eating by Marlee, zoned out thinking about something, and out of the blue Marlee said, " mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, I luf (love) you."
Today she was trying to hang on the oven handle but it opened and she fell on her back. I had told her a few times earlier not to hang on the handle. She giggled and said, "Oh, I haf (have) to be careful."

all the single babies

Drew's family had a talent show when we went down to Arizona a few weeks ago. And since Drew is such an amazing dancer, we decided we needed to showcase his talent. We were going to do it live, but then Drew thought Marlee would get embarassed; so we decided to make a family dancing video collage.

I love Marlee's hips in this. It all started about 2 months ago when I turned on "Single Ladies." I started teaching Marlee some of the dance moves to it, and my parents and I started laughing. My dad started shaking his hips and told Marlee to "shake her bacon," and the rest is history. Now the proper term for shaking your hips at our house is actually "shaking your bacon."

Marlee lives in her undies, and she always has accessories on. And We filmed the majority of Marlee dancing during the time she was potty training; hence the reason for all her undie dances.