Most babies triple their birth weight at 1 year

Anna did it in 6 months.

weight 15.96 lbs (50%, 90% corrected)

height 25.75 in (51%, 90% corrected)

Head circumference 16.7 in (52%, 90% corrected)

our proportional baby is growing like a weed.

At 6 months she...

rolls and rolls and rolls again

still sleeps like a champ

(she does have freak screaming attacks sometimes in the middle of the night)

smiles A LOT

is a little chatter box

has the cutest giggle but is shy about laughing out loud

(she is a silent laugher)

gets to start eating solids!

(we started on May 18 and she isn't that great at it, she makes the funniest face)

went swimming for the first time

(we dunked her under and had her float on her back)

is still the cutest little thing ever!

LOVES to stand 

is getting better at sitting but face plants often

LOVES LOVES LOVES being outside and the wind

sit in her crib and talks

likes hanging out on the grass

is interested in people

does not nap for longer than 1 hour

will NOT seep if something is going on

is grabbing EVERYTHING and putting it in her mouth

is getting good at holding things

is good at putting her binki back in her mouth

loves the mirror

(my mom bought her one for the car, she now will NOT fall asleep in the car, she just talks to herself.)

is growing and catching up to those who were born on time!

and here is a cute picture of baby Justin

Mother's Day 2012

I joined the ranks this year and so thankful for the opportunity to be a mom, more importantly I am thankful for my mom and the MANY things she has done and continues to do.

She....

planned my whole wedding and made it the most wonderful day ever!

supported me (even when I was a butthead) for the last 26 years

she has made countless costumes, skirts, outfits...

lets me come hang out at her house an eat her food

calls me whenever she is at Costco

includes me in everything

makes time for Anna no matter how busy she is
waiting for hours while I was in labor
(and I am POSITIVE she will do the same for your siblings)

knows how to do everything & if she doesn't she tries anyway

has some crazy fun ideas (bunny tail treats for her 28 year old son's kickball team)

is the best example of service, selflessness, compassion, love, caring, mothering, crafty, creative, giving... pretty much EVERY good quality a person could have

(yes I know I have a great example)

and she has to be the BEST grandmother ANY kid could ask for.


Dear Anna,
If I am 1/2 the mom grandma is.... I did a good job.
(plus you have a great dad so I think we will be ok)
 Luckily you have her as a wonderful example of how to be a mother.
You are the best kid a mom could ask for, please stay that way!
I love your giggles, smile, grunts, toot face, wiggles, crazy sleeping positions....

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a mom.
I pray everyday I will live up to your expectations.
Love, your mom
p.s. PLEASE STOP MAKING TIME GO SO FAST!

As of 8 May 2012...a small little person has decided that rolling from her back to her stomach is a good idea... but only when nobody is watching.

A few different times I have laid her on the floor to run to the bathroom and when I come out she is on her stomach smiling. One day I will see her do it.

until then, I will just squish her face and thighs.

In 3 years and 3 ish months

By 30, you should have ...

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come. I have one that reminds me of how far I have come. (a LONG way)                                                                             The one I can imagine going back to is the one I married.

2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.                              my bed. I love my bed

3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.           I have brain washed the man of my dreams... he loves me in yoga pants and a ponytail

4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.                                           I am not ashamed of my TJ Maxx purchases- name brand or not, stylish or not.

5. A youth you’re content to move beyond. check

6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.                           juicy...? probably not. but I do have some interesting stories.

7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age -- and some money set aside to help fund it. my young women remind me often that I am old. I am ok with it. The $$ thing will have a few bumps but we will get there.

8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account -- all of which nobody has access to but you. I have those. Jon has access to all and I feel fine about it. 

9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded. done

10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.                                                        I have a mom, a husband, and an awesome friend that allow me to do both.

11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.                                                                 I have Jon for the first 2 and the third.... well we will keep that a secret

12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.               I don't need expensive things. I spent my money traveling and those memories are priceless

13. The belief that you deserve it.

14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
I will work on these
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better. done.


By 30, you should know ...

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself. got it

2. How you feel about having kids. I feel FANTASTIC about it

3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.        scary but done, done and done.

4. When to try harder and when to walk away.                                                                                                  I will always try harder until I feel I have nothing left, then I will consider walking away

5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.     ha ha ha

6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town.            working on it

7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to. I hope I never have to again

8. Where to go -- be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat -- when your soul needs soothing. I have learned this... my soul feels best when I am hanging out (in Mammoth) with my entire family. I never felt better and we all NEED to go back!

9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents.   dan.

10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over. it was pretty dang good

11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love. I would do anything to keep the love I have

12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long.               I wouldn't even try to get away with it

13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally.

14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault. I should work on this

15. Why they say life begins at 30 I can only imagine

List excerpted from Glamour's "Thirty Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know By The Time She's 30."

 

April 20, 2012

after a trip to the DMV

a poop-splosion

a bath- in the big people tub

and some time with uncle Josh

we spent some time outside

as soon as I laid her down she started kicking, smiling and laughing

she LOVED it

and her outfit WAS cuter before she pooped all over it

after all was washed and clean we headed home to mow the lawn

I strapped her in the carrier and we did our thing

our lawn mowin thing.

I started sweeping and Anna died laughing.

She giggled and giggled.

Apparently she finds dangling and sweeping funny.

what a thrill seeker.

I am now on instagram: jaahansen

5 months

14.15 lbs

at 5 months you...

love to eat your hands

growl like a crazy monster

laugh

love to be outside

love to go on walks

are a bit of a thrill seeker

have your first cold :(

talk up a storm

rub your feet together constantly

sleep 11 hours a night

hide your face when you eat

are very happy 90% of the time

like to lick everything

like to stand up

wiggle, wiggle, wiggle

drool

track your moms every move

love to sit up

love to be left alone sometimes

like to people watch

are getting good at tummy time and hitting the things on your playmat

like to get a tight grip on my hair

are grabbing and throwing things

smile all the time

will only take short naps during the day

love other little kids

are the cutest baby ever!

we love you Anna!

you are growing so fast and becoming funnier everyday.

See this guy...

we are now the same age for the next few months!

Anna and I love him so much and think he is the greatest husband/father we could ask for!

he is fun, supportive, loving, caring, sarcastic.... this list of wonderful qualities goes on and ON!

We are sad he has to work ALL day but we woke him up with breakfast, singing, presents and cuddling so HOPEFULLY he has a good day. Now we are off to go take him lunch.

Happy Birthday Jon!

daily task

VOTE FOR ANNA!

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/1249222

Happiness

{source}

{photo by Holly}

1. Give up your need to always be right. ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?”

This one is easy because I am both :)

2. Give up your need for control. “By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu Dang, I don't like this one.

3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.

“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle

5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!

“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle

6. Give up complaining. What if I only complain to Jon?

7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.

8. Give up your need to impress others. done. sort of. I care more about my husband and child than i do about others thoughts of me.

9. Give up your resistance to change. “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell 2012 could bring some MAJOR changes... I guess I will have to deal with them

10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer

11. Give up on your fears. does this include snakes, scary people and somebody stealing my child?

12. Give up your excuses.

13. Give up the past. but it brought me so much joy.

14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations.

I will just focus on the 2 people pictured on here and see what I can do!

How Preemie Moms Are Chosen:

Do you ever wonder how mothers of premature babies are chosen? Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron Saint, Celia. Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron Saint. . .give her Gerard. He's used to profanity." Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy." "Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel." "But does she have the patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness." The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?" God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says momma for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see--ignorance, cruelty, prejudice--and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side." "And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

I am one lucky girl.

Happy Easter!

Tonight as I put Anna to bed I really missed a few things...

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE her, I LOVE that she sleep for 10 hours, I LOVE her smile and her stubborn personality but...

I miss my belly.

I miss being in labor.

The main thing I remember about the whirlwind that was November 16-17 was I had SO much fun. We laughed, enjoyed visitors, made jokes, became friends with the nurses and I couldn't have better memories of those days.

I miss this.

The moment Jon and I were told we were going to finally meet our little girl

(along with the other 15 people in the room)

As weird as it sounds I sometimes miss the NICU.

Having my sweet tiny peanut in there was a surreal experience.

I learned so much.

Jon and I had the opportunity to spend some quality time staring at her, learning with her, talking and silently enjoying family time. I wouldn't want to go back but I still have a great amount of love and respect for those who cared for Anna while I couldn't.

I miss her being so small.

and I really do miss those exhausting first few weeks.

They will always hold some of my best memories.

It will never be the same, I will never have a first baby again.

I would relive those days (along with my wedding day) over and over if I could.

Thankfully there have been many fun days since and many more in the future.

Dear Heavenly Father-

Thank you for helping me forget the few uncomfortable moments and the sickness, however I only remember the good which makes me think I am going to have a million kids that are only a year apart. Also, thank you for giving me Jon, he always let me know when I am being completely irrational.

{oh and thank you for Anna and her lovable smile and squish-able cheeks}

a few leftovers from St. Patrick's Day

{outfit provided by great aunt Sara}

4 months

{the outfit is getting small}

weight 13.71 lbs - 51%

height 23.15 in - 12%

head 16.0 - 43%

we have a short chub on our hands right now :)

At 4 months you love to...

eat your hand

watch sports with your dad

sleep!!!

smile

make funny noises

be outside

go to young womens

wiggle

sit up in your bumbo

{this little lady got some shots today... she was a little grumpy after}

St. Patrick's Day 2012

Grandpa and Anna "helped out" while grandma and I made some visiting teaching treats

My little leprechaun

Jon's Breakfast

Jon's lunch

I found this little peanut cozy and happy

Harry o' Clancy left me the best pot of gold ever!

That was just the beginning... we still have dirt pudding, stew and more candy!

plus a VERY cute outfit from sara/paul

The Blessing

3.11.12

We had a lovely windy day with the family. Hannah and Anna were blessed and we enjoyed a weekend with family (many who traveled from California or Idaho). It was so much fun and I am thankful for all of the support. Jon did an amazing job, Ann

a is so lucky to have him as her dad. Here are the pictures...

Great Grandma and Grandpa Jensen

The men from Jon's side

Grandma and Grandpa Hansen

my little baby

with great aunt sara

with uncle paul- who traveled from washington!

Thanks paul!

we are "special"

Hannah was also blessed

Anna and uncle Justin

The whole Rob Lang family together

daddy and anna

The grandkids

The men

my brothers

grandpa/uncle steve with his daughter and granddaughter

Jessica took some cute pictures, when I get them from her I will post them.