New car!

     
So our old car didn't pass inspection, so we decided it would be wiser to use the money towards a newer car rather than put the money in the old one. I am sad to let our old car go, it was so roomy, and I've grown attached to it with the many miles we put on it. We have been so blessed that it's run as well as it has and we are so thankful to Anna and Kuru for giving it to us when we came out to Vernal carless! 

      There's not a lot of car places out here but after lots of looking (thanks Thomas!) and stressing and talking we were able to find a 2003 Buick Regal, and get financed--I'm not looking forward to car payments:( But we hope this car will serve us well. I've never had a car this nice and new before, and its kind of fun. 

She did it!

This morning while I was taking a nap Mere rolled over! I came into the room and there she was on her stomach looking around! I rolled her on her back and she rolled over again! Wow--now we have to be extra careful in the tub! Sometime this week I will try to charge the video camera and get a video of her rolling. . . I've been reading an excellent book on baby/child sleep from our friends in the ward called Good Night, Sleep Tight and one parent was saying how their child got fussy before a new stage of development like rolling over, so I hope after a rough week Meresiana will be back to her 8-12 hour stretches of sleep! We shall see. . . 

It's been a crazy couple weeks with Saki's work, having to get a new car, and some things going on here--we found out we won't be able to move back into our old house and are contemplating what to do next with Saki's school and all, so pray with us that we can know God's will for our next step in life! And yeah again for Mere! 

Highchair!

While Mere isn't eating any solid foods yet she did get a high chair just today from a kind family in the ward--mom was so happy because she has been looking at high chairs and they are so expensive and the one's at the yard sales and DI have really taken beatings! Now Mere can be in the kitchen when mom is, and she enjoys sitting upright so this is a safer way to do it:)

Next are some photos of Meresiana almost rolling over! She is so close and she gets frustrated when she gets "stuck" on her side. She had her 4 month check up this Tuesday and now weighs 13lbs and is 24 inches long and has a small head like my side of the family. . .

Saki turns 30

Sunday was Saki's 30th birthday! We had dinner (fish again) and a spice cake--which didn't turn out how I had planned, but at least it tasted good. Yes, that is a cardboard VHS/DVD player as the real one hasn't arrived yet:) We were happy that my younger brother Thomas was around to celebrate with us! He came up for most of the week as he just finished finals at BYU. It has been extremely windy here in Vernal, gusts up to 40mph or faster!

Are you a Helicopter or Free Range Mom?

A friend of mine posted this on her blog, good food for thought: http://www.newsweek.com/id/133103?GT1=43002

I am much more of a free range mom than I thought I would be. I always thought I would be overprotective and worried. I do worry about Mere when I'm gone more than 1 hour and I check on her when she's sleeping but I haven't had too many qualms about others babysitting her or holding her. I think it's good for her to have new experiences and for me to let go more often. I can't say if I would let my nine year old ride the subway, it would depend on the kid themselves and where I lived.

I do think we don't allow kids to shoulder as much responsibility as they should-I think people need to worry more about teaching their children how to avoid or react in a dangerous situation rather than sheltering them from everything, which isn't possible anyway. I also think we need to teach our children skills rather than letting them play and live in a carefree world. Children need to know how to work and learn life skills--I am so grateful to a mom who taught me to sew, cook, clean, garden, work hard, be creative, and how to budget money and time wisely (which I don't always do, but at least I know how:)

Let me know what you think!