Three Babies

I love that each of my kids was born in a different place--Zara in Seoul, Korea, Adelaide in Provo, Utah (sorry, Adelaide), and Benjamin in Atlanta, Georgia. Aside from the fact that it shows how frequently we move, it's also another reminder of their differences and unique personalities.

I also find it interesting how I've come to know my children. With Zara, I had very distinct impressions of who she was before she was even born. I knew she would be stubborn. I knew she would be very active. (She canNOT sit still. And she's such a little dancer.) And I also knew that she would bring a lot of joy to the world. She has such a kind heart and a lot of empathy. She seems to be intuitively attuned to the feelings and moods of others.

I knew absolutely nothing about Adelaide before she born, not even her name. (With both Zara and Benjamin, I was 99% sure of their names in the week before their birth.) She was a complete mystery to me but within two or three days of her birth, I was struck with the sudden and inexplicable knowledge that Adelaide and I would have a very close bond. Adelaide is my little mini-me in looks and temperament and despite her attitude (which she got from me) I find that she rarely pushes my buttons the way Zara does.

Like Adelaide, Benjamin was a largely unknown entity to me. I had the impression before his birth that he was scared to be born and that's why he delayed his arrival. (And yes, he was only 4 days late but those 4 days felt like an eternity.) And yet, three weeks since his birth, Benjamin is still something of an unknown entity to me still but I fall in love with him a little bit more everyday. And as I get to spend more time with him, hopefully I'll come to know him better. I think he may surprise me.

Benjamin's Baby Blessing

We had Benjamin's blessing on Saturday (August 15th) at our home. My parents were in town (my mom has been here for nearly 2 weeks and my dad flew in on Thursday) and by lucky coincidence, my brother and his wife Elisa and daughter Grisette were able to be there too. My brother lives in New Jersey but is attending a work conference in Florida and they were able to stop in Atlanta on their way to Orlando. 

Several members of David's family were able to be there, including lots and lots of cousins. It was a big party. In addition to my dad and brother, David's dad, and two brothers-in-law, Jeremy and Matt, were also able to bless Benjamin. The first counselor in the bishopric, Brother McCreary, was also there to make things official.

David started the blessing by telling Benjamin how grateful we are to have him in our family and that we have been expecting his arrival for some time. He blessed him to be filled with optimism and hope despite the ever increasing dangers of the world and to be filled with curiosity and a desire to learn. He also blessed him with patience, love and virtue and that he would be a good example to both his sisters and his parents. David also told him to be mindful of those in need and to serve them in any way that he can.

About as good a family photo as we're every likely to get.

 David and Benjamin after the blessing.

 Sweet sleeping baby.

David's mom and dad with Benjamin.

Such a handsome boy.

After the blessing, we had a big dinner and the kids played and played and played while the adults chatted. Benjamin had an exciting day yesterday and didn't get many naps so he ended up sleeping straight through the night, bless him. He's more than made up for it today with lots of extra feedings and mini naps. We just love this little boy.

Zara's First Day of Kindergarten

Georgia starts school really early and before I knew it, it was time for Zara to start her first day of kindergarten.  I'd bought all her uniforms and school supplies before Benjamin was born and we were all prepared for the day to come. Still,  I wish we'd had a little bit more summer to enjoy together.

So far, Zara has been a little uncertain about school. She's often unhappy about having to go in the morning, but when I pick her up in the afternoon, she always says she had a good time. She seems to like her teacher (Ms. Welch) and I have had positive interactions with her so I'm optimistic that she'll have a good year. I do worry about her making friends and being challenged enough. But I'm hoping that with a small class of just 13 students that she'll get a little bit more individualized attention and help.