It has been a beautiful process the past year or so to watch our girls become, in some ways, more aware. And respectful and caring and empathetic. Even if the little glimpses are between nagging to get homework done, or nagging to get ready for school, or the ever so lovely sister-fights. It's a huge joy and reward to see them learning and growing in ways we'd never imagined, we're thankful for those little moments!
I remember the day that I saw a light switch go on in Ella. It was early January 2011, and we had just returned from Christmas Break in Las Vegas. We had also moved just a few short days before heading out West. I remember us unpacking the girls gifts that they had received. In traveling, Ella's brand new Polly Pocket case that she had got from her 2nd Cousin, that holds a bunch of little pieces had got shuffled and all the pieces were out of their places. I couldn't believe how carefully she opened it up and put each piece back so nicely, like she cared about it! Like she knew it was her's and she wanted to take care of it! Hallelujah!! It wasn't 2 minutes later that the case was either dropped, or I'm vaguely remembering a little sister messing it all up. And then it got real....Through huge weeps and tears Ella said,
"Why does everything have to be so hard?" And she picked them all up and put them back. Again! Part of me felt awful that she was feeling disappointment and discouraged and I just wanted to pick them all up for her...but another part of me got teary... she had just felt what I feel, and all of us feel at certain times in our lives....right? I'm just so glad she processed those feelings and said them out loud, because a lot of the time, we don't know what is running through that cuties mind!
Since then, she has blossomed into this organized, careful and meticulous girl, who although has always been very independent, is very, very helpful now-a-days! I can't forget all of the sweet and insightful things Ella has noticed and said and done in the past year.
This morning at 4 am, Paisley asked me to come lay with her, which I'm not refusing lately because her bed is not only larger than mine and Scott's (do you see what we do for these children? ;) But it's a pillow top mattress and my hips have been needing a change mid-night. Anyways, I finally get up out of bed, 20 minutes before school starts, and Ella has made mine and Scott's bed. Just because. She also said this morning, that when she thinks of heavenly things, she gets tears in her eyes. I love her.
The girls have been learning about
The Beatles in Music class. After all, we do live just a few blocks away from John Lennon's Apartment Building and
Imagine Monument. Both girls came home singing
Let It Be last week. During dinner and homework, such a lovely sound! Ella asked me to find a
youtube video of the song, so I turned it on my iphone, turned around and when I looked at her a couple minutes later, she had tears streaming down her face and then eventually she lost it. Full blown weeping. She went on to tell me the story of John Lennon's mom, Julia and how she passed in a car wreck, and then after she calmed down, she asked if we could all sing
Let it Be at her Baptism. I love her! I wish I could have said yes! :) Just like her Mommy, much?
This is not to say that just yesterday morning and several other mornings this year, the girl's wake up before me, sneak in, take my phone, who's alarm is set to go off at 7:15 am, hide it under pillows and do whatever they want until their grumpy mommy wakes up late...I can't be mad at them, it's hilarious. I found my phone under a huge pile of pillows a couple weeks ago. Once I got down to about 3 pillows, I could finally hear my alarm.
Ella has become a HUGE help in the kitchen. I can count on her to chop up anything for me and she's is totally safe doing it. She can make her own food, serves herself and Paisley their cereal/oatmeal almost every morning and that even requires serious cabinet climbing! They've helped me a lot during this pregnancy. They help with putting dishes away occasionally and taking the recycling out... They've been so nice to me and sympathetic, just what I need!
Paisley is so patient to wait for her baby sister to kick her hand. She will just sit there waiting. She loves talking to her and singing to her. I'm slightly surprised by how excited she is to be a big sister, it's been a pleasant surprise. I can already tell she has a bond with her baby inside, she kicks for Paisley the most. :)
29 Weeks.
Last night before bed and during reading scriptures, Scott was talking to the girls about the use of wine, "way-back-then". He was clarifying a few questions the girls asked. "It was homemade. They took grapes and squished them and made juice out of it." And as timely as it could ever be, out of Paisley's mouth was, "Wow, I really wish I could of had some of that juice!" That's our Paisley. She makes us laugh.
