4 am

4am
The magic time.
The time when poor colicky Rosalee
FINALLY runs out of gas
{did you catch that cleverness?}
and drifts off to sleep.

But not a minute sooner.

4am
The magic time.
The time when poor tired Jackie
is WAY past pooped out
{am I the only one laughing at my jokes?}
and is allowed to stay asleep.

I just wish 4 am came around 9 pm.

********

To quote the famous Sarager quote:
I can do this.
I love this.

{It was Lincoln's motto in the MTC}

Following Directions

Brigham and I have been working a LOT
on Following Directions.

I find myself saying things like this frequently:
Brigham I need you to put that down.
Stay out of the silverware drawer.
Brigham that's for mommy.
Brigham we need to share.
Brigham put it in your mouth instead of throwing it.

See how well it's going?

Direction:
Brigham, you look so cute laying next to Rosalee, stay there.
I'll get my camera.

Result:

Direction:
Good job! Now take your cup out of your mouth like before.

Result:

Direction:
Thanks Brigham. This time I need you to leave it out
and look at the baby.

Result:

Direction:
Awesome. Try to leave it out longer sweetie.

Result:

Direction: I love it! Now look at the baby!

Result:

Oh! Now she's crying!
Forget it.


He's 2.
She's 5 weeks.
I guess that's all I'm going to get.

Let's embark on a journey together

I have been thinking about my blog book
--that I might one day get around to making--
If I make one for every year, then this would be the first post
of the 2010 supposed blog book.

What do I want that post to say?
It has to be special.

So, welcome to my house.
The House of Sarager.
The 2010 House of Sarager.

The year in which Big Brigham turns 3 (ACK!)
and Little Rosalee turns 1 (WHOA!)

The year in which Lincoln turns 29 (WOW!)
and Jackie 27 (I think. Is that really how old I will be?)

It's going to be a good year for us.
I can feel it.

It already started out special!
Husband and I got to go on a date last night.
Without children.
Because we had a free babysitter.
Dinner and a movie.
Together.
At the same time.
In the same place.
With Lincoln.
And no children.

Doesn't get any better than that!

Look: clothes, makeup, the works!
{in case you skipped the 2009 blog book...I JUST had a baby.}



And, as you can see in the next picture,
JEANS.
As in, PANTS WITHOUT AN ELASTIC WAIST!
{unless you count the rubber band holding the button closed...
I'm close, but not that close}


Other picture highlights include
a Bacon cheese burger with fries
because everything is better with bacon
{hence the rubber band}
a coke
and a french fry stealing-right in the middle of the picture-husband.

Who
let me sleep all morning
while he watched the boy.



And THAT, my friends
is a great start to 2010!

New Years Resolution Tip

I may not have been the best Special Ed Teacher
but I did learn a thing or two during my career.

I have noticed that a lot of people are posting their resolutions
and I just want to share one tip while it is on everyone's mind.

MAKE YOUR GOAL MEASURABLE!

Rather than saying
I am going to be more spiritual
or come closer to God
AND
I am going to get in better shape
or be more healthy

Say
I am going to read scriptures for 20 minutes a day
or I am going to have family and personal prayer daily
AND
I am going to eat 4 fruits/veggies a day
or I am going to exercise 30 minutes 3 times a week


You need a way to measure your progress,
otherwise how will you know what you have accomplished?


As our dear prophet says:
"When performance is measured
performance improves
and when performance is measured and reported
the rate of performance accelerates."

Thomas S. Monson.


And here is an unrelated picture
of my sweet family snuggling with their blankets.
Or BLAY-GICK as Brigham calls it.

girls and boys

Someone once told me that
Girls are harder than boys.

I can't remember who, but I'm starting to believe it.

I guess since I only have one of each
and every baby is different
it's not really a fair comparison.



Babies do four things really well:

Sleep

Cry

Eat

Poop


In the particular case of my baby,
I find myself wishing she would do more of the first
and less of the second
but the fourth keeps causing us problems.


I know I say this all the time,
but it's because I tell myself this all the time:

One day, I'm going to miss this.

And you know what?
I sure am.
She's worth every minute.



Incidentally,
I went for my four week check up
and my doctor told me:
You know how some babies come out looking really gnarly?
Not this one.
She's just perfect.
What a beautiful baby.


HAHA. My doctor said gnarly.
Maybe I'm tired, but that's hilarious.

Christmas Round-up

About a week ago
I decided that it would be so fun
if we pulled out the mattress from our guest bed
into the living room.

That way we could lay in bed
and snuggle while we watched
FA LA LA LA LIFETIME
{which, thanks to DVR
--or no thanks probably for Lincoln--
we are still watching}

Plus,
Brigham could pretend to jump off the couch onto the mattress.
He likes to stand on the couch
yell 1 2 3 GO!
step of the couch
the carefully lay down on the mattress
and laugh and laugh and laugh.

He cracks me up!


Anyway.
After about 4 or 5 days
I FINALLY convinced Lincoln that it was worth the effort.

Which it totally was!

So Christmas morning we opened our presents in bed.
So to speak.



This was, of course,
preceded by a traditional Christmas eve dinner
Shrimp, Soup, Cornbread
and followed by a traditional Christmas dinner
ham, funeral potatoes, veggie tray



Special thanks for all the lovely gifts.
We love them all.
Especially the noisy car that Brigham LOVES.
Love it.
Play with it ALL the time.

I know I have blogged before about my sons propensity to undress himself

But some things need to be documented.

Observe:

One pair of sleeper jams
with the feet cut out
on backwards
with a t-shirt on over.

Because he CAN get the jams off whilst being worn backwards,
unless the t-shirt is on OVER the zipper.

He even does it super quietly, so you think he's sleeping.

And YES, he is
sleep-smiling.

Santa's Elves have come!

My very favorite tradition is to have Santa's elves come.
I think I love it because it's so unique.

Five days before Christmas,
the Elves start to come
and they leave a little present in our stocking each day.

Sunday they brought me this lovely Mary and Joseph Nutcracker set.
I love them.
Yesterday they brought me
A Muppet Christmas Carrol.
Oh boy! That movie rocks my socks.


They sure do know Brigham.
He got a wooden tractor.
I think they shop smart too,
because it looks like the ones I saw in the dollar bin at Target.


Today I need to go check my stocking.
I'm going to do that.
Right now!

Merry Christmas everyone!
Do you have a favorite tradition?

I have changed at least 300 diapers in the last 3 weeks. NOT KIDDING

The other morning
I woke both of my children up
so I could take Rosalee to her 2 weeks check-up.

I made sure to change her diaper before we left.

When we got there I had to take said diaper off to weigh her.
It was super wet, so I put a clean one back on.

Then she pooped.
Must have been that nasty PKU test.
The doctor came in just as I started to change her.

Then she peed mid-change.
All over the table.
{Something that usually only happens to dad.}
Sorry doctor.

Then she spit up all over the place.
A lot.
Several times.
{And in my mind I'm thinking,
"Good thing I got dressed today."
Now my clothes smell like sour milk.}

Then she pooped.
While the doctor was checking her ears.
Lucky for us she had a diaper on that time.
So I changed her AGAIN.

Stuff coming out all over the place!

Usually I wait after a poop to see if more is coming,
but I didn't want the doctor to have to check a pooper, right?

All in all it was
3 diapers while we were there.
Apparently she only does her business in clean diapers.
Plus regurgitated milk on the table, floor, baby, and mom.

Speaking of which.
I'm sitting here typing and feeding.
I JUST changed her
and already she has pooped at least 3 times.
Good thing I waited this time.

Hopefully it's not leaking on my clothes.
Because I got dressed today.
And put make-up on.

I've been doing loads and loads of laundry.


I love being a mom.

So, two week stats.
The nurse measured twice, just to be sure.
I mean, what newborn grows
2.25 inches in 2.5 weeks!
Are you kidding me?
Apparently this one.

Height: 21.25 inches 80%ile
Weight: 8 lbs 3 oz 44%ile
Head: 14.25 inches 54%ile

Reindeer hat pattern

Remember Brigham's cute reindeer hat?
My mom wanted a pattern.
So I'm sharing with all.

I scanned it.
Here it is.
I can email it to you if you would rather.
Let me know.

Trace it on a piece of paper, construction, or his is in foam.
It is slightly larger than a standard piece of paper.
But you could make it fit.
We are loving it.

Super easy.
Super cute.

Puj Tubs: the perfect bath soultion

You know those baby bath tubs?
You know what I'm talking about?

*The kind that sit on the counter and you fill it up?*
*Then they take up a ton of space until you wait to use it next*
*Plus the grow mold while you save it between babies*
{because you live in Houston and everything grows mold}
*The kind that you avoid using whilst you have a newborn with the chord stump*
And once your baby is older you just "family shower"

I HATE those tubs.
Really hate them.

So, when I found out that Puj Tubs was looking for product testers
I jumped at the chance.


Let me just say
I'M IN LOVE.

Seriously.
Snap it up with one hand using the crazy cool magnets.
Drop it in the sink.
Scrub a dub dub.
Hang to dry.
Easy to store.



I used my kitchen sink
that way I could pull the faucet out and wash her down super easy.


Other things I love:

Baby pees in the tub?
No problem.
Easy clean up.
I have practice with that one.

Super soft and comfy for baby.

Bonus: antibacterial and antimicrobial

Don't be fooled by that face.
We both are in love with the Puj Tub.

So, if you are wondering,
here is the answer:

Would I buy one of these if
I needed a baby bathtub?
YES. It would be my first choice.

Would I buy one if I already
had a baby bathtub but HATED it?
Probably.


Check out the Puj Tub for yourself
at the new web site exclusively for baby bath tubs!

Lately we've been

Trying to catch up on our sleep.
I'm one tired mama.

Lincoln took the late shifts over the weekend.
He's one tired papa.

Too tired to think of anything clever to say.

The good news is that I did manage to brush my teeth this morning.
Feeling pretty good about that!

Tomorrow I'm considering getting dressed.

Is it nap time yet?

Reindeer Run

Lincoln participated in the Reindeer Run last weekend.
His first competitive race in 10 years.

I hate to brag...
but...
he SMOKED IT!

He's my amazing Lincoln Sarager Man.

He brought Brigham back this super sweet hat.

Is it weird that I want to take the little tail off that hat
and staple it to his little bum?
Wouldn't that be so festive?

I would duct tape it,
but I learned this morning that Brigham will just
peel off the duct tape and lay in bed naked.
That's what he does with the diaper anyway.



But this post is about Amazing Lincoln.
Isn't my husband amazing!
Love that man!


Daddy's Girl!

Baby, Completely, Wrapped up in you

Well how do I love you
Let me count the ways
There ain't no number high enough
To end this phrase
Baby, completely
Wrapped up in you

Every now and then
When the world
That were living in is crazy
You gladly hold me and carry me through
No one in the world has ever done
What you did for me
And I'd be sad and lonely
If there were no you

How do I love you
Well don't you know
I love you bout as deep
As any love can grow
Baby, completely
Wrapped up in you

Baby, completely
Wrapped up in you


You can watch the Garth Brooks video here.
The beginning is awfully similar to Hello Dolly
if you ask me.

An early milestone

Please take a picture of my car mom


This picture is unrelated to the rest of the post.
It was just funny to me.


********

I packed up my maternity clothes today.

A bit premature?
Probably.
But exciting, nonetheless.

At this point in my life,
I'd rather wear sweatpants than the same old maternity clothes.

Brigham told me it was
AWESOME.


Never-mind that he says that word
at least once ever 4 and 1/2 minutes.

Nothing like a toddler to help you notice what you say a lot.

**************
Speaking of milestones...

Guess who's belly button stump fell off yesterday.

Seems early to me,
but I guess that's how we do it.