6 months later!

So, I don't even care that I've not posted on here in the last six months because I've just been WAY too busy enjoying my children and life :) I decided I am not ever going to be one of those 'mummy bloggers'/ everyday or even every week bloggers... nope. I'll just get around to it when I can and try and catch up :)

so where to start...

- Gem had her 2nd Birthday! She is growing so fast! She is so smart and surprises me with everything She is learning so quickly. She started speaking early and She speaks very well for Her age & is VERY talkative! :) She was potty trained a week before her 2nd Birthday! woohoo!!! so excited to only have Her in a nappy overnight now. She caught on very quickly and is pretty proud of Herself, as are we, that She can go in the toilet now. On Her birthday we said goodbye to the dummy.. and she has done so well without it. I don't think She even cried for it, maybe just the first night. She has really taken to the 'I'm a big girl' thing and being the big sister and not a baby anymore so She understands why She doesn't need a dummy anymore. It took Her a little longer to get to sleep during Her day naps but now She has adjusted and goes to sleep fine. She has started swimming lessons and loves to 'rocket dive' to me :) She still loves going to the park, reading lots and lots of books & doing craft & building cubby houses & playing outside. She has started to pretend play a lot more now, She LOVES playing shopkeeper :) and using Her little cash register to price check all Her play food :) it's very cute. She is so adorable. I just love Her so much! She is so so sweet! So loving & affectionate. Every morning as Daddy is leaving for work she insists and reminds Daddy that He give her a hug and a kiss and sometimes two of each! :) oh and He has to hug & kiss Mummy & Henry too :) She is helpful and well mannered and intelligent and just everything sweet and girly and fun, funny! especially Her dance moves haha... must get them from Her Dad.
- Henry, almost 10 months! crazy... He is SO active! non stop mover. climber. pulls up and holds on to things and walks, he just wants to get up and run after His Sister. He loves to play with electronics, powerboards and plugs and cords etc. He has a couple of teeth now and I am SO happy He is finally sleeping through the night and feeding Himself. The first year is certainly tough. I was very sleep deprived for a while there and slightly insane. All better now :) He babbles and says Mama.. but not much else. He is starting to recognize the names of things though like drink and bird and Gemma and other simple commonly used words. He likes to do His own thing, crawl around everywhere and get into everything within reach. He loves His Mumma :) and is the most cuddly boy ever! Gemma was nowhere near as cuddly as He is. He loves to just bury His head under my neck or lay right on top of my chest and pinch at my neck or play with my hair and just snuggle and sleep. When He gets up in the morning at about 5am.. I can bring Him into our bed and He will happily snuggle me til 7am.. unfortunately Gemma won't let any of us sleep in past 5.30am! I just love having a cuddly baby, I love His snuggles, He is very sweet and still such a happy, giggly little boy :) I feel so blessed to have two such wonderful babies.
- Marsh & I... we're good :) I love Him so. We've been trying to figure out .. life.. and what to do with it in regards to living, working, career for Marshall etc... it's a work in progress but it's definitely progressing and there are various opportunities/options and we just want to choose the best one. Marsh is really, really busy these days. He is up way early like 4am and has been doing crossfit for a few months now and loving it. I love that He loves it! It's been great for Him. He is also on the Bishopric at church and that is very full on busy too. He is out a lot but it's all for good and so I'm happy and our family is blessed. Our relationship is better, I mean in my opinion it gets better each year and I am so SO glad to be married to someone so wonderful and.. well, He makes me a better woman & mother than I would be without Him. He is irreplaceable.
- I just had another wisdom tooth taken out, I'm pretty tired most of the time, but I'm also happy I would say all of the time these days.. I just get burnt out and run down every now and then and sick quite often which is annoying because I've pretty much given up on exercising since I just get sick every couple of weeks and then can't exercise. Still eating well though and am plenty active just taking care of and playing with the kids and walking everywhere. I've been thinking about when to try for the next baby... soon.. just not sure how soon.
- that's about it I guess.. life is good. I hope we get to go to Texas before too long... before the next baby actually. Until next time.....

Here's Henry! & other stuff :)

Wow, I'm terrible at keeping this blog current. Months have passed and all I can say is I had another baby and life is great with two! :) Seriously, I am so blessed. Henry's birth was awesome! I went into labour at about 3.30am on the 31st of Dec 2012, raced to the hospital with Mum & Marsh and 30-40mins later, which seemed to go super fast, & one big long push - He popped out! So my total labour time was less than 3 hours. I was back home by 11am :) Henry was 6lbs 14, so a little bigger than Gem and I had to get a couple of stitches, ouch! but I was SO proud of myself for doing it all with only gas to take the edge off the contractions. Giving birth is an incredible experience. I look forward to doing it again. 
Henry Michael Hoozer is almost 4 months already! Time flies with two! He is SUCH a perfect baby. I thought Gemma was a perfect baby, she was, but I think Henry is just as good if not an even better sleeper, more placid & he is super happy and talkative. I LOVE his smile, his big blue eyes and his little laugh. He has grown so fast & is already outgrowing all his tiny baby clothes, he has doubled his weight and grown 7cm in length since birth. He is such a pleasant, sweet little guy. There is a lot of time when he just has to hang out on his playmat while I play with Gemma and he is so happy to hang out there for ages without getting cranky. I love having a baby again who will fall asleep on me :) he smells so good & his skin is so soft! ah, I just love him!

Gemma is also growing fast (18mths now), I wish time would stand still sometimes so I could have this time with them at this age for longer. I absolutely LOVE her & she loves her Mama! :) I get lots of hugs, cuddles & kisses every day. She is such a sweet loving, empathetic little girl. Whenever she hears Henry, or another child crying she stops, pulls a sad face, says 'oh no!' and is so concerned about whoever it is who is upset. She showers Henry in kisses too and is so sweet to him. She loves to hold and cuddle him. Gem loves to help me in the kitchen, I can't be in there without her wanting to help mix, cut, cook, knead, do whatever I am doing. She also likes to empty the dishwasher with me :) Her favourite shows are Playschool, Giggle & Hoot & the Wiggles, we are going to see the Wiggles Live this month :) She loves to go for walks to the park, play in water, swim, play with sand, pet dogs, be outside, run, dance, sing, play, read books. This girl loves to read books & I can tell all the reading aloud has really made an impression on her. She can say a LOT of words & clearly too. No baby talk. She is stringing together 2, 3 & sometimes 4 words now. We can communicate with her very well.

I'm so impressed with her understanding and she surprises me with new words almost daily. We have been doing some sight words - showing her words on cards and repeating them, then she learns them and can read them. She has been doing great! I've barely shown her the words and she remembers them so well. We also went on a trip to the Temple last week and told her a little about it, pointed out the Angel Moroni etc.. later that week we were watching a church dvd and a temple came on screen and she pointed and said 'temple!' - she knew! :) she is picking things up so quickly. She is quite well behaved, hardly throws tantrums unless she is super overtired & even then she's not that bad. She experiences a bit of separation anxiety when I try to leave her in Nursery, but we've only just started going so hopefully she'll adjust and settle into it. She loves spending time with her Grandparents & Aunts & Uncle Cody :) She loves her Mama most I think & she will call for me all through the day to be by her side with almost everything she does. As soon as I am out of sight, it's 'Mama? Mama?! Mama!'

 

I do get tired, I do get worn out. I do need a break from time to time. Mothering is hard work. It is utterly exhausting at times. Sometimes I just need 5 minutes of silence on my bed. Or a shower alone. Or to wear something nice that doesn't have throw up or dribble or food smeared on it. I have been really bad about making time for fun for myself this year and I need to rectify that immediately so I don't have a meltdown. I have hubby & two babies relying on me and I can only be my best self for them and help them if I am sane, happy & fulfilled myself. So I need to start making some more time for me. 

At the end of the day I have two super, cute, healthy babies who I love more than words can say. I have a loving Husband and Father for my babies. I am surrounded by helpful family & friends. I have the Gospel & I am blessed daily. I love my Saviour. Life is good.