Lately and a family theme

When I put Graham down for his naps or for the night he requires that I sing him three songs in this order "bird song"  (whenever I hear the song of a bird, which I think is actually called My Heavenly Father Loves Me), then "Dumbo song"  (a song I made up to the tune of "Oh My Darling", it goes like this - Dumbo Dumbo Dumbo Dumbo Dumbo Dumbo Oh I love my Dumbo Boy (insert really loud elephant noise at this point) Dumbo Dumbo Dumbo Dumbo Oh I love my Dumbo Boy (another really loud elephant noise here).   The last song is "duck song"  or 3 little ducks went out to play and Graham does all the duck sounds for that one, "when the mama duck said....then Graham pipes up "QUACK QUACK QUACK!".  Anyway, I get done with that and then I lay him in his crib and am required to sing "duck song bed"  one more time.  We usually skip straight to the daddy duck verse for that one.  It's awesome.  And usually when I put Leah to bed Graham charges in and demands I sing "BIRD SONG BIA MOMMMM, BIRD SONG BIA MOMMMMM!"  And so I sing the bird song for bia, I mean Leah, too.

Today I took Grady with me to Graham and Leah's well child visit.  "How come this baby is 8 months old and this is only the 2nd time I've seen her?" asked Dr. Giannini - welllll - I'm doin my best is all I have to say.  Graham weighs 33 lbs and is 37 inches tall.  Man.  He's in the 90% for weight and 95% for height.  Leah weighs in at a whopping 14 and  a half lbs and I can't remember how tall.  75% for height and 6% for weight.  Maybe he steals all her food when I'm not looking.

Me and B have been trying to come up with a family mission statement.  My ideas are really long and emotion filled, B's are really short and to the point.  Hmmmmm.  Well the other night I finally found a quote that I think is perfect - and B said he liked it too, not sure if that was said just to appease me and move on or not, but we're going with it anyway.  Here it is;

"We must cherish one another, watch over one another, 

comfort one another and gain instruction

that we may all sit down in Heaven together."

Lucy Mack Smith

I think it's perfect.  We also chose a family scripture for 2013 back in January,

"I am the light of the world, he that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

John 8:12

We decided at the first of the year that we wanted to work on memorizing a scripture every week in family home evening.  Well - that didn't go over so well the few times we did it so we put it off.  But we decided to give it a go again this month. Our theme for November FHE is Faith.  And so we chose the scripture, "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things.  Therefore, if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen which are true."  As we sat down that night to teach it to them I immediately felt like this was a little silly.  My kids are too little - it won't work again.  But then I kind of laughed at myself and thought - HELLO - HAVE FAITH!  and so I did.  and they memorized it perfectly!  It was awesome.  Grady really loves it, especially the part where we shout THEREFORE! and punch our arm up into the air (actions always help, right?).  It's the best.  I had faith and it worked.  We're just going to do two scriptures a month and I'm optimistic that it will be great.  And that these little minds will be filled with scriptures - so that when they get into tight spots, the words of their Savior, their prophet and their God will already be in their minds and will help direct them towards the light.  Thats my hope anyway, and I have faith it will work.