child, thank you for teaching me patience.

God knew exactly what he was doing when he brought Chelsea down into the world to join our family eight years ago. She is full of spunk, wittiness, and a lot of sassiness. She's 100 % dad, and 100% me, and I wouldn't exchange her for anything in the world.

The fact that she is the youngest girl in the family helps her get away with things...sometimes. Being the only one in the family (besides her dad) with naturally straight hair and a double crown on the top makes her even more unique.

And very special.

The minute we found out Chelsea was a girl I immediately knew that she was going to be unlike her sisters. The way my moods were when I carried her, the fact that she was one day overdue, a breeched baby who flipped in my uterus at the last minute which resulted in an emergency c-section, and born on her sister Alexandra's birthday meant that she wanted to be the center of attention.

Because she always wants to be the center of attention.

But this girl, she is awesome in her own right.

Frankly because she speaks her mind in the most polite way possible. She is very caring, and helpful and every teacher that she has had since preschool tells me she is their cheerleader, and 'mom' of the class. Always looking out for the smaller kids, protective, and extra helpful.

Sometimes I wonder, and I'll joke around with her present teacher and say, "really?" 

Then again I know how my daughter is. She may be a little sassy, and demanding at home because she is in her comfort zone, but in public she is the complete opposite. She can be quite the samaritan. Very kind, respectful, and mindful towards others. If she wasn't like that outside of the home then there would be some issues of concern, and I would have to find a way to change that..or at least try. 

Sometimes I wonder if I gave birth to her first would I have had more. Honestly...probably not. The way my patience was 18 years ago I probably would have gone into major depression. Who knows. Luckily my first two daughters had a talent of obedience the minute they came out of my womb. The Lord definitely knew what He was doing, and I thank him for giving me two children to teach me how to be patient, and to have somewhat mastered it when Chelsea was born...somewhat meaning I'm still working on it!  

She's just like her sisters in the aspect of being sociable, and she'll be the first one to say hello to another child, or adult. She is fearless when it comes to making new friends, and will say the funniest things.

She is gifted when it comes to piano. She obviously takes after her older sisters, and even though she and her baby brother Noah have a love/hate relationship...there's a lot more love involved.

Her generation is pretty awesome, and I actually look forward to this girl growing up, (and more gray hairs), and it'll be interesting to see what she'll be like ten years from now. 

Very interesting.

I have a feeling she's going to do wonderful things in this life, and become someone great! 

Because she already is. 

*****

Chelsea,  

Thank you for your tantrums, loud cries, and the little things you do that you know will push my buttons, because child...they are teaching me to be patient! 

You are amazing, and I'm so glad I had you! 

xo-

mom

Just a little patience

I never thought I would say this, and as much as I LOVE, LOVE my children...I am glad they are back to school again today. Especially the one in the photo above.

Chelsea is as high maintenance as they come. Sometimes I wonder if I gave birth to her first, would I have had the patience to have anymore. Well, I am glad that I had her after learning with two girls, but I still have a long ways to go in cultivating more patience.

Not only with her, but for myself as well.

Last year was pretty tough with me in having her transition from half days with both preschool & Kindergarten to having a full day of school! I know the transition was a little hard on her at first, but she seemed to adjust to it pretty quickly. Her teacher tells me she is one of the most well-behaved girls in the class. She is the first one to turn in her class work, and never has to move her clip. She only has green apples marked in her take home folder which is better than having the red apples colored in! Her teacher tells me all these good things about her in a class setting, but when she comes home...she lets it all out! Her energy, and excitement. Sometimes it's naughty, and sometimes it's good. Maybe she just likes being home, or is happy to see all her sisters including Noah. After all, she is the last one to come home.

One of my goals this year is to be more patient, and try not put her in time out so much. I have also talked with her, and told her that she needs to do her part too in helping me with this goal.

Still...I often wonder, and have come to the realization that she has a totally different personality compared to her sisters when they were six. I NEVER had any stress with them, and I still don't!

I know that Heavenly Father put her in my life at the time that He did as a mother to teach me many things.

 Patience being one of them.

Patience to not yell at her, and say anything hurtful.

 Patience to listen to her excessive talking about anything and everything. (She's just like her dad!)

Patience to never assume she's always the one at fault when someone has colored on the walls, or has broken something. (Sometimes it's Noah!)

 Patience to always hear both sides of the stories when it comes to a 16 year old and a six year old. 

Patience to understand a six year old's point of view than my own.

 Patience to not take anything out on her or any of my children, because of something that has gone on in my personal life that wasn't good.

Patience is something that I didn't learn growing up, and something that my own mother didn't have. I feel as if I learned that from her, and at 40 years of age I'm still trying to get it right.

Will I ever achieve it in this life? I don't know. I certainly hope so, but with the way the world is today, and the way people treat each other it can be hard. 

I don't want to be like that. I really, really want to try my best to be patient with myself, my kids, my husband, certain friends, and even with members of the same faith.

It's a new year, and for some reason it feels different for me already. I know it's going to be better. I have faith that it will be better. It has to be better! Not only for myself, but for Chelsea as well. Looking at her precious smile, and countenance...who can get mad at that face! 

Breastfeeding with patience...lots of it!

I found out through a friend's blog that this week is World Breastfeeding Week. Okay...I didn't know there was such an event and I think it's pretty cool that there is one. As I was reading her blog post of how difficult it's been for her to breastfeed her second daughter it brought tears to my eyes. It brought back memories of how hard it was for me to nurse my firstborn 16 years ago. I know exactly how she's feeling.

Sierra weighed 4lbs. and 2 oz. when she came out of my body. I remember the nurse inserting a tube down her throat to feed her. She would force it and shove it down her throat because she couldn't swallow it fast enough. I remember my husband getting upset with her which caused me to become extremely angry. I was like a lioness protecting my young. Sierra was my firstborn and I didn't like what I saw. I even yelled at her for being impatient while inserting a tube down my newborn's fragile little mouth to feed her, and for doing it so harshly. That was a hard moment for me.

I had to pump constantly because I was so engorged. I had so much milk that I could have nursed twins! I was determined to continue to work with the lactation nurse so that Sierra could learn how to latch on correctly. It was a struggle, but Sierra and I worked together and we did it. After a week Sierra became a little pro at nursing. I was so happy. The only downside was that because she was so tiny, she was waking up every hour to nurse. EVERY HOUR! For at least a month! 1995 was the year of no sleep for me. I look at my daughter now and know that it was all worth it.

My two younger daughters were perfectionists at nursing. They immediately found the breast and latched on with no problem. I felt like a nursing machine, and loved that I never had to spend any money on formula or bottles. I really appreciated breastfeeding and remembered how hard it was for Sierra to latch on correctly. Having breastfed all my girls for at least two to three years was heaven.

Then there is Noah. I had a hard time getting him to nurse from the very beginning. I struggled with him for six weeks! I wanted to give up on him but then I remembered how I persevered with Sierra. Noah weighed seven pounds and one ounce. He weighed a lot more than Sierra, and yet he still couldn't latch on all the way. She learned a lot quicker than he did. I thought his nursing issues had to do with my body not producing enough milk because of having him late in my thirties. I was 38 when I had him. I know that's not old, but my body isn't 23, 28, or 33 anymore.  I know that as we age our bodies change and sometimes it's harder for women to get pregnant when they are nearing 40. I also heard that the older you get in having children, your milk supply becomes weak. That wasn't the case for me.

Bottom line...Noah was a lazy nurser.

He would fall asleep at the breast. There were times when he would nurse, and wouldn't empty the breast which caused me to pump the rest of it out, hence giving him...a  bottle. I thought it was pretty cool that he was taking both. He was still lazy at nursing. I realized that he was getting confused and we no longer gave him a bottle. We decided to buy a cup feeder instead. He slowly recognized that he was only going to be cupfed if he didn't empty my breast. Cup feeding him was tedious and it was such a trial.  After six long weeks he began to nurse a lot better. He was no longer lazy. I think the fact that he was cup fed for almost two months, drinking out of a sippy cup at four months became easy for him. He is by far the most aggressive nurser out of all my kids. He always wants to nurse. Always! Noah will be two in three months and I am slowly trying to wean him.  I really don't want to nurse Noah after he turns two. He's getting too long and big!

I really did enjoy breastfeeding all of my girls. I am grateful that I toughed it out and that I was blessed with patience to have had Sierra and Noah hang in there through nursing. Breastfeeding truly is the best. I want to tell all you mothers out there who are reading this that unless you have major difficulties such as my girlfriend does, try not to give up! Patience was key for me. I know for first time mom's it's hard, because it was hard for me too.

I am thankful to know that our babies are healthy and strong and whether they are being breastfed or given a bottle with formula... it's sustenance. And that's all that matters.