First of January--OLIVIA IS HERE!!!

As I stated in my last post, Olivia flew out on New Years Eve and spent the entire first week of January at our house. The kids had that week off of school for winter break and I knew I would need the help because Sterling was studying like crazy. Olivia earned her spot in heaven being willing to come out and help me! I'd get up and she'd help me feed everyone and then she'd take them to the beach, feed them lunch, then to the pool, and home for dinner, and THEN she'd spend the evening playing games with them. She just LOVED on my kids. Russ is a handful right now, at the age where he is constantly into everything and too little to understand. She kept him occupied and out of my hair and I pretty much just slept and enjoyed my baby for another entire week. There is not enough thanks in the world to Olivia. She not only watched them but she played, cuddled, hugged, kissed, tickled, and enjoyed my kids. They loved her. She spoiled them so much! I feel like this is definitely one of those moments where you know you can never repay the kindness, but I am just overwhelmed with gratitude at all she did. Olivia, you're the best! She left January 8th, so Grace was 3 weeks old by the time she left. I have never had so much help, for so long, with any of my babies. First mom for an entire week, then a few days of the bishop's wife (and a few meals in there from the relief society, which we haven't always had either), and then Olivia for another week. I have to say though, I wish I would have been able to have that with every one. I felt like I finally had enough time to enjoy that newborn. And to catch up on sleep. And be *ready* to jump back into school and routine and normal life. Thank you to everyone! Because she's my fifth, I was definitely enjoying every single second I was given!

I love how newborns fit just like this!

Her teeny, tiny head fits in my hand!

Will lost a tooth while Olivia was here! The tooth fairy was too busy getting his cousin's tooth to bring him money that night, but she came the next night! He took some coaxing, but mid-cry it came out and he started laughing, ha!

Chatting with fiancé Eric before church!

Olivia decided Russ needed brow liner. And we laughed hysterically.

This boy loves me, but he has also become a huge daddy's boy. He said his name first! Ah! And he runs up yelling for him when he gets home from work and wraps his arms around Sterling's knees. My heart.

Beautiful girls.

Russ LOVES Gracie. He uses this great high-pitched voice to talk to her and gets excited to point at her and hold her. His attention only lasts for a bit, but it is always sweet and attentive.

When Olivia was leaving us at the airport I realized too late that we had hardly any pictures. So we snapped a few.

Right after this she waved goodbye and I said "Russ, wave! Wave!" and he looked at me, looked at her backing away, looked at me, and again at her. Then he went to wave. And then he stopped and burst into tears. He wanted her to come back! It was the saddest thing in my life. She really was sooooo amazing at just loving my kids. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful person to come spend time with my kids for a week. Russ adored her.