Joy and Happiness

I cannot believe September is almost over... and why is it still so hot?? I can't wait for the fall season to come. I can't wait for the holidays to come and have a new baby. This pregnancy has been going pretty well but I still get afraid/worry when I don't feel the baby for a while. I'm more conscience about what I do, what I eat, etc. I wish no one would have to go through it and it is sad to know that it is more common than I realized. It is driving me crazy to find out the gender (in 3 weeks!) but all I want to know is that it's healthy and growing well. I recently had to change my doctor/hospital due to the insurance but the transition went smoothly. Now the hospital will be 2 hours away from Mike's work instead of an hour... welcome to the high desert. oh well. I just hope that Mike will be home with me when the baby decides it's time to come.

So I AM one of those moms who likes to talk about their kids/family, but who doesn't right? I get so excited and proud when Abbie learns new things, gets compliments from others how well she's doing in preschool & joy school, etc. Watching a child grow is one of the greatest blessings of life. I love my little family. I love my husband and my daughter.

As I read the visiting teaching message this month, I realize how important it is to teach our children at home and to nurture them. I know that we, as parents, will have to do all we can to protect and to teach our children to raise them in this world. Even only at age 3, Abbie has started asking questions that I thought I wouldn't have to talk about until she started school or thought she was too young to understand. It is amazing what a child can really know and understand.

Abbie's new discoveries:
She has been loving to play on the computer, since we don't have a cable (been a great blessing, never thought I would say that) I let her play for about an hour a day. Starfall.com is really great. She watches me talking to Mike on facebook a lot so recently she has been wanting to learn to spell so she could talk to her daddy on online too. It is so cute. She pretty much knows all the alphabet and where the letters are on the keyboard. Oh, and can't forget that she can write her own name now. I'm so proud :)
She recently started drawing more and here's an ice cream monster she drew, me and her name:




I always want to see Abbie succeed so I try to work with her everyday but not push her. She likes to argue, fight back, and tells me how it is (already starting at an early age lol. how can I deal with this when she's older?) I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to deal differently and teach differently with this next baby. I'm just happy that Abbie likes to learn new things. Somedays she has nothing to do with alphabet, numbers, play on the piano, etc. I want to make her do it but I figured if I push her now she's never going to want to do it again. It is hard being a mother and I tried to be careful what I say or do. But it is very rewarding. I'm grateful for my parents for making me get an education and teach me how important it is to not only get an education but to start at home at an early age. Good thing I have a great mom who pushed me to do better.
BUT what makes me happy and proud the most is when Abbie knows that we say prayers, read scriptures, have FHE, go to church, etc. Now she reminds us when it's time to do those things. Her face lights up when we teach about Jesus. She gets excited when she sees his pictures. She talks about him like she really knows him. It brings smile to my face and such joy into my life. I worry about what the future will bring to us especially raising children at this time... but I have no doubt that we'll be protected as long as we live the gospel and teach our children at home.