Day Twenty-Eight: A Date!

We went on a date! Finally! I made the wedding video for the bishop's son and for payment they gave Jace and I a date: A gift certificate to Cheddar's and the movies. We decided to spread it out, so we took Jadyn with us to Cheddar's. We are saving the movie tickets for next week. I supposed technically it's not a full date because we still had the child with us, but it was so nice to get out of the house to have some Jacey and Lindsey time.

Day Twenty-Seven: Sleeping Babies

Do they put something in babies that make you sleepy? I am convinced they do. I have built a little bit of an immunity to it now, but Jace is still a sucker for the sleepies. It's inevitable, if I leave him to watch her I will come home and find them like this. She doesn't even have to be touching him now! She puts him to sleep if they are just on the same couch. 

Day Twenty-Six: Daddy's job

I think it may be frustrating as a man to not have a job like Mommy does. So often when the baby cries, Jace just shrugs his shoulders because he doesn't have the equipment to feed her. To counter this problem, he is now the official burper. I still get plenty of burping time of my own, but whenever he's available I hand a full bellied girl off to him so he can do his very manly job. He's good at it. Maybe he likes that. And though she loves her Mommy very much, she immediately relaxes when she gets snuggled in those big Daddy arms.

Day Twenty-Five: A Fine Frenzy

Annoying as it may be how often I have to shove her pacifier back in her mouth....

....I have to admit it is so adorable watching her flail her little arms around and grunt as she tries with all her might to get it back.

How could anyone ever get mad at this face? She is precious. 

Day Twenty-Four: Mr. Mints

I pick Jace up from school around 9 every Monday and Tuesday night. The exit we take off of the freeway is onto Parker Road, one of the busiest roads in town. We usually wait at a red light immediately after exiting. That light is the hot spot for homeless people. This was a very difficult place for me to get stopped when I was prego and hormonal. One time I burst into tears and could not stop crying for about an hour because I didn't grab some change out of my wallet quick enough for an old man begging. A dollar really wouldn't have taken him far, but at the time I felt I was responsible for him not getting something from the dollar menu at McDonalds that night. Maybe he had a family.
There is another man that is often there waiting, begging, with a smile on his face. I really should ask him what his name is, but I just call him Mr. Mints. Every time I give him some money, no matter how much, he hands me a mint and says "thank you". This is a person that understands the power of giving. Sure, he probably steals the mints from a nearby hotel, but he recognizes that he was given something and wants to give back. I place my mint in the cup holder next to my $300 ipod. I could give so much more. I truly believe that a mint is the best Mr. Mints can give. He gives all he can for a little bit of what everyone else can give. I have heated seats, a warm bed, a fully stocked kitchen, and all I hand him sometimes only 25 cents.
Lately I have been watching my girl get more and more aware of everything around her. Sometimes she just stares straight at me, as if waiting for me to tell her something important. Quite frankly, I don't always know what to talk to her about. I get flustered talking to someone that can't talk back to me. What do I tell her? I guess I should tell about Mr. Mints and all the things that are still good about the world. Sure, there are plenty of things that really stink in the world...she'll learn about that part of the world soon enough. But for now, I want her to know about trees, flowers, warm blankets, tire swings, and Mr. Mints.

Day Twenty-Three: Blessing Day

We had a very uplifting Sunday. Jadyn Lynn was blessed in church. The spirit was so strong as I watched my uncles, fathers, friends, and husband place their hands on my Jadyn and bless her.  All day I felt an intense love for my husband; for his willingness to worthily hold the priesthood, his ability to give a blessing directly from Heavenly Father, and his courage in standing in front of an entire congregation and bless our little girl. It was a very sweet, very simple blessing. I know it will give her and me a great deal of strength down the road.

She wore the dress that I wore on my blessing day. Thanks Mom for keeping special things like this!

     Four Generations.

      

Day Twenty-Two: Carly's Wedding!

Saturday was Carly and Jordan's wedding. I felt so privileged to witness such a beautiful couple tie the knot. They were unbelievably sweet all day. Carly was just glowing...and not just because she couldn't stop crying ;) It was a very good day.

Jadyn was a champ the whole day. 

Day Fifteen-Twenty One: A Blur of Excitement

This past week has been a halabaloo of events. Mindy, Kelly and Kids came to visit for Moose's graduation. For the entire visit, Jadyn had a shadow. Carter followed her around like a Hawk, always announcing "Aunt Lindsey, I have my hands clean!" Sometimes his shadow, Eli would join in the parade, both declaring their hands were clean. Eli's usually were not. I barely ever see that kid without a smudge of dirt on his face; so cute. Carter wanted to hold her so bad, but he just happened to always ask at the wrong moment: when she was sleeping, when her diaper was being changed, when she was nursing (that could have created some questions for Mindy to answer)..FINALLY it was quiet, she was awake, and yes, Carter's hands were clean.

Melissa had a graduation party, Grandma and Grandpa Harmer came to visit, went to Cinzetti's and Outback, was passed from person to person and never complained. She is so wonderful. 

Carter and Aunt Norma adoring her. 

Being a big girl and holding her head up. 

Grandpa Harmer was a bit stingy with her all week. I can't blame him.