Happy Birthday to Our Sweet Mary Pie

Today Mary is one year old!!!! Can you believe it? Has it gone by so quickly for you all as well?

She is SUCH a joy. I have loved being her mother and have enjoyed motherhood very much. I pretty much work all day long from the moment I get up to the moment I lay my head down. But it doesn't feel like work.

Mary is sweet and smart and beautiful. I just couldn't be happier with her. She has been a blessing to our home and to our marriage.

Happy Birthday Mary Nicole Sullins!

Pasquini's

So yesterday Mary and I went to Pasquini's with the Robinsons/Murrays to celebrate my sister Jennifer's birthday. It was delicious!

Mary ate her whole body weight in food it seemed. At one point she was sitting on Jennifer's lap and helping herself to the black olives on Jennifer's slice of pizza.
Looks like she takes after her momma on this one. Jeff's family has been stunned on occasion to watch me go through an entire can of black olives. They just don't understand how one could enjoy them so much. And I don't think they understand what they are missing. But anyway . . .

we ordered Mary her very own side of sliced olives.



She also likes to try to pick up things like applesauce - but in yesterday's case - it was the tomato sauce for the breadsticks. We finally gave her a breadstick and showed her what to do and she went in for it with reckless abandon. She loved it and was having so much fun.



We all really enjoyed having Mary as our entertainment for the day.

Oh! And I had to share her new shoes that she got to wear yesterday too!

Funny, Sweet, and Sassy

Funny Mary.


Sweet Mary.


Sassy Mary.


I'm having a ball being her mother. I didn't get much work done yesterday because of it. But I don't regret that. She is such a joy!

Power Struggles

Lately I've been hearing "looks like your entering a new phase" or similar comments as people watch me run after Mary so she won't climb up the steps in Sacrament meeting or as she heads directly for the piano in Relief Society.

Today I felt like we had a few power struggles - Mary and me. I'd try to put her diaper on and she'd use the entire force of her little body to wriggle away from me (I would just let her go buck if I didn't have carpet . . .) or she'd want that pool of lipgloss that she opened and cried when I took it away. All along I've had to do this kind of thing . . .but she seems more determined now to have her way than before.

Here we go . . .

Today I was reminded of something my Mom has reminded us of a lot. Mormons believe that we existed spiritually in Heaven before we came to earth and that during that time, Jesus presented a plan that we would come to earth, get bodies, and be tried and tested and that we would use our agency to make choices for ourselves - whether those choices were good or bad. We also believe that Satan presented a plan that would allow us to come to earth but that our choices would be made for us. We believe that everyone who is on this earth chose Jesus's plan - that we would choose for ourselves and not be forced to do what was right.

So my Mom always says we were born with that will. We fought for that will. And babies do fight for their will! It is a part of our nature - we are born with it.

Is it bad . . .

. . .that I have my credit card number memorized? It really is so much more convenient that way.

"MORE" Milestones

Mary getting a little exercise herself climbing up the stairs this morning before our walk.


Remember this summer when I had a post titled "Milestones and a dead coyote"? (If I knew how to make that into a cool link to my old post I would, but I don't know how to yet. Jeff, wanna show me?) Anyway, in it I mentioned several new things that Mary had done. Well, the past week or so, she seems to be doing so many new things again. For instance . . .

She is signing "more".

The actual sign is with all the fingers touching each other, but this is Mary's version. I will ask her "more?" and she'll sign "more". But I'm not sure if she has figured out that it will actually get her more to sign "more". She has done the sign on her own though without my prompt. Pretty cool eh? I figure, anything to enhance communication is good. I've been reading more about signing lately and while some family members have wondered if it will curb their ability/desire to talk, it apparently really boosts their vocabulary. (BTW, I am pretty sure she has also signed "toilet" many times and possibly "milk" too.)

But speaking of verbalizing, she definately babbles lots. And I know she understands much of what I say. But she does say "nana" whenever it is time to eat. And the other day, we were reading and I pointed to a banana and said "banana" and as clear as day she repeated "nana". She even did it again when I showed Jeff.
Mary also has two more teeth coming in (besides the front four she already has) - one on the top left and one on the bottom right (I think). And she uses them . . . on lots of things!


Mary was sinking her teeth into these delicious pears we ordered recently. She ate that whole thing almost. I had to pry the core out of her fingers.


And today, sadly, she has her first runny nose.
Did I mention she is officially weaned? It happened pretty naturally. And I decided last week that September 30th would be my last day to nurse. But then I was so engourged on Friday I nursed one more time and then once more on Monday. But nothing since. : ) : ( I guess it is a good thing.

She is also balancing more on her own feet without help from holding on to something. She'll be standing on her own in no time at all.

Isn't my little giraffe getting so big?

(and long ; ))???

A Virtuous Woman?

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10

We are all familiar with this scripture right? Last week I read it, but also studied the scriptures following it that define what a virtuous woman is. I was interested to learn that beyond the obvious meaning of "virtuous", there is more to it. And I keep thinking about it, so I thought I'd blog it.

The scriptures following verse 10 mention the following:
Her husband trusts her
she will do him good all the days of her life
she worketh willingly with her hands
she provides food for her household
she shops (at least that is what I think it says)
she is fit
she is prepared
she layeth her hand to the spindle
she helps the needy
she clothes her household
her clothing is silk and purple (not sure what this means, but maybe that we should try to look respectful and not like a "shlumpadink"??? what do you think? ;))
her husband is known in the gates and he sits with the elders of the land
she makes linen - sells it and delivers to the merchant
strength and honor are her clothing
she opens her mouth with wisdom and kindness
she is not idle
her children and husband call her blessed and praise her
and
she fears the Lord.

I kept thinking how the work of a wife and mother makes you do many of these things. I decided a long time ago, that I truly did think there was much importance in making your home a sanctuary from the world and that being a mother was the most important work on earth.

But I can see that I still have much improvement to make before I feel like I am a completely virtuous woman.