Happy Valentine's Day

the perfect "sisters" picture:

No, look over here.

Callie, put your head down.

Were you trying to wink?

Um, try not to look so startled.

And the goofy smile isn't what we're going for now.

Oh well. Happy Valentine's Day!

Sammer Fredette

Back over Christmas, Bryan started calling Samantha Sammer Fredette.  The name stuck and she proudly responds to it.  And rightfully so.  Have you heard all the news about Jimmer?  That's right.  We've had a good time reading all the responses to innocent Michelle's opinion published in the Daily Universe (read the comments after)....but this is so good, I just had to post it.  If you saw the original (which I can't find anymore), you'll enjoy this even more.

Other People's Potties

Callie's been home potty-trained, I call it, for awhile now.  What does that mean?  She'll use the potty only at home.  She had a terribly traumatic experience (though we're not sure what it was) that made her very much afraid of other people's potties.  I didn't push it.  I didn't want to force her.  For the most part, she's been really good at "holding it" until we got home.  I did always have to make sure she tried to go before leaving anywhere, but even when I was a wee lass and using other people's potties, my mom made me "try" before we went anywhere.  When we'd be out, I'd ask her if she needed to go.  I always told her that I'd hold her -- because she was afraid she'd fall in (and rightfully so, my goodness!).  But, she never wanted to use the potty in public or in someone else's home.

In the past few weeks, Callie's made some HUGE break throughs.  She has used other people's potties on several occassions, and even today, she went while we were at the park -- a PUBLIC, kind of scary, potty!  Way to go Callie girl.  And everytime she goes she says, "Mommy, you hold me?"  "Of course Callie."  "Because you love me."  "That's right Callie.  Because I love you."  She says it very matter-of-factly...and I love it.  Today, as we entered the scary park bathroom, she asked with trepidation, "
Mommy?  You hold me?" 
"Yes Callie." 
"You won't let me fall in?" 
"Have I ever let you fall in Sweetie?" 
"No." 
"I will never let you fall in Callie.  I'll hold you." 
"Because you love me." 

Ahhhhhhh.  Sweet girl.  And pee she went in the potty. 

In addition to her ability to now use the bathrooms in different locations outside of her secure, familiar potty at home, she has been napping without a diaper.  We haven't had one accident.  I had noticed that her diaper was dry for awhile now after naps, so we just didn't put it on one day...we haven't gone back. 

Oh, she's growing up...and what's worse...she's called me "Mom" many many times now in the past 2 days!  My baby girl is growing up.

NEX-5

So, after much agonizing, we finally bought a camera back in November.  Here's how it all went down.  (Small preview of Callie dancing in the kitchen...)



After we bought our camera, Callie dancing in the kitchen.  I didn't really know how to use our camera then, so things were blurry, but I was loving the continuous shoot -- still am!

There are a few reasons why I bought the camera I bought.  One is the speed.  Now, I was debating over Nikon and Canon for awhile.  It was very stressful -- I felt like I was deciding if we should have another child or something!  It was ridiculous, but this was a very important decision for me.  I researched it out.  I asked around.  I asked YOU.  Then, I went to Wolf Camera, where they turned my world upside down!  UpSiDe DoWn I tell you!  "Have you thought of a Sony?"  SONY?!  No!  I informed the kind gentleman that I hadn't thought of Sony and I'd prefer not to be introduced because I'm sure an ulcer was forming just at the mention of a different brand.  He smiled and continued.  And, he sold me.  I had me at 7 frames per second.  Now, I've never been one to have the newest and best thing on the market, but as of now -- within this price range (a camera under $1000), this is the "best" camera on the market.  I wasn't sure if he was just throwing me a load of salesmanship or it was real.  I did my research -- AGAIN -- and I have to say, I was impressed.

The Sony NEX-5, what I purchased, is the newest addition to our family (I'm thinking of starting a scrapbook).  There were a few things I wanted in a camera: 1) speed.  In 2010, I couldn't have 12 pictures of Samantha that we liked.  TWELVE.  I feel like a year came and went and we have nothing to show of that.  I worry that if she were to pass away, I'd have missed years.  I really want these pictures to capture her so I have see her.  It's a fear of mine.  I remember when my sister left for her mission.  One day, I realized I forgot what she looked like, even though I had pictures.  I so worry about what would happen if Samantha were to die and I didn't have pictures...the fine details I'd forget over time.  So, yes, speed was important to me because she's one fast lady and we haven't got one ioda from last year.  2) color.  I wanted quality pictures.  I took some pictures with the Canon Rebel and the colors just weren't as sharp and bright as my dad's Nikon.  I wasn't sure if it was a setting thing or not, but I wanted nice color.  3) user friendly.  I'm not a photographer, so I wanted to be able to use it with ease.  4) 12 megapixels.  I wasn't exact on this, but I like to blow up pictures, so I wanted them sharp.  I wanted the most megapixels that I could get for the price I was willing to spend.  5) price. 

What we got.  1) speed.  Currently this is the fastest camera on the market.  2) Lens quality.  I had been planning on buying a new lens once I got a camera.  However, the lens that this camera comes with is high quality.  The only lens I'll need to purchase -- or want to purchase -- is a zoom when they come out.  Yes, it is a new camera so there are no other lenses currently but a wide lens I believe.  8 lenses are scheduled to come out in the next 2 years.  3) color.  Fantastic!  I don't remember all the lingo, but there are a ton more sensors or something, so the color is good.  There.  4) 1040 HD Video.  This was unplanned.  We weren't planning on getting video, but it was less expensive to get it in one camera then wait to buy a new video camera later.  So, we splurged.  5) Small size!  Yikes, this mama is small and fantastic.  I have a case for it, but I also bring it with me in my purse when I take Callie to ballet, and when I do quick trips.  6) weird looking.  Yeah...we've gotten some quizzical looks when I pull it out, but I love this thing, so I'm good with it.  Plus, I really think they'll be more popular and not so foreign looking within the next few years.  7) higher price.  Higher than anticipated, but once I was decided on it, I quickly earned the money needed.  To get that video, it was a couple extra hundred, but I believe worth it.  8) 14 megapixels.  9) 100s of really great pictures of our girls.   And that, to me, was worth the extra hours of tutoring and cleaning houses.

The girl's got soul.

Thoughts on Sammy

...found over at Kidz

Awesome

Many of you know we have started doing an additional therapy with Samantha at home.  She was first evaluated in August.  She was tested at having an overal nuerological age of 8.8 months -- this is when she was 50 months old.  We were given a plan -- what we were to do everyday.  For almost 6 months, I did what I could, Marcus helped out...I fell off the routine...got back on.  She was re-evaluated on Friday and these are her new stats:

Chronological age: 55.5 months
Nuerological age: 12.1 months

This is good.  There was a 4 months improvement over 5.5 months.  Compared to other kids her age, she's sitting at 21% -- whereas before she was 17%.  Here's the big thing though -- as good as it is to show these numbers, when you compare Samantha to herself -- when you compare her rate of progress over the 50 months to the rate of progress over the past 5 months, she has improved 289%!  She has made more progress in the past 5 months than she had made on her own (with OT, PT, Speech, Water therapy, craniosacral therapy, etc) for 50 months!  We're pretty excited over here and are looking forward to her next evaluation in July!

Way to go kiddo.  Keep it up!!!

And, just because I laugh everytime I see it...here's what 7 frames a second looks like with Sammy!  I love our new camera.  Have I already mentioned that?

Mormon Women

I may have mentioned this before, I can't remember. But recently I was invited to write for a blog called Mormon Women. I readily accepted and will write monthly. Mormon Women is a blog for all women. The target audience, however, are those who are not LDS and want to find out more. Anyway, my newest addition can be read there. As I reread it, I couldn't help think "ooo I needed to reword that" "that doesn't make sense" "Oh Jenny. Don't mess up like this again." Nevertheless, I'm posting it up here so years down the road, when I want to remember what I've written, it'll be here.

I have found that sometimes words flow freely; it's easy to express in writing your thoughts. But most often, it is very difficult. oh well. Here's an example of from the "difficult" and hopefully someone understands what I was trying to say.