Sunday, April 19, 2009

Lyla's 1st Photo Shoot

My friend Kristin is an awesome photographer. I wanted her to be the one to take my first photos of my baby. I also thought it would be great to get some of the kids with her. Of course, I loved how they turned out. There is something magical about the way Kristin takes photos. I really love the personality. It isn't something you can copy in a studio. So, here are the highlights of the session.








The look on Lyla's face can only be desribed as pure joy! Is it the reuniting with her siblings? Only she knows. But, I am convinced that they all have a special connection already. I was worried that Lyla would be left out of the connection that Elijah and Julianna already have, but those worries have been swept away by the look on their faces.



Friday, April 17, 2009

The Animal Whisperer



I have an animal lover in my midst. Jules loves anything furry I am discovering. She loves bunnies which I didn't know until I saw her not letting go of one at a park at a Easter day picnic. She is more like my little sister everyday. She throws major tantrums and goes crazy for furry friends. I just hope that she grows up cool and collected like Lindsay. I can only wish. I just don't think I could ever own any. I am not cut out for it. You will have to go to your Aunt Lindsay's farm to get your hand on anything like that. Sorry, you were born in the wrong house.

SHOULD CHILDREN WITNESS CHILDBIRTH?

I got this email from my Aunt a couple months ago and I was going through my emails to delete and I thought you all could use a little laugh and I couldn't erase it. I thought it was way too funny. Enjoy!


Due to a power outage, only one paramedic responded to the call. The house

was very dark so the paramedic asked Kathleen, a 3-yr old girl to hold a

flashlight high over her mommy so he could see while he helped deliver the

baby. Very diligently, Kathleen did as she was asked. Heidi pushed and

pushed and after a little while, Connor was born. The paramedic lifted him

by his little feet and spanked him on his bottom. Connor began to cry.


The paramedic then thanked Kathleen for her help and asked the wide-eyed

3-yr old what she thought about what she had just witnessed. Kathleen quickly

responded, "He shouldn't have crawled in there in
the first place......smack his butt again!"

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Let it begin...

Today was the beginning of the end for me. I have been bragging how easy my transition has been since I have moved into a family of three kids. Well, today was a little dicey. I wanted to spend time with my kids outside since the weather was so gorgeous. I planted flowers and decided that we should go to the park. The kids can get exercise and I can be outside. It is a win win. Well, it turned out to be a lose lose and lose big.
I had the kids ride the bikes while I had Lyla in the snugglie. Well, I told Elijah to stop at the end of the street. Well, of course he went off fast and for some reason, Jules got really upset that I let Elijah went first so she threw one of her famous fits and didn't want to ride her bike. So, I am standing there, while Elijah darted off nowhere to be seen, I am trying to convince Julianna to ride fast so I can get Elijah. She would not budge and by now I was convinced Elijah had made it to the park by now. I was getting stressed and didn't know what to do. I decided that I had to do something drastic. I took Jules to the house and locked her in as I had to go get Elijah. I was so freaked that I had to leave her by herself while I walked as fast as I could to the park to retrieve the son who didn't listen to me. I was imagining to myself all the horrible things that could happen to him. I had just watched the memorial of Sandra Cantu on T.V. and was feeling very nerved about it. I just felt so frusterated. I finally got to the park with Elijah standing there. I was so mad. I made him go home and he was crying the whole time. It took me a good hour to calm down. I came home to Julianna waiting at the door with a doughnut smashed on her face. I was glad she was safe, but frusterated that she robbed me a day at the park. Why is it when you are trying to do something nice for the kids they sabotage you.
The one highlight of the day is when I put them on timeout in their seperate places, Julianna fell asleep and Elijah came into my bed and all my children took a nap for 2 hours. TWO HOURS OF BLISSFUL SLEEP WITH ALL MY KIDS. Never have I been so mad to so happy. Life was good there. Also, Sean came home to make us hamburgers. Life turned out to be pretty good. There is a silver lining.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Easter Sunday and life with Lyla...

If you were to ask me when I was pregnant what I was scared of most of having another baby it would be being outnumbered by my children and not having an ounce of control left. Well, two weeks into being outnumbered have passed and miraculously I haven't felt that. I feel totally in control of my life and still in some moments of the day I feel control of my children. I am relishing in the moments that are my life and I feel very blessed that I have the life I have.

Lyla has been such a great baby. She is calm and easy to soothe. I find myself looking at her and feeling that I have reversed my life 3 years when I had Julianna. She looks so much like her that I feel like I have to force my tongue to say Lyla and not Julianna. I love holding her and I seem to not want to put her down.



Talk about Daddy's girl. I have seen Sean go GOO GOO but he is crazy for Lyla. It is really sweet to see him interact with her. We both know this is it for us, but to see Sean into her the way he is makes my heart swoon. I am grateful that he came from a huge family. They are all baby crazy and it is nice to take a baby in that enviornment. They are held in the highest regard. Kind of like royalty.

Easter Sunday at the Smith Home

This season has brought us beautiful weather and a beautiful baby. I am grateful for this Easter season and the sacrifice of the Savior. I know that my heart is full of new beginnings and I pray that I am able to show my children what a blessing it is to have the gospel in our lives. As I taught my children about Jesus's resurrection and what a blessing it is to be able to have that blessing bestowed to us, I realized the importance of it and the role that it plays in each of our lives.