The rest of May

Azure figured out how to play a part of the Backyardigans theme song by ear! She's been taking lessons since Feb every other week and has done quite well. Though, she has fought me and begged to quit her lessons. Oh, the battles with this one! Her teacher is wonderful and comes to our home for lessons. How awesome is that?! I hear her asking Rhonda for more theory homework and then later she'll tell me she wants to quit. It's been interesting helping her understand her own feelings. She has been very bi-polar about it. She's also told me that she wants to play in Sacrament meeting and then the next day she said she wants to stop taking lessons when she turns 6 (this was before her bday). Any insight? Oh, and this is a little after she got her summer haircut by our great friend Kate.

One Saturday we decided to be tourists and explore downtown since it had been awhile that all of us had been down there together.

St. John's The Baptist Cathedral. I got to perform in here twice- Oct. and Dec. 2009 with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus. So grateful for that. There isn't a temple in Savannah, but, I can go here for my sanctuary. We really want to go to Mass here sometime. I hope we can make it happen.

I'm really glad we did the matchy-matchy for Memorial Day since Charles was not here for the 4th. Love these cuties!

On Memorial Day we braved the crowds and headed to Hilton Head with the VanYperens. Daddy is the fun parent. He will pull them on the boogie board and swim with them at the beach. I am usually sitting under an umbrella talking to a friend and I just let the kids play. I aspire to be a fun parent like Charlie :)

Vince has surprised me. I thought he was going to be jealous and resentful towards Zeke. He has been so loving and affectionate, constantly doting on him. He has such a tender heart. He's so loyal and loving. His wife is one lucky woman- he will love her with all his heart. Just like his Daddy :) And, yes we pray for their future spouses. So funny to hear Azure and Vince say, "Please bless my future husband, wife." Of course, when Vince says that he is repeating me. He has yet to say his own complete prayer at almost 3.5. He always needs help saying something and mostly just laughs. It's been interesting...

7 years and 5 months

We celebrated our 7 yr anniversary on May 20th. No cruise this year :( We're grateful that Zeke goes down to sleep between 7-8pm every night and doesn't wake up until 7-8am. So, we're free to get a babysitter and go on dates after we put him down. We've left him several times now with babysitters after we've put him down for the night and we always say, "We're 99% sure that he won't wake up, but if he does just call us." Then, when we come back 2-3 hrs later they are shocked that he didn't make a peep.

Charles had never been to The Melting Pot so we went. We got cheese and chocolate.

Our marriage gets better and better every year. We've gotten better at communicating and understanding each other. I think me not having brothers and him not having sisters was a real challenge at first, looking back. And, we're still learning but, we're better now. And, our love has grown so much deeper. He is my best friend and I look forward to spending the rest of eternity with him by my side pa' siempre. Lover of my soul- Charles Stewart Jensen.

 And, this little one turned 5 months, 5 days after our 7 yr anniversary. This is our 2nd or 3rd attempt at solids. Still getting used to it. I only offered it a few times a week, not every day.

He started to sit a little, supported, of course so I tried the jogging stroller. I'd been waiting to use it so I could run again. And, then the heat intensified and now I will have to continue waiting until September. Oh, well.

As I pushed and looked at both sets of legs, I remembered that Vince was Zeke's size when I first bought this and that Vince's legs were now as long as Azure's were at that age. Goodness, these babes grow quick. I love them.

Sept. 1, 2010 Vince almost 7 mos

Nothing sweeter than nursing my babies to sleep. It's a symbiotic relationship that I cherish more than almost anything at this stage I think. I am so grateful I've been able to nurse them all w/ minimal issues. I know it can be a touchy subject for some that can't. There are many things other women can do for their children that I can't. And, this is one thing that has just always been special to me and I'm grateful I can and for the fulfillment and joy I get from it. How peaceful to drift off sucking on mommy's warm, delicious milk. Not a care in the world. Sleep in heavenly peace, my Christmas baby.

He started doing this squinty smile bearing his gums. I love it! And, I love greeting him every morning when he wakes up. He's so happy to see me and I'm so happy to see him! Time, slow down!

He had an eczema flare up but, not as bad as Vince's b/c we used the Aveeno Eczema Therapy on it, which keeps it at bay.

Now, some higher quality, non-phone pics. 

I adore this sweetie boy!

 How they watch movies (before we rearranged the living room)

On Nest Building

I read this poem a couple yrs ago and tucked it away to be posted on the blog at some future date. I planned on putting it in my "You don't know what you don't know" post but, forgot. So, now it gets it own separate post.

On Nest Building
by Carol Lynn Pearson

Mud is not bad for nest building.

Mud and sticks.

And a fallen feather or two will do

And require no reaching.

I could rest there with my tiny ones

Sound for the season, at least.

But

If I may fly a while--

If I may cut through a sunset going out

And a rainbow coming back

Color upon color sealed in my eyes--

If I may have the unboundaried skies

For my study

Clouds, cities, rivers for my rooms--

If I may search the centuries

For melody and meaning--

If I may try for the sun--

I shall come back

Bearing such beauties

Gleaned from God's and the world's very best.

I shall come filled.

And then--

Oh, the nest I can build!

Florida

May was fun! We decided to have a 5 de mayo par-tay with the Saavedras. Since Brian's bday was a couple days before we made it into a bday party. Charles bought him a Hello Kitty pinata.

On Tues. May 7th we headed down to Orlando for Charles' annual Infectious Disease Pharmacy Conference. Last yr Charles' parents came down with us and we went to Disney World. This year we decided to go to the Nickelodeon Water Park Resort. It was a lot of fun. We didn't tell the kids we were going so they were very surprised and excited about it.

We stopped in St. Augustine for a night and looked around Flagler College. So gorgeous.

And, of course, we stopped for my favorite dish that I've been thinking about for the past 3 yrs. Yum!

Florida beaches are so superior to GA beaches!

And, then we arrived...

 I LOVE babies! I really do. I used to not. But, the more babies I have, the more I just love them. Toddlers not so much, but, babies yes :)

He is so adorable! I can hardly stand it!

 Meeting the TMNT has started a new obsession for Azure and Vince. We watched some old clips together on youtube, but they are a bit too violent for my liking. However, we all sing the theme together at least a few times a week.

 Here's Vince singing some of it: (Loooook! The first video I'm posting in like 3 yrs!!! This is huge!)

We got to squeeze in a trip to the Orlando temple while we were there, switching off like usual. So beautiful. The Columbia, SC temple is one of the smaller ones, so it's always nice to go in a big one and really feel the grandeur of God. This one has a stained glass of the Sacred Grove in their chapel that I just love.

And, we also stopped at our favorite Cuban restaurant in Orlando. Always nice to go to bigger cities and eat food we don't get much of in Savannah. Mexican! Cuban! I made it a point to eat every 2-3 hrs on this vacation and felt so much better doing so. We also were very conscious of the protein/carb balance of the meals we ate and we felt a lot more patient with the kids b/c we were eating food that didn't make us feel like crap. It also helped that we prayed specifically over and over again to be patient with them. It was one of our best trips! We only had 1 incident which for us is very good.

We certainly couldn't pass up IKEA! Charles miraculously fit 2 HUGE boxes in our car- this bunk bed and a dresser for Azure. They've been sharing a room since Good Friday. That was when we decided to put Zeke in the crib in his own room. Vince was just sleeping on the floor on a sleeping bag for awhile. Then, we got a mattress for him but, he'd end up on the floor anyways.

At the Nick Hotel, Vince slept in a bed for the first time (it was a bunk bed). I can't believe he had still been sleeping in a crib almost 2 months past his 3rd birthday, esp since Azure stopped about 2 months after turning 2! I think he fell off it the first 2 nights. We would find him on the floor in the morning or under the bed.

It has been really tender hearing them giggling and playing together now that they have this bed. It is forging memories for them that I hope they will always remember. I love it! A couple weeks ago I sang the "Hello Pillow" song to Vince but, realized he didn't have a pillow. I changed that right away! I first made this song up for Azure I think around March 2011. It is sung to the tune of "Hello, Hello" from the Children's songbook.

Hello, Pillow. Hello, Pillow.

It’s time to go to sleep (goodnight)

Hello, Pillow. Hello, Pillow.

It’s time to close your eyes.

And climb inside your warm, snuggly bed and put your pillow underneath your head.

Hello, Pillow. Hello, Pillow.

It’s time to go to sleep. Goodnight!

Charles is planning on running his 2nd marathon in Nov so, Azure has gone with him a few times on his runs. He drops her off after a couple laps around the block and then keeps on going.