A Child's Life Story

While I am pregnant and making lists of what baby items I MUST purchase, a beautiful journal is always on that list.

Long ago I thought it would be wonderful to record my children's earliest events in life. I wanted to remember how they grew, what they accomplished and more importantly that I loved them. I have a fear that if something were to happen to me, that since my children are so young that they would not remember me. If they were to remember or read one thing about me I want it to be that their mother loved them more than they could imagine.

I love being able to sit down a few times a month and record various things. The cute things that Livy is saying for example. She has told me on a few occasions that I look scary like Captain Hook! Or recording special events like Lucy's Blessing this past Sunday.

I love writing. I do not say that I am proficient in it as you can tell from my blog entries, but there is something soothing about writing about life. On especially hard days I find it therapeutic to write. On days when I am struggling, I love looking back on all the wonderful things I have been blessed with. During happy periods it's a joy to record a day's beauty.

My hope is that my children will love to write as well. As with many things in life, I am their example and I hope they see me and appreciate what I do. If not, they will at least have a history of their early life and if they feel so inclined they can read about me and my life story. (I have at least 15 journals from over the years and several typed journals on the computer.)

Blessing Day

Today was Lucy's Blessing Day!

For those who don't know, an LDS or Mormon Blessing is similar to a Christening except we do not baptize the baby. Here is a good description of this special event:

"BLESSING OF CHILDREN. When babies are just a few weeks old, they are usually given a priesthood blessing for the special purpose of conferring a name by which the baby will be known and bestowing promises based on spiritual impressions regarding the baby's future life. A quality of prophecy attends this process. If a baby's father is a worthy holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood, he will usually pronounce the blessing, but it may be given by a grandfather, a family friend, or any other qualified priesthood holder chosen by the baby's parents. Babies are usually blessed in the presence of the congregation at a fast and testimony meeting. However, the blessing may be given at other times and places, such as in a hospital or home, if there is a special need."

A lot can go into planning a Baby Blessing. The first thing is finding the perfect dress. My mom is very talented and I asked her to crochet a blessing dress for Lucy. Come to find out, she had something else in store. She was able to purchase for me an antique Christening gown from England. It is roughly 150 years old. For those who don't know me, this was the perfect dress for my baby. Long ago I had imagined my life with children and I always wanted a vintage dress!

The next thing in planning a Baby Blessing is deciding on the food to serve at the party afterwards. We decided soup was the perfect answer and for months we have been making and sampling soups trying to pick the perfect ones. We decided on a Zuppa Toscana (a recipe similar to what the Olive Garden serves) and Lion House Chili. We also served rolls, funeral potatoes (a typical side dish served at many Mormon events not just funerals), a meat/cheese/cracker tray and for dessert an Italian Creme Cake and a Boston Cream Pie. It was all delicious!

One of the best things about a Baby Blessing is being able to visit. I am very grateful to the friends and family members who were able to make it. I appreciate their love and support on this special day for my new baby!

Lucy 2 Months

I can hardly believe that Lucy is 2 months! In a way it feels like I've had her for months and I have to remind myself that she is still rather new.

At her Well-Baby appointment on Monday she was:

Length: 23 inches 75 percentile

Weight: 10 lbs 2 oz 25 percentile

Lucy is a very sensitive child. She feels that she needs to be near me at all times. I love that she wants to be close but makes it difficult to get much done.

I love her coos and lengthy "conversations" especially while I'm changing her diaper.

She loves bath time, infant massages, big sister Livy, and Daddy.

How about an Apricot Massage by the fire?

Don't you just love a good massage? How about one in front of a fire given by someone you love? I love indulging my babies with just that, a soothing infant massage after bath time.

After I had Livy, I was determined to try new things. In a way I wanted to feel that I gave every possible thing to my children. Not material things, but rather experiences for growth and bonding.

Infant massage was a fairly new concept to me. I don't remember when I first heard of it. I do remember being intrigued by the class description as I was searching for childbirth classes offered by the hospital. I knew that once Livy was born I simply had to take that class.

After a 2-day class I had a better understanding of infant massage, the benefits and technique. It was something that I did frequently with Livy and I am excited to be doing it again with Lucy.
Giving these massages is the perfect end to the day. It gives us both a chance to relax and bond with each other. I love being able to look into her calm eyes and tell her I love you through touch!

I recommend Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents. This was the book given to us at the class. It has detailed pictures showing the different hand moves, strokes and techniques.