"Turn Around" - Mary is 3

You know the song....

"Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Where are you going, my baby, my own?
Turn around and you're two,
Turn around and you're four,
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door."

It's just crazy when you think about it sometimes.  Mary turned 3 in October.  We had a small pizza party for her with a few family and friends. 

It seems ages ago when SHE was the infant that I was nursing.  And yet, it was only three years ago.  So much has happened in those three years.  I have this little person now.  She's exuberant and beautiful.  She's smart and charming.  She's sweet and sassy and funny and fun. 

I love her so much.  I hope I can be everything I need to be so that she can be happy. 

Since Jonathan has been born, things have changed some....  Initially I - all of a sudden -  expected more from her.  I expected her to be able to dress herself for instance.  And I realized that she still needed my help and that I couldn't just expect things to change overnight..... 

She has taken to being a big sister rather well.  Of course we have times when she isn't perfect -But she is 3!  She really loves Jonathan.  She tries to help with him.  She sings to him, hugs and kisses him, and plays with him. 

I feel divided.  And I don't really like that feeling.  I don't like having to wake up Jonathan so I can take Mary to an outing.  I don't like not being able to attend to Mary so I can go nurse Jonathan.  I sometimes feel like I have to take something from one to give something to the other.  As I'm writing this, I'm realizing how badly I've felt about that....

BUT, one of the reasons I wanted to have another child was so that Mary would learn that the universe doesn't always revolve around her.  And too, it is good for her to fend for herself a bit.  And truth be told, I don't think she has ever felt badly about it.  She has always been independent - able to play on her own and entertain herself.  So I guess that is good.

My biggest challenge that I have with Mary right now is getting her dressed every day.  She almost never willingly does it.  I've tried several things from time-outs (and spankings - which as you probably remember are not what I like to do.... they kind of go against my parenting philosophy) to rewards, to timers, to letting her pick what to wear.... Nothing has really done the trick.  But I'm just going to keep trying.  I hope I'm being a good parent.  I hope that all this is normal and that as she gets older, these things will get better.

In the mean-time, I'm hoping I can focus on how truly wonderful she is and enjoy every second with her and relish it.  Because one day she'll be all grown up and I won't get to be with her as much. 

"Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Little dirndls and petticoats, my baby my own?
Turn around and you're tiny,
Turn around and you're grown,
Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own."

I love you my Dear, Sweet Mary Pie!  I love being your Momma!!!

Mary about 3 months old

Mary around 9 months old

Mary 1 year old

Mary 2 years old

Mary on her 3rd birthday this past October.

Mary with one of her birthday presents - matching outfits with her dolly.

Mary's Official 3 Years Old Photo

A pic my friend Sara took - more about this session later.  But here Mary is in her long ballet tutu dress up she got for Christmas.  Doesn't she look like an angel?

Happy 3rd Birthday Mary!!!

Hannah Gets Married!

I wanted to be sure to report about an important Murray family event that happened in October.  My oldest niece got married on Mary's birthday (Mary was a flower girl) in October to a great guy named Joseph Cammack.  (We now have three different Joseph's - two on the Murray side and one on the Sullins side- in our family!)  It was a whirlwind romance - they just met in the spring.  But they were oh so in love - it was a joy just to see that young uninhibited love oozing from them. 

My baby sister Catherine's wedding was just last year, so it felt kind of funny already having a wedding for my niece.  I guess depending on when they start having children - I could be a great aunt soon!  That's a VERY scary thought!

Anyway, it was a beautiful Colorado day - warm and full of Autumn .  The temple ceremony (Denver temple) was really beautiful (my life-long friend Sara saved me and came to watch Mary and Jonathan so Jeff and I could both go in).  Howard (her other Grandpa) performed the ceremony - he also performed me and Jeff's and I think it may have taken place in the same room that Jeff and I had ours.  Hannah looked so... BEAUTIFUL of course... but just fresh and full of love and light and virtue and youth.  It was just like something out of a movie... or book ... or Heaven?  Weddings are a natural time to pause and reflect and I found myself doing that a lot throughout the day.

Of course Ivan- my brother, and Beckie- my sister and her family came out as well as my 89 year old grandma - Iola. 

A couple of days before, I threw Hannah a shower -though really I had so much help from Beckie and my Mom that I don't know if I can really take the credit.  We had some yummy food (Beckie provided as as much as me) and Pink Berry Frozen yogurt - Hannah's favorite (and mine and Jennifer's and Emma's) frozen yogurt.  We had three pretzel rods dipped in various chocolates and dips for party favors - made by my Mom and Beckie and my Mom brought some balloons for decor.  We had a lot of people here and we had a great time.  We had a few activities - the Newly wed game - where you ask the bride the same questions that you've previously asked the groom and then we all went around to give advice and of course we opened GIFTS!  I really had fun - which is saying something when you are the hostess - because normally you have to just worry about everything coming together.

The pretzels (and adorable Sheri Anna) before getting packaged up:

What was left of the food - minus the veggie pizza that I didn't get out in time.  : )  (A couple dips, pumpkin bread, fruit pizza, double tomato bruschetta, and the yogurt on the end.

Anyway.... here are some pics now from the wedding.  (And FYI all photos of this post are courtesy of Beckie, because I lamely didn't take ANY of the shower or wedding!).

I had to include this picture of Emma who was is becoming so gorgeous she almost took the spotlight away from the bride.  Of course Eve and Sterling are beautiful too.

I found myself thinking a lot about what Jennifer must be feeling to have her daughter grown up and married. I can't even imagine what that day will be like with Mary.

 ....All because two people fell in love.  I love this pic of my happily married parents.

Mary loved the caramel apple station.

 Look at these two!  I love their smiles!!!

 I love this pic of Jennifer and Scott - parents of the bride!

Dancing!  Joe and Eve.

Mr. and Mrs. Cammack..... and Sheri Anna.  : )

Me holding Beckie's new baby (did I mention that????) - another cousin Jonathan's age named Christian.

Friend Christina (she looked so stunning that night) holding Christian too.

Me stealing a smooch from delicious Jonathan.  Who does he look like here???

Big Brother Sterling kisses Christian too.  I love this pic!

As I finish this post, it reminds me of what a great family we have - how much we love each other - how important each member is - how we are all sealed for eternity together.

Best wishes Hannah and Joseph!  May your love get deeper with each sunrise.

An Insecurity Revealed AND Stephanie and Sigmund

So.... I am about to reveal something about myself that is a bit....um ... revealing.  : )

We all have insecurities right?  Well one of mine - that sort of developed late in highschool  - was that I didn't feel very smart. 

This insecurity developed when I took the ACT and didn't do very well. (I think I did pretty well on the SAT however).  This affected my self esteem - but worse for me at the time was I wasn't accepted into BYU.  I had always heard my Mom talk about how wonderful a time she had at BYU.  And I had always imagined going there.  And of course, that was the best option for a college bound Mormon (at least that is what many of us grew up believing).  It was a dream that was lost.

I'm okay with all that now.  Truly.  I don't believe I was meant to go to BYU.  And I LOVED my experience at CSU.  And I realize that the test scores had a lot to do with the fact that I just never really figured out how to take tests.  I've never been very good at them.  I don't know how to study for them....Actually some tests I have done very well at.  But anything where I had to study a massive amount of text and then have a multiple choice test, I wasn't too good at. 

Also, I don't come from a very academic family - which doesn't mean my parents didn't care about education or school work.  They absolutely did.  But we valued other things.... hard work and our religion and developing our talents.  I know now that my not testing well doesn't mean that I'm not smart.  We just focused on different things.  And too....I feel like I am smart enough to have been successful in life.  I've always succeeded in my endeavors and often risen to the top.  I've been able to get along with people.  And I have a Bachelor degree from a university.  A fellow choir member of mine told me that she thought I was smart because I was funny and always coming up with a quick quib.  So... I am okay now.  I know I'm not the smartest.  But I DO know that I'm not dumb.  And I'm happy and grateful with so many of the other gifts God has given to me. 

One more point is that I've often heard that actually the smartest people in life are NOT usually the most successful people -that the B students often fare better in the world.  I've always found that interesting.  It is the more well-rounded individual - the one who knows how to get along with others - and work hard - that does the best in the long run. 

Still, I wish I was smarter.  I am in awe of contestants on Jeopardy.  Seriously, how do they know so much???  I don't know if I'll ever know.  I wish I was more knowledgeable in so many subjects.... history, geography, science, vocabulary....  Hopefully each year that I live I will learn more and more. 

But here is why I'm writing this post....

My sister's sister-in-law - her name is Stephanie - is one of these really smart people.  Her and her husband went to the Colorado school of Mines for crying out loud.  And she has some engineering degree I think.  She has a little boy - not quite a year younger than Mary.  And I thought it would be good to get to know her and see how smart people do things.  At a birthday celebration for my sister this past summer, I asked her if she'd like to get together with our kids and I could see how she approached teaching her son.  She agreed and ever since about August I think, we've been hanging out about once a week doing lots of fun outings. 

So.... I wanted to share some of the things that we've done with them.  It has been good for me to see how "smart people" do things.  But more than that, it has just been fun to get to know them and take advantage of many of the fun things there are to do in Denver. 

Here are some pictures from the various outings we've had:

The Zoo
Stephanie is a member at the zoo and so always gets me in for free.  Prior to Mary turning three, I didn't have to pay a thing!  Nice!  She always brings this fun wagon for the kids to sit in and Mary loves being pushed around in it.

The Museum
We had a great time at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science - especially the little kids section.  Here is Sigmund.  Isn't he adorable?

The Botanic Gardens
I've always loved the Botanic Gardens.  And Mary's favorite thing was feeding the fish and turtles and eating a popsicle from the popsicle stand.

The Berry Patch Farms
I have always LOVED Berry Patch Farms and this year was no different.  Boy! Were those strawberries and raspberries delicious!  And there are so many fun animals too.

 Check out those golden raspberries!

Miller Farms
This place was really cool.  You go and pay an entrance fee and then they drive you to different areas to pick as much produce as you can carry!  We picked broccoli, corn, potatoes, squash, pumpkins, onions, and more!  But it was really cold the day we went and I didn't pack enough gear.  Mary was miserable and crying by the end.  Poor baby.  It wasn't my best parenting moment for sure.  Mike (Stephanie's hubby) joined us on this day.  Actually, they let us crash their family outing.  : )

The Pumpkin Patch
What was fun about the pumpkin patch wasn't so much the patch itself as was the blow up slide and bouncy houses.  Mary never had taken to the big slides before this outing, but this day she didn't want to leave.  We had fun.  And I must give a shout out to Stephanie for helping me out so much on all these outings.  Often she will take Mary under her wing if I have to nurse Jonathan.

Wild Life Experience

We had a great time at the Wild Life Experience too!  Mary did however throw a fairly memorable fit that day.  She didn't want to leave the slide where you slide like a penguin.  Even Jonathan joined in on the fun!

The Aquarium

What's not to love about the aquarium really?  

 Jonathan was intrigued too.

Hammond's Candy Factory

This was a fun activity to do at Christmastime.  The tour is actually kinda lame.  But the candy makes up for it!

Swimming!
Mary went down the big slide this time and had a blast of course!

So now you can see why I've been so busy the past several months!  We've been having a great time and now we have some great new friends!