Jenna Bear

It's official--Jenna Bear is the name that stuck. My bear has mastered the "almost-crawl"! She has successfully pushed up on her arms for over a month. These days she couples that with the raised hips, but does more of a bobble (thing table with 4 wabbly, crooked legs). I tried to get a picture, but they're rare moments and don't last long.

Our fruit trees have lots of fruit on them. Cherries will be first to ripen--within a week or so, then stretching out for a few weeks following. Jenna Bear likes when I hold her near the trees and she feels the leaves in her hands.

Deloitte work has slowed down after the busy season slowed in April. I have been home nearly every night since then and enjoy spending more time with Suzanne and Jenna Bear.

Don't forget the step child! Buddy came to work with me last Friday for the end-of-busy-season party at a lake resort. He played in the water the whole time and tired himself out for 2 days.

Suzanne has finished her latest cross stitch and started a new one which should finish in a month or so. When not putting out Jenna fires she is watching all the past seasons of the TV show Bones. Jenna Bear even recognizes the intro theme music!

Next week Jenna Bear's second cousin Olivia Hamm (3 months) comes to visit so my baby can show off how much she's learned!

--Steve

Competition

Already Jenna has two boys competing for her attention. There are two little boys around her age at chuch (and one a month older whom she hasn't met yet who is also a very cute little boy). One of the boys (M) was actually born in the same hospital, on the same day! That boy's grandma (a very sweet lady who I really like) jokes about wedding invitations. M and Jenna had a fun moment together a few months back. He was talking up a storm and she was smiling her classic Jenna smile. But they really haven't had very much interaction.

Jenna has spent more time with the other little boy (B). B and Jenna have spent a few "play dates" together while his mother and I have have traded babysitting. Jenna has decided that B's hand is very, very tasty. Though Jenna is more interested in B (those big eyes just like to look and look and look), they both tolerate each other.

Both boys have spit up in Jenna's presence. I guess this is how little boys impress little girls.

I really like both of their families. Whom to choose??

Vacation Week

Last week my sister came to town! We did so many lovely things and I am glad that she came.

Highlights:

I got to show off my guest room, my lilac guest room with the complimentary candy and shower stuff.

We saw a production of "Hairspray", so fun!

She gave Buddy a TON of attention (which he loved).

We had a few tasty dinners including baked ravioli, meatball soup and burritos from Don Pepe's.

We watched a few fun girly movies.

She helped with Jenna quite a bit, and really seemed to enjoy it, which I appreciated.

We (plus Steve and Buddy) went to a big park and had a nice meal and walk.

We went to a used book store and I found these treasures for $3.24.

My sister is such a good listener. I wish she could have stayed longer but I am glad she was able to be here for as long as she was. Hurray for sisters!

The Grass Is Greener

Yes, this is a Cary Grant movie, but I am not talking about that (though the song at the beginning about old English houses is hilarious!).

With me the grass always seems to be greener somewhere else. Not only is the grass greener at the homes of my church friends, but it was greener in the past or it will be greener in the future. "Oh, if only I was working again I wouldn't be so lonely." "Oh, if only I was in school again I would feel like I've accomplished something." "Oh, in 10 or so years when all of my children are in school I can go to a gym." All of these thoughts then end, "it is then that I will be perfectly happy".

I have always had trouble with remembering to be happy with what I have now. I need to learn to savor and relish (or at least ignore!), the "hard" things I have right now in this phase of my life.

Okay, so I don't trust a gym with Jenna, but I can take her to my in-laws house and use their elliptical. We can go on walks around our neighborhood. I have fun exercise videos. My grass is green!

Okay, so my husband has to be out of town a lot (it is busy season) and I am usually home by myself during the week. But he is home on the weekends and we can talk on the phone each night. When he is gone I have time at night to do ridiculous girly things like bubbly baths and movies. I can read scriptures in bed before I go to sleep. My grass is green!

Okay, so I don't have as much adult social interaction as I have had in the past. But I always have Sundays and there are many opportunities during the week to get out of the house and see people - I just have to make them happen. My grass is green!

And what I don't have that I had in the past was an ache. My body, mind spirit, really my soul, ached for the opportunity to raise a child. So much ache that sometimes I was physically in pain. And now I have a little girl to love and cherish and even during her hard times that is enough (though she didn't heal that ache, the atonement did, but that's another story). She is a blessing and we'll just find a new rhythm together.

In conclusion, my grass is green. It is hard to remember sometimes, but my grass is green.

A Rose By Any Other Name...

So I have learned that if you call a stressor by a silly name, it doesn't stress you out as much.

• When a baby is really crying, really going for it she is in a tizzy
• When a baby isn't really going for it, but is still upset and crying/fussy she has troubles
• When the fussyness causes a baby to start wiggling so much she is jumping out of your arms she has the twiggles (trouble wiggles)
• When the dog is lying on the floor next to the couch or the crib and makes it hard to get up or put the baby in her crib he is helping

Two months of Jenna

Jenna will be eight weeks old tomorrow (Tuesday). Here are some pictures of our time together.

Month One

Month Two

(Btw, it is hard to get a good picture because she is super wiggly!)

2011 in Review

What a crazy year this has been. A year that Steve and I have thought and worked so much for. This year realized so many of the dreams we had during our college years. I'll try to make it brief...

January

• I walked through the snow to take a yoga class with my sister at "The Center" 2 nights a week. I then walked her home and we walked as slow as we could without freezing.
• I was finally at peace that I was not pregnant. It took 6 months, but I was more than okay, I was at peace.
• I made a "Provo bucket list". So glad I did that. I did everything except take a zumba class at the Orem rec center.

March

• The pregancy and blood work said I was pregant. Really? I was in denial.
• At work I started to train my replacement. I poured myself into the relationships with my co-workers knowing that they were soon coming to an end.

April

• I got an ultrasound to date a pregancy I didn't really think I had. The baby was 11 weeks old.
• I said "goodbye" to SirsiDynix. Loved the people and not the work. It was hard to leave the people I had grown so fond of.
• Steve (and my sister) graduated from BYU.
• We moved to Fresno and into our house.

June*

• We officially started fixing up the house, our first project was new carpet! This would be a summer long project with lots of yard work and painting.
• We traveled to Washington D.C. to see Matt and the sights.

July*

• Steve and I volunteered as leaders at the Fresno Stake Girls Camp. There were three Hamm women there who responded to "Sister Hamm". That was confusing! I repelled and hiked and was glad for frequent opportunities to nap.

August*

• Steve and I were counselors at Camp Sunshine Dreams. Amazing experience! I hope they let me come back in 2012.

September*

• Steve started work for Deloitte.

November*

• We had our baby girl!
• Steve passed the last section of the CPA test (which he started working on in May!) while I was recovering in the hospital with Jenna. I "helped" him study but I was so groggy I doubt I was helpful.

So in conclusion, 2011 was a happening year. I wonder what 2012 will bring?

*Pictures are on other posts to this blog.