Bettylou Newborn Pictures

Baby Bettylou

One week old newborn pics by Mary Clark Photography

http://photographybydmc.com

My baby my baby!!

Baby Lou, 7 weeks and Hello my House!

We've been listening to lots of Lou Reed around here lately.  Bettylou is called alternately Betty, LouLou, BL, Beelzebub, and BOB.  Although officially her name is Betty Lou, we usually write it Bettylou. Whatevs. A rose by any other.

One of my arms, the other is Jude I think.

This little rosebud had some major weight gain problems in her first month.  By the end of month one she had not regained her birthweight.  Cause you know, having four kids wasn't enough, I had to have feeding problems.  She was nursing, I was pumping, she seemed satisfied but she just wasn't growing.  My doctor determined that my milk was low calorie.  Apparently I make fat free milk.  So we had to go to the doctor a lot for weight checks and our doctor happened to be in my old neighborhood.

When BL was two weeks old I was heading to her doctor appointment and drove by the kid's old school.  Across the street was a house for sale. I knew as soon as I saw it God had put that house for sale just for us.  There was our home.  Don't care how many hoops we have to jump through, like meeting a child or a husband you see the place and your heart just says, "Oh, that's mine.  Hello, my house."

Maybe more pictures when we're more settled. 

After three weeks of completely annoying and unnecessarily stressful home buying, we suddenly packed up our house in Utah County and tada! dumped off our stuff in our new house.  Now we are in our forever home.  It is three blocks away from our sewage house and literally across the street from the elementary, I wave the kids to school and can watch them go inside from my porch.  My friends, all the amazing women I've met through neighborhood, school and ward are all just a few streets away.  My kids got into the original programs I planned for them, though they had given up coveted spots (we have all day kindergarten AND pre-K for Silas!). I got my entire life back, just better. Thank you for praying!

Now I've said this before, but here I am again feeling a lot like Job.  All that I lose I regain, but better. I am tried and tried, confirmably more acutely than is generally reasonable, but then my life doubles in perfection in ways I'd never have imagined. Had a good house, lost it, got a better one. Had an eternal husband and family, lost it, got a better one and I get to have my kids 100% of the time.  It's like God just has his foot on the trials accelerator and then lets up all of the sudden.  I'm too nervous to be this happy. I walk around marveling.

Now we are 2/3 moved in and our sweet baby girl is gaining weight.  She just had a growth spurt (7 weeks) and is now transitioning out of the newborn phase and into infant.  She grew out of newborn size diapers last week. 6 weeks in newborn size!  See, that's a little tiny baby.

First smiles and starting to coo!

Oh, and I also started teaching a class at the community college right in the middle of all this.  It's only two days a week and it's a half semester class, but that means I have to leave all my people for four hours in the afternoon.  I love it but it's hard.  I may need to retire.  

7 weeks Bettylou, finally getting some mass.

My life has big highs and big lows, it's exciting but hellish to live through.  Right now I feel like we're cresting, but I hope it's a permanent plateau.  Thankfully we have so many wonderfully supportive people in our lives, including in the blogosphere.

Bubs, age 7.

Oh the Mims.

She has shot straight up the ladder into primo position.  7 year old girls were meant to have little baby sisters.

Mimi is helpful, long suffering and patient, compassionate, and clever.

She can change a diaper on a screaming baby and make a bottle the perfect temperature.  She's fully in charge in the backseat and never panics when BL cries. 

I was fascinated by Mimi's flexibility with Halloween costumes.  At first she wanted to be the indian but when we couldn't find her size she was just as happy to be any other member of the Village People.  Originally she didn't want to do a group costume but then hopped right onboard when I showed her the video of the real dudes.  She was even willing to wear a recycled toddler police costume, just adding a tutu to make it a female police officer. With a mustache.

As Bettylou has gotten stronger and more durable Mimi has taken on more responsibility with her.  She loves feeling like the little mama, but she's realistic.  Tonight she said, "Mama, I'm not ready to have Bettylou in my room.  I'm tired and I don't want to get up all the time when she cries.  I want to read my book, I'm at a really interesting part."

Truer words, my girl.

Mimi is Johnny Cash's number one fan.  She started taking piano lessons a few weeks back and has been learning Cash songs exclusively.  The other day she and Hush had a jam session with her singing right at the correct rhythm to Hush's guitar playing.

Mimi is also back at her old school.  She feels like a celebrity and has transitioned really confidently, as per usual.

This girl is doing great, that is for sure.  So glad to have my little interesting sidekick.

Silas, age 4+

Well, Silas. Your four year command of the throne has ended.  And you're not letting it go without a fight.

Personality these days: snarly, sneaky-sweet, busy, larger than life.

Baby interest: high.  Silas loves to hold Bettylou and jam her pacifier in her mouth.  His favorite position in the car is next to her -- head in her car seat, fingers in her face, sticky mouth in her clean hair.  All out of love, of course.

Hiking around with Grandpa, Hush and Jude.

Si wants to be involved with everything and wants to touch everybody.  Hands not to himself.  He has lots of love to give and I make special time to hold him and coo at him and make him feel important.

"There's always room for you" is my daily phrase.  Having a baby around does not mean there isn't room or time for tiny baby Silas.  But this picture shows his problem solving technique: look innocent while you smack someone in the face (and yes, that face was teasing him.) My expression here is also very real life.  Protect baby, pay attention to Silas, scold Mimi, make sure Jude (taking picture) gets his irritated tummy looked at.  I was superwoman that day.

More of Silas showing signs of wear and tear.  He's under the backpack on the right, face first on the public chair.

But, man, he sure is cute.  We'd been watching Village People videos and Silas initially wanted to be the cop. But upon learning that we already OWNED a cop costume he switched to the army guy. We already had that costume too! So then Si described the all white costume with the funny hat, and I figured out he wanted to be a sailor. When was the last time a kid asked to be a sailor? All I had to buy was the hat. It was a costume victory!

Jude, age 6

Jude is very interested in manliness and doing man things.  Hush educated him recently about deodorant and then my soft silky skinned boy smelled just like my sweet smelling husband and I was in heaven.

Jude is sporty. This season he's been learning to throw a football and begged Hush to take him to the BYU game. Grandpa Jim came to town and the three of them went to watch that one guy break his leg and the team lose.  But Jude loved every second of it!

Kindergarten is going well for Cubby.  He makes friends easily and is very dedicated to his work. Jude is a deep thinker and has pretty good handwriting for a little boy. 

Jude loves his baby Bob.  He's very gentle with her and likes to take his turn snuggling.

Cub's a big helper. He's capable and when asked to do any chore he just does it quickly and runs off to play. 

Family hike in Lehi, enjoying the October colors.  I like Utah and it surprises me every day that I do.

Cub and his babe.

Jude started all day kindergarten at his new old school and he's doing great.  He walks to school with Mimi and Silas; they all start at the same time.  He sees all his pre-k buddies during recess and has transitioned to the new class easily.  Since the kids transfered schools mid-year I sent them with plants to butter up their teachers.  It's a lot of work integrating extra students.

Jude's costume choice was the impetus behind our Halloween group costume.  When your kid demands to be a gay icon you make it happen.  He's a motorcycle man with sweet tattoos, Mimi is a police woman, Silas is a sailor, BL is an indian, I'm a construction worker and Hush is a cowboy.