My Sweet Little One

Today marks the day that Jocelynn is 5 months old!  The past few days I've been paying more attention to how she's growing and experiencing life.  I know she's only 5 months, but she's 5 months!  Yes, we have our moments where she's tired and cranky and so am I, but for the most part my time is so precious with her and I'm loving it!

My precious Joce right now:

• Getting down a routine of going to sleep on her own at night, staying asleep longer and is doing better with her naps
• Loves her toes
• So fascinated by anything in front of her and tries to get her hands on all of it
• Loves to make all sorts of noises, from taking a big breath and getting it all out at the same time and loudly to cooing softly and sweetly to her "tired talk" 
• Doing better at tummy time and has rolled over but not too often
• Loves standing up and/or sitting straight up (with help)
• Squeals and kicks her legs when we get close to her
• Quick to smile at those she's comfortable with
• Is always observing everything and everyone around her with the brightest eyes
• Has the greatest hearing
• 14.5 lbs (50%)
• 25 inches long (75%)
• In the 50th percentile for head circumference 
• Loves her baths and typically cries when she has to get out
• Smiles when she sees us
• Tells her Dad about her day when he gets home
• Loves playing and just hanging out
• Plays with her pacifier
• Sucks on her whole hand
• Not so much a fan of rice cereal as she is sucking on the spoon
• Loves and always responds to music (even my sad singing)
• Newly discovered the various sounds her tongue and lips make
• Loves laughing, especially with her Dad
• Still her Mom's snuggly baby

Watching her makes me wonder what she's going to keep as she grows, and what's naturally and sometimes unnaturally going to go away.  I wonder who she's going to be.  With who she is right now, maybe she'll be an introvert but will have deep connections with the friends she does choose.  Maybe she'll be a singer because of her excellent breath support or a swimmer because of her love of the bath.  We're going to try to help her stay happy and carefree as long as possible, and happy even when she's not so "care-free."  And hopefully she will always know just how much she is adored by her parents and even more so by her Father in Heaven.  She's a pretty special little lady. 

Rollercoaster

It has begun. We've been on the rollercoaster of parenthood for 4 months now. Most of the time if we stop  and think about it, we know we're moving right along, but it isn't until sudden drops, climbs, twists and turns that we actually realize things are changing. As Justin put it, "Yesterday started a long line of things I'm going to miss out on because of work."  Just like on a rollercoaster the speed, twists, drops and heights can be exciting, thrilling and all you ever wanted, but at the same time they can be dreaded, sickening and even scary.  Now I know my child is only 4 months old and so what can really be to dread, make you sick and scared right now?  Nothing that at the same time isn't thrilling and exciting.  Watch this video of our little sweetheart, Jocelynn. 

The first time my back was turned so I missed it and turned around to find her on her back instead of her stomach as I'd left her.  I couldn't believe it so I put her right back on her stomach and that's where the video came in.  

She's growing up.  She's still my cuddly little baby who will snuggle with me and fall asleep in my arms.  She's still my happy girl who kicks her legs and smiles to show she is excited to see me and tries to talk and laugh with me.  She's her daddy's girl who giggles when he comes into the room and interacts with him like no one else.  She's my little one with the most expressive and captivating eyes I've ever known.  But she is growing, as she well should and as we honestly want her to. 

 I can't help but enjoy the milestones she is crossing because they ARE exciting and are taking her and us along with her into more of who she really is and is capable of being.  But sometimes I just want to stop the ride and stay in this moment a little while longer.  Joce has a lot of growing to do and many more milestones to accomplish before she even starts school and a whole new part of the ride begins.  Even when that does Justin and I will always be on it, experiencing every twist, climb and drop with her, never really knowing if we're going to be thrilled or saddened by it, but probably always a little of both.  Sad because we're in love with who she is now but thrilled because of who she is becoming.  Either way though, it's a ride we're glad we got on and are so blessed with an incredible little one to be experiencing it all with.  

The sweet things in life....

Loving how snow suits and my baby carrier work wonders on this child...if only it lasted more than 5 minutes after putting her down.

Chatter

Jocelynn woke up in such a chatter-box mood this morning that I couldn't resist trying once again to get it on film.  I don't know how many videos I tried to take but as soon as she'd see the camera she'd stop.  That always seems to be our battle.  So, in my attempt to share the cute and funny sounds she's been making, here's the best video of the day.  I think by this point she was kind of annoyed at having the camera in her face cuz her voice isn't as sweet as it is most of the time, but at least she was still chatting for all to hear!  Literally, I think she had the attention of the bull moose outside our fence :)

Enjoy!

1 Month!

Today marked the one month anniversary of when Justin, Jocelynn and I moved up to Anchorage!  Justin says, "1 month down, 35 to go!"

We laugh about that and our plan is to be here for 3-5 years, but we aren't counting down like it sounds.  Though we're far from family we're really enjoying ourselves.  Here's a few things we've learned in our first month in Alaska:

• Mountains in Alaska are HUGE and ENDLESS
• Alaska winter weather really is a lot like Idaho
• God's works are mighty and beautiful
• Moose are still wild animals, even when we want them to be creatures of habit so we can name them and have them as pets
• I'm VERY grateful for technology!
• The church is an incredible network and helps provide great friends
• It's easy to sleep in when it doesn't get light until 11:00 (though that's getting earlier every day)
• Float planes are like spare cars, parked in the back when not in use
• Home is where your family is but having your stuff and pictures on the walls really adds to the "homey" feel
• You can be happy wherever you are and in whatever weather, if you choose to be

Plans and Moves Part 1

Please recognize that this is a journal of sorts as well as a means to update family and friends of our goings on. That being said, bear with me and thanks for reading and your support! Jocelynn's due date was the 16th of October but she was born on the 14th. This wasn't because she was coming on her own, at first anyway, but because of some big things going on with Justin..  You see, he was in his final semester at BYU-Idaho and, though his plan was to immediately go on to grad school, the appeal of working in Alaska was strong.  How could it not be? It's Alaska! We both met with the men from Mikunda, Cottrell & Co. last year. They remembered him, interviewed him again and then invited for a final interview to take place in Alaska...two days after my due date. Needless to say, I didn't want to deliver without my husband there so we were scheduled to be induced on the 13th. Without making this longer than it needs to be (I'll write about Joce's birth later), the induction didn't happen when we planned so we did everything we could to induce labor and she was born 2 days before she was due.

With a 4 day old baby and a wife trying to recover, adjust and an emotional wreck, he flew off to enjoy Alaska and prove he was someone they wanted. Joce and I were well taken care of while he was gone and he was whined and dined in Anchorage. They said they were looking for people to not just be able to do the job but who had good personalities and were good communicators. With that as their criteria, naturally he did well. (: He loved his visit too and was ready to move as soon as he got back. They made an offer the next day and after discussing things with each other, family and in prayer we agreed there was a need for us in Alaska.

So, still with many things to adjust to as new parents, Justin finishing up his schooling and an audit at my work, we started planning a move 3000 miles away. There were many stressful times during the next few months but I'll just say this, the Lord wanted us to be in Alaska and during those stressful times it was only through Him that things worked out. We sold Pearl and Mustang, my car and Justin's truck and bought a Yukon (yet to be named). Justin is still so sad to not have his dream truck but now we have room for us, the baby and Desoto, which is quite the feat considering how big Desoto is now. We also sold most of our furniture and rented out our town home. The day before Jocelynn's 2 month birthday we loaded the trailer with our belongings and car. The next day Justin graduated from college (and was my brother's birthday). Then the day after that Justin and his dad headed to Seattle to put our things on a barge to Alaska. It was an extra busy week but we are so grateful for all the help from everyone, even just to come hold the babe while we packed (: 

 We were so blessed to live around family, especially during that time of such great need. Though we had always wanted to be on our own for a few years, everything that comes with having a baby and moving really made us even more grateful to be close to family. Thanks for the meals, advice, assistance, late night treats and shows, and all the laughs. Even and especially for the times were able to just sit around and talk. ...we love and miss it all, especially the people behind it (:

First Things First

Now, I know my blog is in major need of updating because of all that has changed in our lives the past six months, but as the title says, first things first.....

She made it!  Our little gem, Jocelynn we call her, was born into our world to change it forever on October 14, 2012.

Weighing in at 7 lbs 13 ounces and measuring 21 inches long!

Within 2 weeks she had grown 2 inches but hadn't put on a pound, following in the family footsteps of being tall and more on the slender side.

She has been so bright-eyed from day one.  I can't get enough of those dark, piercing eyes.

She also has had quite the pair of lungs from the moment she was born.  Though she's a good baby, when she cries, she's crying.  Often there's no warm-up fussing to get to the real cry, it just bursts seemingly out of nowhere but you know she is not happy right away!  She is happy most of the time and is smiling and practically giddy, which keeps me laughing all day. 

She loves her hands, which are typically pretty close to her face if she's sleeping.  We even have ultrasound pictures of her with her hands next to her face.  She has never really liked pacifiers, though will suck on them occasionally when held to her face by someone.  Typically though when we put a pacifier in her mouth she gets this look on her face as if to say, "what is this nasty thing you're making me eat!"  As she's growing she is figuring out her hands more and more, especially how to put them in her mouth!  I'm still hoping not to have the problem of breaking her of sucking her thumb, but it's not looking good (though it is her whole fist, not the thumb, that she's working on getting in her mouth!)

Though this is my first blog about her, Joce is now 3 months old!  She's growing like crazy and changing every day.  Her new thing is sitting up (though her body is still supported her head doesn't need to be most of the time).  She loves to sit up on the couch or in our laps watching things go on around her, or sit on our knees facing us and just chats away.

Jocelynn is definitely a daddy's girl, which is no surprise, but is adorable!  While she'll turn at my voice more often and will chatter with me and smile away, she is instantly in smiles and chatter as soon as she sees her dad.  It's so fun to watch!  Yesterday while is church he practically had her laughing she was so happy!  And in return, as she has him wrapped around her little finger, he was practically in tears he was so excited to hear her laugh.  Justin was nervous to hold a newborn and change her diaper, much less be the father and do so much more, but from the instant she was born he just came into his own.  He is a natural and the ease of their relationship is priceless.

This is our little one, the center of our lives.  She has changed not only our day to day lives but us as people, and will continue to do so.  We are so grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to be parents to such a precious soul.