Playing Catch UP

If I didn't wait so long to post on my blog I wouldn't have so much to post about.:)  So here we go:



 End of Summer Fun


I forgot to put some pictures up of some of the things that happened the end of summer.  Our girls took swim lessons again and have improved quite a bit.  I had just had Gordon and so I was not able to attend any of their lessons, but with the help of Daddy and Grandma Ann and Melodee, the girls had a lot of support.  I think they had a great time.  They LOVE the water.  Also, while Momma Sharp and Melodee were here they took the girls to the beach.  Mike took the girls to the circus as well as the ward campout and zoo.  I am looking forward to when I am better able to participate in all of these fun activities with my family:)

 Gordon's Blessing Day


We were so blessed to be able to have my Mom as well as my Dad and Dorothy come out to visit us and celebrate Gordon's special day.  My Dad was kind enough to bring my mom and she was kind enough to brave discomfort and make the trip.  We felt so loved.  The best part was that my kids got the opportunity to spend time with their grandparents.  When we only get to see family about once a year the kids grow up so fast.  We wish circumstances allowed us to get home more, but it's getting harder with the more kids we have.  We'll be heading home to Utah for Thanksgiving.  We're excited, but apprehensive of how the drive will go.  Wish us luck.:)  So the blessing day was nice.  Mike was super nervous because he had co-workers as well as neighbors that we had invited and not only was her performing the blessing, but he was conducting and would be bearing his testimony first, etc.  Only a couple people ended up being able to come, but we sure appreciated to support.  Gordon was given a beautiful blessing by his father and I'm so thankful for the way Mike honors his priesthood.  He takes his responsibilities seriously and truly wants to follow the Lord's will.  My Aunt Nona lent us the super cute baby blessing outfit/tux.  My little charmer was so cute in it.  Oh, he just melts my heart he's such a cutie patootie.:)  The weekend went well until it was time for the grandparents to head home.  Because of flooding in Nevada and southern Utah they had a difficult time finding a way back home.  Luckily the roads cleared up and they were able to continue on their way after waiting a night in Las Vegas.

 Adventures in Feeding

So Gordon has continued to struggle with nursing and I am SO tired of being tied to the house for prolonged periods of time.  My process usually involves trying to nurse, if he doesn't nurse well then I feed him the bottle of milk I had pumped out previously and then I will pump after that for the next feeding.  Last weekend I thought we had turned a corner.  He began to nurse REALLY well.  I could tell he was getting a lot of milk and so I only ended up supplementing him with a bottle once feeding that day.  Unfortunately the next day was Sunday and because of our time schedule and my needing to teach in Young Women's he was given a bottle in the middle of the day and decided he would refuse to nurse after that.  Stubborn kiddo.  So for every step forward we go back a bit.  He is getting a little better again, but I think it just depends on his mood for the day.  He is sure a happier boy when he doesn't take the bottle.  I think it just comes out too fast and gives him a tummy ache.  Oh the joys of nursing.  So, hopefully things will continue to improve so I won't be going through my pumping process while on our trip to Utah.  Fun stuff

Our little Kindergartner


I really struggled with the thought of sending Emma off to public school.  We really don't have any charter school options and although I considered home schooling her I knew with the new baby that it just wasn't in the cards right now.  I worried about how she would react in a school setting with new rules and most of all the extra stimulation that multiple young kids would provide her.  She tends to become very overstimulated at church and has a hard time with impulse control.  So before school started I talked with her teacher to make her aware of Emma and her needs.  I really wanted the teacher to know I would be involved in any way possible.  I just wanted Emma to succeed.  So, the first day of school came and Emma was SO excited.  She had a hard time sleeping the night before and woke up super early, got dressed and was ready to go by 6:00.  School doesn't start until 8:00.  For different reasons we ended up deciding to send Emma on the bus (that's a story for another day)  Anyway we put our little girl on the bus and then followed it over to the school.:)   We watched her at the playground and just couldn't believe our little baby was so grown up.  Well, it has been a month and half now and Emma is doing so well.  She has had zero problems and I am just so thankful.  She is learning to read and her teacher called yesterday to let me know how well she is doing and to let me know what a joy she is to have in her class.  I'm so thankful that the structure of school is helping her instead of hindering.  Her teacher seems wonderful, and it is fun to see her loving school and learning.  (Hopefully it will continue). Emma also lost her first tooth and has 2 more loose ones.  She just won't stop growing up.

The terrible 3's

So while Emma is thriving Vivian has begun to have a harder time.  She has always been a very sensitive child, but she is just really struggling right now.  I'm sure all the changes have not helped.  She is wonderful with Gordon and really likes helping out with him.  I think Emma being away all day is hard. She is used to Emma being her best playmate, and it is harder without her here perhaps.  Vivian and I have begun our preschool co-op again.  I taught last week and it was fun getting back into it.  Vivian really enjoys it and it is good for both of us.  Thankfully Gordon slept most of the time so it was easy.  So, anyway Vivian used to be a great sleeper and is now having a harder time sleeping, she has meltdowns ALL DAY long.  She doesn't like being told No, and if you tell her to say "Sorry" she will just close off and start to cry.  I'm seriously starting to get a little concerned that this is not just normal 3 year old behavior.  The problem is that she doesn't know how to calm herself down.  If she is ever upset about anything she has to have her special "monkey baby" to help her.  Poor thing is just in knots all the time.  Any suggestions would be welcome.  It has been nice to have more one on one time to go to the park, but she probably loses a lot of my attention to her brother when we are at home.  She has become obsessed with "Daniel Tigers Neighborhood" which is another cause of meltdowns when she is not allowed to watch it 24/7.  Oh silly, yet sweet kid.

Trip to LA

This past weekend we took a quick trip down to the temple.  We had a family in our ward who were getting sealed and I was in serious need of just getting out of Bakersfield.  It was our first "long" trip with Gordon.  It was so nice being down there.  While Mike was in the sealing I took to kids with me and we were able to go to the visitors center and walk around the temple.  We finally got a photo of all 4 of us.:)  After Mike took the girls on a pony and train ride.  It was a fun day as a family.  (Photos of said pony ride to come)

Ch...Ch...Ch...Changes

So the past 5 weeks have brought about some new changes in the Sharp home.  Obviously adding another child to the mix has brought about it's own set of challenges.  Gordon is a pretty funny kid.  We are still trying to work with him on nursing, but I am currently mostly pumping and feeding him the bottle.  We've been to lactation consultants and are in the process of having his tongue checked for a posterior tongue tie.  We have been managing, but it gets pretty tiring in the middle of the night.  Mike has been a great help and I appreciate his waking up with the girls and getting them breakfast and doing the dishes while I catch up on a few extra minutes of sleep.  Gordon is beginning to smile more and he sure loves his sisters.  Vivian can't get enough of him and is like a little momma.  She knows his routine and wants to make sure we are sticking with it.:)

Another change is that of Emma starting school.  We really didn't want to send her on the bus, but after weighing our options decided it would be the easiest and safest option all around for her.  It was so sad the first day seeing our little girl leave us.  We followed the bus to the school and met her at the playground.  She was having so much fun and it was so surreal.  We just looked at each other wondering when she grew up.  She seems to be really enjoying herself and doing well.  Hopefully that will continue.  She's been really funny about learning the names of the new kids.  She has made a new friend, Sophia and just told us last night about the "naughty princesses" as she called them.  She calls them the naughty princesses because they like to play princess and won't let her play with them.  Oh man did that bring out the mamma bear in me.  As a parent to sure want to shield your kids from rejection and unkindness.  I hope that she can be resilient because she is such a sweet and friendly child.

 


Vivian is going through her own new stages.  She is becoming more independent and defiant.  She cries when she doesn't get exactly what she wants and she LOVES to tell her mom NO!  Oh boy do we have a little diva.  Sweet as a button, but she is just testing her boundaries right now.  Luckily she has been really good with Gordon so that helps.  We are also trying to get her "piping" more "regulated".  She has had constipation her whole life going at least a week at a time without having a bowel movement.  This then makes it more difficult for her to want to eat and the problem continues.  She is on stool softeners and we are changing her diet.  Hopefully things will continue to improve.

I just got a new calling.  I am going to be serving as a young womens advisor.  I am so excited.  The Young Womens organization is the only one I have yet to serve in and I love the women I will be serving with.  Yay!

With all of these changes we have been blessed with the help and support of friends and neighbors and we are starting to find our new "normal".  We are thankful for our children and the experiences we are having.  There is much to be grateful for.

Sure love this cute family of mine