Mimi's Baptism

My dear darling Mimi was baptized in February.  She had the most beautiful day and we appreciate everybody who came to support her!

Photos by Jessica Peterson.

Jude handing out programs.

Kids singing.

Menfolk confirming her a member of the church. Hush, Calvin, Jake Brom who happened to be in town, Nathan, Jim, I can't see who else.  Mimi thoughtfully went around to all of the grown men in the congregation and asked them to be in the circle if they were available.  Houdini also showed up but I didn't get a picture of them together. Actually I was waiting for the pictures from the primary to publish this post but I haven't seen them yet.  The primary did an excellent job putting the whole thing together.

8 and CTR cookies

Me and Nate on my baptism day.

Mimi and Jude on hers.

Anna gave the most wonderful talk on Baptism that involved smashing a plate with a hammer and magically making it whole. Jessica spoke on the Holy Ghost and did an excellent job.  I'm grateful to have adopted Utah family who support us!

Then we went skiing! Robert, Rebekah and Jim and I went.

First day skiing with my girl. Turns out skiing IS fun when you do it with your kid.

Don't let the teddy bear hat fool you, Robert and Rebekah are hardcore.

This is how I was feeling that week having a kid get baptized. It was an intense week. Lots of feelings. 

Family Sealing, Jan 17, 2015

On the way to the temple, all the kids in the back.

Hair by Ms. Kenzie Pehrson

 The only picture we got on the way out because NOBODY waited for us.

I waited 34 years for this and none of you could wait twenty minutes?
About the dress:
Temple standards are such that you must have your arms covered down to the wrist and a very conservative neckline.  Short of wearing a turtleneck it's really hard to find something suitable that is also worthy of having a picture taken.  Here's my solution.  I bought a dress at Free People (overpriced store, especially when you have to wear three layers to compensate for the translucence of all of their clothing).  Then I had a seamstress rip the sleeves off of a dress shirt I already owned and sew them on.  Last I added two or three lacy slips.  Now the dress is my temple dress.

E got a few shots when we walked by her car.  

 And now for the main event!  The Jessica Peterson Photography family shots!

January 17, 2015 Jude 6, Betty Lou 4 months, Mimi 7, Silas 5.

The buddies

BL and Si are buddies.  They spend a lot of time together because Si only goes to a few hours of pre-K so the three of us tool around together much of the time.  Though he's only five he knows how to make the baby happy in the car and wherever she is.  He's the first line of relief for whatever his baby needs.

Always beaming over her shoulder.

Always getting in her space, making sure she's entertained.

 Snuggling her and talking to her all day.

 Sharing his germy germs.

Keeps an arm under her making sure she doesn't tip over.

Protecting her from all the other kids and making sure she has fun.

And most recently snuggling LouLou in her crib whenever he can sneak in there.

There is little more rewarding than your children treating each other with loving concern.  I think the bond they're creating while they're little will serve them well when Silas is a senior in high school looking out for his little sister.

Aloha 2015

Our trip to Hawaii started out rough.

LouLou, 4 months had a wheezing cough that required two urgent care and two ER visits before they admitted her. 

Poor babe had RSV. They treated her occasionally with albuterol type treatments that didn't work very well.  She was doing ok Sunday morning so he hopped on our flight. 

Mimi and Jude, seasoned travelers, see great value in following along with the safety demonstration.

As soon as we landed in humid Hawaii Baby Lou was wheezing in a scary way. Mimi and I drove straight to the hospital with Mim on assignment to not take her eyes off the baby and alert me immediately if she stops breathing.  The first hospital we found was the Kapiolani Children's Hospital and I ran that baby in, said the magic words "my 4 month old is having trouble breathing" and within seconds we were surrounded by excellent doctors.

And here is the saddest picture ever of BL getting a chest x-ray. RSV and bronchiolitis. I can't spell that.

She got a little oxygen cannula just like her namesake Grandma Betty.

Hush's plane landed and he took a cab to the hospital and stayed with that baby every second.  He even held her in the wheelchair as they took her upstairs to her room.

And here's where we spent the first three days of our vacation.  Thank heavens Pam and Jim were there and could tend to the three other children. Hush and I were on full baby duty, which did not make sleeping easy. We had one tiny cot and a baby waking up every hour. Finally I just crawled into her little baby cage with her and held her in my arms as we went in and out of sleep.  At one point a nurse came in and said, "You can't sleep there." To which I replied, "I am."

Tiniest hospital gown ever (I stole it) and a pink oxy monitor.

Sad baby cage.  Every so often the oxy levels would drop to below 88 and people would run in while I secured her oxygen mask (before I secured my own ;)

But LouLou wasn't mad at all. The nurses nicknamed her "The Happy Weezer" and fawned over her because she is so fair and they see a lot of darker toned babies. Or perhaps just because we were out of Utah and babies are more novel. But really it's because she's the most adorable and charming baby who ever lived, in my humble and unbiased opinion.

On the third day we finally left Lou for a few hours with a nurse we trusted and liked a lot so that we could meet Pam and the kids at Pearl Harbor. I love that place.  Has it always been free? I remember it being expensive.

Many thanks to Pam and Jim for their help and support during this trip. If not for them I would have packed people on the next flight home (with some sort of breathing apparatus) and given up.

When she was finally released the petridish of children were thrilled to see and love her. They'd been so worried!

Finally our vacation began.  We had excellent weather the whole trip.

Hush created a live art installation on the beach.

One day in the sun and the children look like natives.

Doing the matrix or the Michael Jackson in Smooth Criminal lean.

The hardest choice of the day was whether to walk 15 feet to the pool or 50 feet to the beach. Most days we did both.

I celebrated my 34 birthday while we were there. 34 may be the year of filters for me.

Four of my favorites eating my favorite at matsumoto's.

Jude is a born nurturer. He's conscientious and concerned with his little sister.

While we were at Turtle Bay Hush and I scouted the filming locations for Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Yoga class happened right there. This may be the closest I ever get to Russell Brand.

Mostly recovered babe.

Every time I see her nonplussed expression it makes me giggle.

We ran into some Dville friends who hooked us up with half off tickets to the awesome but over priced Polynesian Cultural Center! Aloha from the luau.

Pineapple drinks because hey, we're on our honeymoon. Right?

Honeymoon dance... sealings require dances too.

Jude achieved maximum loungy aloha.

Hush mastered the ukulele in about five minutes so he began Lou's instruction.

Romantical dinner on the beach.

Keiki: 7,6, 5 and 4 months

Brave little Mimi in the tide pools.

This picture was not staged and it shows exactly the dynamic of my kids, when they aren't teasing each other. Mimi presides, the boys trust her questionable leadership.

Me and my baby. I love babies. More more more babies.

I waited 7 years for this day and here is my second little girl wearing her big sister's teeny bikini.  Ahhh, so satisfying.

Ps, I love my baby. I'm obsessed.

Thanks to Pam and Jim, Hush and the kids for making this unusually challenging but nevertheless memorable "vacation" happen!