Running in Circles

^ Dont mind that middle finger of his- we had a talk about it :) ^

- He loves his mama!

- Hazel can make him laugh the easiest.

- Weighs 15 pounds and 8 oz (50th percentile) and is 24.5 inches long (25th percentile)

- Henry does not like his carseat at all! It's probably because he's not in it all that often, but its guaranteed even a five minute drive will be filled with crying.

- Wears some 3-6 months clothes and some 0-3 still.

- During the day he naps from 9:00-10:15 and 12:00-3:00 and 4:30-5:30. He goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 most nights but is waking up two to three times each night. I usually feed him because then he goes back down so easily, but I've decided it's time to sleep train. He's big enough and just needs to learn to sleep at night now. WISH US LUCK!

- He is a tummy sleeper. At 8 weeks old we noticed he was getting a pretty big flat spot on the back of his head so after getting it evaluated (it was too mild to act on it but the specialist suggested we avoid things with an incline and do more tummy time) I started putting him to sleep on his stomach. He didn't seem to mind or care about the switch at all. He probably only spends an hour or two each day on his back now and the spot has almost completely fixed itself.

- Still wearing size one diapers but he is ready to move up to size two

- Does great in the stroller, loves his binki, and loves being swaddled to sleep.

- this kid is a sweaty sleeper. 

- Henry loves one-on-one attention and being talked to directly. He will give anyone the biggest smiles and has started actually giggling. 

- He can grab toys and hair :) and is starting to put most things straight into his mouth. 

- Isn't rolling over yet, but does baby pushups and can sorta scoot!! Its kinda crazy to watch him bending his knees under his tummy and plow forward but he does it daily!

We just love him!

It feels like its been awhile since I've been to this little blank space of internet. I find myself mentally writing blog posts and things down as were out on walks and I can't remember to sit down and write them out when we get home. But here's my chance.

Some days...

Some days are so good it is overwhelming. I give thanks for my two healthy kids, a supportive and fun husband, our little apartment, a good job, a car that fits all of us, such good friends, and such loving and thoughtful family members. On these days I am extra observant of all the little things that make me happy too- clothes that fit again, watching Hazel act out stories with her animals, listening to her sing "Follow the Prophet," seeing Henry notice me walk by and smile right at me, enough food to keep us full and happy, furniture we like, little house decorations, Henry's long eyelashes, painted nails, and even new shoes. Some days having two kids is a breeze and i just love being home, in our safe and clean home all day with the little people that I love the most.

Some days...

Some days it rains and we cant even get out to go on a walk and I just stare at the walls of our apartment and I can't stand anything we own. Some days we miss out on fun play activities and seeing friends, I get sick of playing with the same toys, or even playing in the same room everyday. Some days I think about just how tired I am from getting up with Henry each and every night and answering each of Hazel's questions. Some days I just really resent not having time to myself, or going to the gym to exercise, or miss teaching Pilates. Some days I miss going to the temple so easily and having more quality time with Brice. Some days I can't help but notice everyone else's vacations they take so often, or the money they seem to have, or the talents that I'm lacking.

I'm thankful for those days where things just don't feel right or I'm just not quite feeling happy enough, because they're almost always followed up by a day where I notice everything good and I can't help but just thank my Heavenly Father all day for everything. I guess the thing that I'm learning is sometimes the bigger life things aren't always going to be right or aren't the way we want them to be (housing, car, relationships, finances, freedoms) but there are so many little things going perfectly and little things that are just right that I really would hate to see them go. 

So some days are good and some days are just the opposite but I am so grateful for each and everyday.

We blessed Henry this last Sunday in our ward here in Dallas.  It was a thoughtful blessing and made me all the more grateful to be living the gospel and to be married to a man who holds the priesthood honorably. We had our home teachers and Ryan Taylor in the blessing circle.

Heavenly Father we come before thee by the power and authority of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood to give this baby a name and a blessing. The name in which he should be known by the records of the church is Henry Brice Johnson. 

At this time Henry we desire to give thee a blessing. We bless you that faith will come easily to you and you will be able to choose the right easily. We bless you that you will be able to see the end from the beginning and for you to understand that this life is just a temporary state and just a time for you to learn and to grow to become more like your Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a great blessing for you Henry to be born in the church and we bless you that you will be able to take advantage of that in your life and apply the blessings and teachings you will learn both for your own benefit and also for all those you come in contact with.

We give you this blessing Henry, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Monday: 7 miles on the treadmill and Insanity

Tuesday: 10 miles in 1:16

Wednesday: 6 miles of.25 intervals and insanity

Thursday: 10 miles and AB workout

Friday: 5 miles of alternating half-mile intervals at a 6:58 pace and circuit exercises

Saturday: 12.5 miles at the lake with a friend in 1:35. this run felt great!

Sunday: rest day

Saturday was my longest run postpartum (3 months) and it felt fast and hard, but good! I'm feeling better only doing insanity twice a week instead of three or four times (that's just too much with running for me)

1. Getting ready for the day makes a huge difference. Sometimes after showering I just skip the hair and make-up part of getting ready and just put on clean workout clothes. The last few weeks though I've been really good about getting myself put together and dressed and it makes a huge difference in my day...even if I am still just at home playing, it makes me feel like me.

2. Sacrifice is hard. I'm ready for a second car. I'm ready for a bigger apartment. I'm ready for more "me" time. I'm ready to teach Pilates again. There's actually a longer list of things I'd love to change or move up with- but living within our means in the big picture is absolutely more important. Of course I'm not the only one that is sacrificing so I hope this doesn't come off to whiny, but the truth is I have to remind myself to see the bigger picture on a daily basis.

3. A want is a want and a need is a need. This is a lesson you can learn over and over in your life. Just because you want something doesn't mean you get it. Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you get it. Just because it's the one thing you think will make you happy doesn't mean you get it. I've learned over and over again that buying things really is just buying things and it doesn't bring any kind of lasting gratification. The comfort of knowing we can get the things we need because were not spending on all of our wants makes me feel much more secure and happy.

4. Being a mom really is empowering. I feel so blessed to have two wonderful children and to be able to stay home everyday with them. I am realizing that I really can be the biggest influence on them and that gives me so much more power than I ever thought I had as a stay at home mom. I've always thought my job was to keep them entertained and learning, keep the house clean and the errands done. But really so much of what Hazel and Henry will learn, emulate, want, and need is influenced by me during the day.

5. Good friends are the best. I feel so grateful to have made such great friends here in Dallas. The kind of friends that are genuinely happy or disappointed for me when I am. The kind of friends that bring by a salad because they just knew i would love it. The kind of friends that offer rides, babysitting, meals, quality time, play-dates, and advice in an instant. 

A friend in the ward had her baby on Wednesday afternoon and that night after i had already fallen asleep a group text had gone out looking to bring them meals. Within 10 minutes and 28 text messages a weeks worth of meals were planned. I was blown away at how quickly everyone offered to serve and am so grateful for their example. This was a learning moment for my testimony.

6 Teaching the gospel to Hazel is coming more naturally than I have anticipated. For some reason i thought teaching the gospel to a toddler was going to be a waste of effort. But I'm amazed as she has learned to pray, repeats scriptures, is memorizing the prophets of the church, and asks the most sincere questions- family home evening, prayer,family scripture study, going to church and nursery all matter, even at two and a half years old.

One night Brice asked Hazel to bring the scriptures over so we could read as a family. She brought them to the couch and opened them upside down and started saying," And it came to pass, those Lamanites were naughty,amen." 

It was sweet and hilarious.