Bath Time for Bonzo!

Any excuse to take a picture right?! I really enjoy my many moments of cataloging these memories and unique perspectives of our family. I am amazed that even as a baby, Mark has all the little qualities of a boy. He has round shoulders that will grow to look like his daddy's muscles I am sure. He has that crinkled forehead... well Paul is the only other one in our little family that can master that... so us girls assume it's a boy thing. Well he is hairy too... but we are hopeful it will fade. And his bodily functions... well, there is no point in embarrassing him further... though I think it is safe to say... he has all the earmarks of a boy!

I must also share... after Mark's bath and dinner Friday evening... all of us went to the movies to see Wall-E. Oh my goodness... it was AWE-some! We loved it... though Sara Kate at the age of 3 1/2 wasn't terribly entertained by mid-movie... but it was nothing popcorn and M&M's couldn't fix for her. We really enjoy movies as a family at home and even more especially at the 'BIG' movies, as the girls like to call it. Paul and I saw Hulk a few weeks ago while my mom took care of the chitlins. Now we are looking forward to some more summer movies... like Hancock and Batman for mom and dad, and then Ice Age 3 for the girls. For the last week, after the girls have had swimming lessons, I have picked out movies to watch in the afternoon while Mark does he marathon nursing session. This week I watched The Other Boleyn Girl, Definitely Maybe, Silk, Fool's Gold, Saving Grace, Jane Eyre, and Pride & Prejudice... that last one I watch quite often. I have to say, Fool's Gold was a favorite for me. So until later... maybe there will be some scrapbook pages in the stars for me this week eh?!

Now it's bedtime for this bonzo!

Sharing my FAVORITE THINGS with you...

We had a beautifully simple day today. After doing ALL the laundry we drove to Joplin Missouri and perused some of our favorite stores, like Target, Kirkland's Home, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Michaels, and Home Depot. And of course we took the girls to ChuckECheese! We didn't have to do much or buy anything... it was just the company and the simple conversation that stemmed from our perusing. So from this day and our contentment, came the thought of what our favorite things are... besides the fact that many dear blog friends have shared their favorite things as well!! Thanks for the inspiration girls! Here we are...

Pride & Prejudice
Sense & Sensibility
Uh… Jane Austen in general
You’ve Got Mail
Tom Hanks
Gerald Butler
Mr. Darcy… as played by Matthew MacFayden
Will Smith
A&E Biographies
Icees
Peanut M&M’s
Double Chocolate Chip Crème Frappachino
Décor stores
Chunky furniture
An afternoon shopping with Paul and the chitlins’
A week alone with my mom
Target
The Book of Mormon
TimeOut for Women Conference
Amazon.com… more specifically shopping for books
Reading
Baby blue on my baby boy! (Never thought that would happen...since I am not fond of the color blue)
The girls laughing
Sara Kate singing
Baby toys
Flea Markets with Grandma
Baking… cookies, bread, pies and candies
The zoo…especially giraffes
Playing school when I was a kid… and now homeschooling my girls
Reading with Hannah
Hannah’s drawings
A library
A need for design
Color… more specifically red, brown, taupe and black when referring to clothes and décor
Old books
Planning
Organization
Wooded landscapes
Dark wood décor
Damask designs
Talking to Paul
Praying
Holding hands with Paul
Paul in a tool belt
Talking to my sister-in-law Bridget
Sitting up late with Jared and Bridget…awwwh the memories!
Taking a Sunday nap as a family... we got a bigger bed specifially for this reason
My camera… uh this should be at the top of the list
Scrapbooking
…scrapbooking with friends

Hire a Party Planner!

Okay it was rash of me to plan for a party just two weeks after Mark was born. But yet, I wanted Hannah to have her time to shine. And shine she did... right out there with the blazing sun! The kids made their own pizzas, we had games and water balloons, and of course presents and cake. Here you can see some of our favorite moments from the party.

Sara Kate and her specialty... meat!!

Toss 'em up kiddos!!

Her wish... to eat cake!!

The present she longed for... LEGOS!!

Grandma's grand idea... a new bicycle for the big girl!! Thanks Grandma!!

NOTE TO SELF: Next time... hire a party planner and coordinator, SO I CAN TAKE MORE D*%$@* PICTURES!

Our Little Mermaid

I had planned for this summer to provide some entertainment and merriment for the girls, since mommy would be performing below par as one of the girls mates. So planned and enacted it has been. Hannah has swim lessons in the mornings for these first two weeks, and while she kicks and paddles, and inhales large amounts of water it seems, Sara Kate, Mark and I play in the wading pool for the morning. To see the gleeful smiles of the girls is what makes the trek out of the house worth the effort. As a bonus, I know Sara Kate will be ready for a nap in record time thereafter. Though after these first few lessons, Sara Kate says she is ready for the big pool. Well La-Te-Daa!

See it is a strange thing... time, really- in the mind of a young child it is intangible. Since Hannah had her birthday (more posting on that soon) this month and turned 7, it has been at the most random moments that Sara Kate comes breathlessly to ask, "Am I 4 yet?", "Am I 4 now?"... oh the pain it causes me to say... no sunshine not until October. Uh, let me explain... uh, many many days... still questioning...many many weeks... becoming frustrated... four more months sweetie... her expression... oh that sounds more doable. And while swimming I see that Sara Kate becomes quickly bored with the level of activity she has been given... hence her happiness with the park and its varied forms of sliding and swinging. She is definitely growing up rapidly and brilliantly before our eyes it seems... though not rapidly enough for her it seems.

Mama's Heavenly Little Boy

I have been so excited to take pictures of Mark, the problem the last few weeks is that I haven't had the energy. I couldn't have imagined three weeks ago that I wouldn't have the energy to TAKE PICTURES!! That's a serious problem in my mind. Recently, I had a friend from high school start her own photography business in Southern Cali and I took the idea of putting the baby in the dresser drawer from her. Thanks Erin! I have a link to her blog, which contains a link to her business website, listed here under Inspiration (Erin Thompson Photography) if you would like to check out some of her work.

Anyhow, Mark is growing by leaps and bounds and I pray he will continue to sleep well. I truly think those little smiles that pop up on his face, are not the mere passing of gas, but sweet thoughts of his former place. I believe that these babies are spirits that first lived with our Heavenly Father and come to this Earth as apart of God's divine Plan of Salvation. If only babies could talk the things they could tell us of their first home with our Father in Heaven. As I look at these pictures of baby Mark, it makes me ponder what blissful and eternal happiness can be had in our Heavenly Father's presence. We are so thankful for this small slice of heaven in our home!!

This Celestial Being

Looking at these small ones... does it ever spark your imagination to wonder and ponder upon the beauty of God's creations? Those little eyes are his, though they may look like mommy's or daddy's they still hold that unique quality all his own. And that nose, those lips, and each dipple may be reflected in his family... but uniquely there is no other that looks exactly as he does, or will have the same personality as our little man. His beauty is all his own given to him by a loving Heavenly Father who knows him personally. I am deeply grateful for this gift that we have been blessed with, an individual spirit created by a Heavenly Father placed in our family. The wonder and beauty of God's creations are a testimony to us of His presence in our lives and upon this Earth.

8 Now this prophecy Adam spake, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and a genealogy was kept of the children of God. And this was the book of the generations of Adam, saying: In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
• • •

63 And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

Moses 6:8,63

Beginning Life with baby Mark

It has been a little over a week since baby Mark was born and life continues to amaze us with the joys and blessings of children and family. The girls have grown up even in this first week of Mark being home. Maybe its having a smaller child to compare them to... but the girls have such a desire to help, to love and to share with with Mark and the family. We have had grandparents, great-grandparents, and friends come to visit with them and Mark, and the girls have such a sense of pride and a true sense of family as they share their new baby brother. Sara Kate did have a moment though, when she asked, "Daddy is Mark my baby?" And Paul answered with a smile, "well he is our baby," meaning the whole family. And Sara Kate sounded so disappointed when she responded, "but I thought he was mine." So there it is.... But really the girls have shared many "nosies" with him and giggled over his many faces. And all the while being spoiled by Grandma and Great-Grandparents alike. Grandma and I spent the afternoon at Target this week and when we got home, Hannah was overjoyed to get her first bicycle with training wheels, from Grandma for her birthday. She has spent the last two days practicing up and down the sidewalk and the driveway. Since the girls are old enough I started to store milk for the girls to feed Mark, and I am amazed at the sense of joy they have in sharing this responsibility and newfound opportunity. The following pictures are some of this weeks highlights... with more to follow....

Hannah and Sara Kate with Mark.

Mommy and Mark's first day home.
The girls newfound opportunities.

A glimpse of Mark up close.

The most common remark we hear about Mark is of course, how much hair he has... but if only they saw the hair on his arms and back. The nurse reassured Paul that it would fall out... we'll wait to see! He has dark blue eyes right now. And he is very quite and alert, aside from when he wants to eat. For a boy he seems too pretty... so I find myself checking his diaper to make sure he truly is a boy. And for a mother who doesn't like blue... I have to say I love my little man in blue. We look forward to seeing the personality that he sparks us all with... so until next time we will all have to wonder on that point. Good night!

More of our Mister Man...

These are a few more pictures from our first days with baby Mark. The girls enjoyed some exciting afternoons with friends and with Daddy while Mommy and Mark were in the hospital. Now we are all home together and the girls are such sweet sisters to their little tike of a brother. Throughout the day after we returned home from the hospital, Sara Kate would sign and say, "mmmm... I love the baby." And Hannah is so thrilled to have a brother to "play" with... even though she realizes he can't walk or talk, or play for that matter... her anticipation of a brother is heard every time she says, "I want to play with Mark." The girls ended up swimming outside for the afternoon while mommy and Mark got situated at home. And now their excitement is buildign again as we wait for Grandma to come tomorrow from California! YEAH!! Reinforcements!!

Here He Is!

Here he is... Mark Dillon Shoup! These are a few of our favorite moments from the last few days. Our little man did well in the hospital and he is home now enjoying the giggles of his sisters, the scruffy kisses from his daddy, and some tender time with his mommy. Paul and I slept downstairs on the couches for our first night since I am unable to get in and out of our bed, or climb the stairs. I never realized how funny Paul truly is... the difference now is I can feel his humor each time I laugh, because my tummy is so tender. After a few streaks of dirty diapers, Paul said it was like changing Nascar tires to keep up with him. Oh that one hurt BAD to laugh!! It is fun, exciting and touching to see how our little Mark brings out the best in all of us....

Here He Comes...

It's late Sunday night, and baby Mark will be here early in the morning. We are thrilled, and anxious, and curious, and scared, all rolled into one tiny package. He has been moving around a lot this past week and it is a curious site to see his legs rubbing back and forth across my belly. I must say, baby Mark seems very excited himself. He has enjoyed hearing Hannah learn to read each morning, and also hearing us sing primary songs before reading at bedtime. I do realize that girls and boys will be different by nature, but I truly pray he will have a love and bond of friendship with his sisters that will help to strength this little family. I will not deny the fact that I am molding a mama's boy, even as as I carry him now. My dear Paul is a mama's boy... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now this evening hasn't been the grand hoopla I would have liked to make for our last evening with just our girls. Is it ever as we expect? We took the girls to some friends to spend the night... and being their first sleepover... they are sure to remember and enjoy their night with some of their favorite friends. Paul and I enjoyed a heart-to-heart this evening at home, contemplating the births of the girls and the new and exciting moments this one will bring shortly. So this evening has been, not what I thought, but truly what I needed.

The name we have chosen is very special to us, Mark Dillon. This is Paul's grandfather's name, Mark Dillon McAllister. When we were married we lived with him for the first 2 years of our marriage. And though some might snicker at the thought of living with Grandpa while newly married... it was an exciting time. While beginning our marriage was a step toward our future, we do not want to forget or make light of our beginnings. Grandpa Mark lives in St George, Utah, the same stomping grounds he grew up on. Paul and Grandpa Mark share a few qualities that make any women's life enjoyable. They are both color-blind, and arguably so. You can argue color 'til the cows come home boys, but two color-blind men against one color savvy lady isn't going to make you right in the end. So sorry!! Their sense of humor is shared through the stories they share and their life's experiences growing up with their siblings. Grandpa Mark was the last of 14 children and so his stories have always showed his charm, humor and love for family... just as Paul's does. The coming days, months and years... are sure to bring many more memories of Grandpa Mark as we watch our little Mark begin to grow. We want Grandpa to know how very much we love and miss our time with him... and pray he knows what an honor it is to have our baby boy share his name. We love you Grandpa!

Paul and Grandpa Mark, May 2007.