Caroline's Baby Blessing

Sunday was Caroline's Blessing day.

This dress was the dress I was blessed in as a newborn.

Caroline looks like an angel.

Like a Christening, this is a significant day.

A day to commemorate how grateful we are for her,

how grateful we are for the gospel of Jesus Christ that makes our family eternal.

It is a time to contemplate all of our deepest hopes and desires for her,

the kind of woman we want to see her become,

the kind of faith and testimony we desire for her to develop,

the abiding relationship we truly want her to enjoy with her Heavenly Father and her Savior.

It is also a time for family and enjoying the significance of our eternal relationships.

I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that enables me to have hope for my eternal family.

I am so grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ which enables his Priesthood to bless our family.

I am so grateful for my parents and my children, for the links that extend back across generations and will continue with my posterity. What a huge blessing to be an eternal family.

a lil humor for you

Gwen is learning a lot of new words. This often leads to some confusion. When I tell her the rain is "wet" she repeats it back but signs "white". When I tell her the crayon is "blue" she repeats it back but signs "balloon". Can't say that I blame her. They do sound awfully alike.

In sacrament last week, I whispered in Gwen's ear that this is a special time we think about Jesus. She stopped squirming and seemed really happy about that, so I was pretty pleased. I thought maybe she actually understood what I was trying to teach her. I thought she was thinking about Jesus. Then she sat forward in my lap, squished her hands back and forth (that was the correct sign) with the accompanying excited declaration of:

"CHEESE!"

Eric and I tried really hard not to laugh about that during the sacrament. so funny. Well, I guess we'll have to clarify that one. :)

Point of No Return

I took Gwen to nursery today.

She is only 15 months old (in less than a week),

a far cry from the 18 month minimum

to ACTUALLY go to nursery.

So I sat in there with her.

Folks...

this was a

POINT OF NO RETURN!

I am NOT going back to fighting with her

for 1/2 an hour in Relief Society

while she tries to crawl over and get into

every single purse she can find,

terrorize the teacher,

and bawl if I don't let her steal toys

from the helpless little 4 month olds

and then end up spending

the remaining 1/2 hour of the class pacing the halls,

trying to keep from getting stepped on.

Nope. No way.

Not now that I've experienced the bliss of seeing how

happy Gwen was playing with all the toys,

watching while everyone sang songs,

and sitting so NICELY

at the little table in her toddler sized chair

to eat goldfish and drink water,

how could I go back?

She was as content as can be,

didn't even fight about toys

(because there were so many to choose from),

and not a single tantrum!

That's right.

I know where we'll be next Sunday

during that 3rd hour.

Glad nobody minds us coming early

(they said it was fine as long as I stay with her to help)!