Baby N: 10 Months

I'm pretty sure it was just yesterday that I posted your 9 month update. How did this last month pass by so quickly?! Alas, here we are in May and you are 10 months old.

 Weight: 21lbs 7oz

Height: 29.8 inches

Clothes: 9-12 months

Eat: You are a lazy eater. By that I mean you love all types of "big kid" food but you refuse to feed yourself. You are a food smashing pro but will not guide even a crumb into your mouth. I'm not sure when you'll get tired of waiting on us to feed you, but the pediatrician says not to worry. You eat about 8 ounces of baby food a day, plus nibbles off of Mommy's plate. You also drink 7-8 ounces of formula every four hours.

Sleep: You are still sleeping really well unless you are teething. You go down between 7 and 7:30pm and wake up between 5 and 6:00am. You take little cat naps in the morning and will generally take an hour or so nap in the afternoon.

Play: You are very curious. You are continually playing with whatever is in your arms reach. You have a smile that goes on for miles and your laugh is the best. We've been spending a lot of time outside, which you seem to love. You do well to entertain yourself for the most part but need to have Daddy or I in your sights.

G is still your bestie. I love the way the two of you interact. You both adore one another so much and I pray your closeness only grows as the two of you get older.

Odds and Ends: You are working on at least one top tooth. I really thought it would be in by now but it's taking its own sweet time. You are beginning to show your typical signs of teething again so maybe it is needing a little extra push.

You had an excellent check up this month. Prior to your well visit, we had to take you to the pediatrician to see about a quick spreading rash you had developed. You were later diagnosed with a bad case of eczema. We treated you for the flair up, which now seems to occur anytime it's warm (not looking forward to the summer), and have a daily treatment that seems to really be helping. Poor little guy. I'm afraid you may also have seasonal allergies. Whenever I have issues, it seems that your little eyes get puffy, your nose runs, etc. It is no fun.

You are almost crawling. You steadily get on all fours and try to push yourself forward. Your back end has it but your hands and arms have not quite figured out their motion just yet. I'm not in a huge hurry to have you super mobile. You do pretty well to kind of army crawl/body drag yourself short distances. We'll be chasing you before we know it.

You also started clapping this month! I had forgotten just how much I love little clapping babies. You melt my heart every time.

We celebrated your sister's 3rd birthday with family and friends. We are saving your first taste of cake and sweet things for your first birthday like we did your sister. It's crazy to think that in just 2 short months our sweet boy will be 1!

We love you little man and we can't wait to see what you discover this next month!

Watch Me Grow!

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Monthly Weight Loss Update April 2016

::via::

Getting healthy is no joke. I have a ton of reasons why I want to do this for myself and for my family and I'm using all of those reasons to keep me encouraged when things get tough. I've made it through about 3 months of low carb eating and I can honestly say that I do not really miss those things that I was missing last month...such as pasta, bread, etc. I still struggle some with sweets, but nothing like I did in the beginning. I can't take all the credit to my weight loss this month. I had a couple episodes of health issues that led to me not feeling so well, which in turn led me to not wanting to eat as much as I normally do. I hope all of that is on its way out and I'll get back to feeling 100%.

In the past month I have lost 9 lbs.

That makes a total of 19.4 lbs.

I'm over half way to my first goal of 30lbs.

I'm now fitting into clothes that I could not wear 2 months ago.

I went down another notch on my belt.

I can literally walk out of some of my pants because they will not stay up without a belt.

The biggest challenge I now face is getting into an exercise routine. Life is crazy, no matter how I try to slow it down and it just does not seem like I have time. I'm looking forward to June when I'm out of school and I can have a little more time to focus on me and exercise.

::via::

I'd love some tips from other working women and/or mothers on how you incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

My Weight Loss Journey

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It Hasn't Always Been This Way

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

Colossians 4:2

I look at the beautiful, messy life before me. I flip through the pages of our family calendar and admire the upcoming special events penned on various dates. My joy overflows. April 19th is highlighted and marked on all personal calendars. This is my daughter's birthday.

Several years ago I was told that I may not be able to have children. This struck fear and ache in my heart as we continued to investigate my condition and eventually begin the battle against infertility. We sought a second opinion, completed various tests, discussed multiple options and prayed continuously for God to fill my womb with a child.

There were times when those prayers seemed like they were being unanswered. I often mistook His silence for "no" or distance. In reality, He was saying, "wait". I struggled during that time to let go and let God write our story.

In 2012 He gave us the surprise of a lifetime. He answered our prayers with a "yes". The following April, our beautiful daughter entered the world. We would eventually face the same struggles, fears, and frustrations as we attempted to provide our daughter with a sibling. However, I had a better understanding of the process and my faith had grown in a way during our last journey to conceive that allowed me to sincerely wait upon the Lord.

When people see pictures of our little family, they offer sweet compliments. They comment on how "lucky" we are to have two children, especially one of each (why that matters?). I don't see any of this as luck. I see a couple, desperate in their pleading, who learned how to wait upon the Lord. The family photos they see before them are not how things have always been. There was a time when we did not know if we would hear the pitter patter of little feet.

During our journeys to gaining these little lives, we learned how to pray...not just how to request our hearts' desires to God, but how to listen for His responses. We learned to be watchful. He taught us to continually look for other blessings in our lives instead of solely focusing on what we wanted but didn't yet have.

We also learned to be thankful. He taught us to be thankful for each other while we waited to fill our home with a child. He taught us to be thankful for the daughter that was more beautiful and precious than we could imagine. He taught us to hand over our fears of pregnancy loss and delivery when things became abnormal.

We carry these lessons with us. As a mother, I continue to pray for our children, both presently and for their futures. I continue to watch for the blessings that God pours over our sweet family. I also continue to be thankful. When the days are long and the nights are even longer, I rejoice in all that He has done. It is amazing how being thankful, listing those blessings and claiming God's goodness can make a person stronger and more brave in the face of weariness and worry. Write Colossians 4:2 where you can see it daily and remember to...

Pray. Watch. Give thanks.

Waiting on Wednesday

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Mommy Momments

The 12 Books of Christmas: 2015 Selections

The tradition of having the kids open books on the 12 days leading up to Christmas has become one of my favorites. This year was no exception. I'm not sure what we'll do as they get older and picture books are no longer as captivating (since we read the stories together after opening them). Chapter books are not as ideal for this tradition. I am tossing ideas around and open to suggestions.

Regardless, I love this tradition and I will now share the books we selected for this year...

Wake Up, Little One

A Day with Animal Firefighters

Eight Silly Monkeys

Green Eggs and Ham

 

Russell and the Lost Treasure

 

You Can Do It Sam

 

God Gave Us Christmas

 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Thanksgiving: What makes it special?

 

Here Comes the Crocodile

A Chick 'n' Pug Christmas (My personal favorite)


Bear Stays Up for Christmas 



2013//2014

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Christmas Traditions

I LOVE the Christmas season. 

My husband and I would be content having the house decorated and looking festive most of the year. With this beautiful season comes cold weather (yeah, still waiting on that), amazing food and extra time with family and friends. To top it off, we have special family Christmas traditions that we always look forward to.

Trimming the Tree

Our tree is an after Christmas sale (and I mean dirt cheap) but from a distance, and once it's decorated, you can hardly tell. We always put the tree up on Black Friday. Since I do most of my shopping online theses days, it opens up lots of time to enjoy decorating. 

Ornaments

Each ornament that goes on our tree is special and represents some part of our lives. We also have a traditional ornament that we get for one another each year. For my husband, he gets his annual fire truck, I get the latest in the Puppy Love series, and G gets her fairy. Our ornament series all come from Hallmark (no compensation for the plug) and it's tricky when buying for the other person not to scope out your own. We always want it to be a surprise. My husband was in charge of selecting the series we would start for our son. I can't wait to see what he chose!

Stockings

I have been longing for coordinating stockings that would stand the test of time. In the past I've used Santa sacks that I made from festive material. This year, thanks to an awesome half off sale and a 20% off coupon, our family now has coordinating stockings and I could not be happier. Our stockings are opened Christmas Eve, along with the ornaments.

Baking

There is always baking. Everything from cookies to pies to Cornish hens. Something is always being made to enjoy this time of year.

My mom has started a tradition of making cookies with G in their matching aprons and although she won't get to be here this year, we'll pick up on the tradition again next year.

Elf on a Shelf

We love our daughter's imagination. She cracks us up. To add to the fun, we've thrown in the Elf. G named her Princess and looks for her every morning. 

The Christmas Story

One of my favorite traditions is reading the Christmas story. On Christmas Eve we begin the scripture and end right before Jesus' birth. On Christmas morning we finish the story and have a family prayer. This year, G has been very excited about the coming of Jesus' birthday. Melts my heart.

The story of His birth, His Life and Resurrection are the premise of our Christmas celerations. He is the reason for the season and His sacrifice was truly the best gift ever given.

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Tips on Raising a Well Mannered Toddler

I have to preface this. We are far from perfect parents as is our toddler. However, we've found a few things that actually seem to be working in our parenting, and one of them is raising a child with manners. It goes without saying that she still has her moments. We've had a few fits and the typical testing of boundaries, but her manners continue to increase. In fact, she's at the point that we rarely have to prompt the appropriate response.

Here are a few tips that we feel have helped us get to this point.

1. Set the example. If you want your child to naturally begin to pick up on the please and thank you cues, you need to be using them yourself. As a teacher, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. I'm always astonished at how many children don't even think to use these when asking or receiving. In fact, with each passing year, the sense of entitlement that comes with each new group seems to be more and more. I won't even go into the lack of respect for adults...I digress. As I said, it has to start at home with you.

2. Encourage. Encourage your child to say please and thank you in everyday activities. Before our daughter gets anything she requests, she has to say please. There have been times that she refuses and quickly finds out that we do not respond to that type of behavior. Side note: She has also learned that just because she says please does not mean she'll always get what she wants. This opens up a new area of learning for our little ones, but she seems to handle it pretty well. We've worked hard with her on learning to say thank you when she is given something. Sometimes we have to prompt her with "what do you say?" and she responds appropriately.  It's even seeped into compliments. She now says thank you when someone compliments her on something. I was surprised when she first did this. It just goes to show that you should never underestimate the abilities of out little ones.

3. Don't give in. Those tantrums can be killer. However, it's better to bear the moment than to set yourself back. I was once told that the tantrums always seem worse to you than others. I learned this to be true the first time she showed her bad attitude at a local store. I felt so embarrassed, but as I looked around, no one was even paying attention to us. With any behavior, consistency and boundaries are key. Say what you mean and mean what you say. As a former behavior specialist and now mother, these things have proven true for any age I've worked with.

4. Start small. Learning common courtesies needs to begin from the time your child is super little. They need to hear these words, observe these actions and be included when possible. The scope of being well mannered and respectful goes far beyond just please and thank you. Beginning to teach your child these things while little can lead to even bigger and better things. It's hard for my first graders to get used to saying please and thank you when they have not been taught it at home. These itty bitty years are so vital in helping them become who they will be in the future.

Think of it this way, if we want kinder, more respectful adults, we need to be raising kinder, more respectful children...and that starts with us.

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Mommy Moments

The Hand That Holds Mine

When I look at the hand that holds mine, my heart often skips a beat. It's rough and slightly calloused from hard work and helping others. It is gentle and calming in the midst of fear and uncertainty. It is secure when everything around me seems to be falling apart. 

That hand belongs to the man that God gifted to me. A man so strong in his faith that he does not waver. He is a man who provides for his family and yet tends to the needs of others with just as much love. He is a man who shows his children how Christ calls men to father and love their wives. He proves that God can use imperfections to further His kingdom. 

He is the man who has walked me through our battles with infertility. He is the one who speaks words of love and encouragement when I think "I can't." He is the one the Lord hand picked just for me. 

At the end of this month we will celebrate 7 years of marriage. These 7 years have included arguements, making up, job changes, infertility, children, a house, births and deaths and a whole lot of memories. I look forward to spending the rest of our lives together. I meant what I said when I took those vows and the hand I held then is the hand I hold now and it is the hand I hope to hold the rest of my life.

via

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Enjoying the cool fall evening 

I. Love. Fall. It is my favorite season for hundreds of reasons. One of the biggies is that the cool weather just begs to be paired with warm, comfy, stick to your bones recipes. One of my favorites is stew. Stew is a pretty generic term considering how versatile it is. In honor of the first day of fall, I thought I'd share a tasty stew recipe that not only makes yummy leftovers, but also freezes well.

My daughter has been helping me a lot in the kitchen lately and yesterday she helped me throw together this yummy stew. Now you can use whatever type of meat you prefer but I typically use beef or venison. I opted for certain veggies but of course you can use whatever you'd like.

Slow Cooker Stew 

Ingredients:
1lb ground venison
3 potatoes, cubed
1 c frozen corn
1 c frozen lima beans
1 c baby carrots
1tsp onion powder
2 cloves minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp sugar
1 15oz  can low sodium beef broth
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1c water

Directions:

Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray.  Next, place your venison on the bottom, breaking it up slightly. (If using ground beef, you'll want to precook it and drain the fat.) Layer on the veggies and then top with the seasonings. Pour over the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. About 15 minutes before you're ready to eat, mix the corn starch and water and stir into the stew. This will thicken it. Pair with your favorite corn bread and enjoy!

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Bouncing Back After Baby - Post Baby Goals

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I'm 2 months post birth and I'm still not feeling 100% myself. N's pregnancy was much more difficult and his labor was 2 times longer than that of his sister's. Let's just say my body feels like it has been through a war. I'm still healing and the various issues I've had since his birth have not been as easy to deal with at times. There have been multiple doctor/dentist visits and quite frankly, I'm over it. I want to feel good again.

Prior to his conception,  I had lost 20lbs. I only gained 17 during his pregnancy and lost that pretty immediately. However, just as before, there were things that made it difficult to breastfeed and after a couple weeks, I was unable to do so any longer. Some of the weight creeped back on. ::sigh::

We've been asked if we're done having kids and to that I don't have a solid answer...but I can say I have goals until then. These goals are meant to carry me over the next couple of years and mini goals will be implemented along the way. I don't want to rush my body but I don't want that to stop me from moving forward.

Goals

1. Lose 30lbs. I am actively using FitnessPal again and I'm eager to see some change. I'll be once again blogging about my progress soon.

2. Put our house up for sale. We have a few projects left prior to officially putting the house on the market but we're well on our way.

3. Get reconnected. The last few months have been difficult in the way of personal relationships and my relationships with friends, family and Christ have suffered. It's time to get more involved again and fix what can be fixed and find closure with what can't.

4. Build our forever home. I desperately long to build our new house. Our land is just begging to be settled upon. We can't begin that venture however until our current home is sold. It's so close and yet so far...

5. Survive financially over the next 12 months. My maternity leave is cutting my pay by several hundred dollars each month for the next year. We've been saving, making cuts and trying to just prepare ourselves all the way around. This next year will be super tight and we are trusting in the Lord's provision. He's never failed us.

::via::

6. Live intentionally. As of late I have known or read about too many people passing away unexpectedly and it really gets you thinking. I want to make memories, live fully, overcome my fears and anxieties and show my children what an amazing life the Lord has blessed us with.

7. Date my husband. I have a really hard time leaving my kids. I admit it. After being gone from them all day, all I want to do is be with them. However,  this doesn't grow my relationship with my phenomenal husband. I need to let go and let others help us more. I need to go on dates with my husband minus both kids and relax. (Can you sense my type A personality?)

::via::

8. Revamp my teaching style. I love what I do as a teacher. Every year I say there are things I want to do or change and rarely do I do them. It's time to fix that.

What goals do you have?

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The Power of a Shower

I'm still adjusting to being a mom of two. Schedules differ, needs are vastly different and the demand varies. With N at 8 weeks old, he still requires so much.G has her own needs and wants that inevitably should take priority just at the time I'm feeding the baby. My house is never together or completely clean and my list of to-dos is not getting smaller.

I'm learning to give myself some grace.

My body is still not my own, the healing is still happening and the one night of solid sleep I had last week is but a distant memory. Since life is a beautiful mess everyday there is very little I get to do for myself. As this is my 2nd time around, I'm well aware of the importance of focusing on myself from time to time.

In comes the shower. Never underestimate what the spray of hot water and some sudsy, aromatic body wash can do. Typically I have at least one kid hanging out in the bathroom with me but on the special occasion that they both nap at the same time...bliss! The rejuvenation that can come from washing away the smell of spit up, sweat and mommy fog is essential to being able to bring your best...even if your best isn't back to normal.

::via::

Whether you're a new mom or just new to baby #4, remember to take a little time for yourself. You'll be glad you did.

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Mommy Moments

Currently: August

N's first Sunday at church 8.16.2015

I can't wrap my brain around the fact that it is August...and half way in at that! Here's what is going on currently...

Thinking about...
how this first week of school will go. It's so strange not to be starting out the year with my students. However, I would not trade this time with our new son and toddler daughter for anything.

Working on...
gathering consignment items and prepping them for the sale in September. I've participated in this particular consignment sale the last couple of times and I typically do pretty well. With our finances taking a major hit thanks to my maternity leave, every little bit will help. I'm also trying to finish up a photo book project for our son. I'm determined to have the same photo books for both of my children...I forgot what an undertaking this can be.

Learning...
how to be a mother of two. It has definitely been an adjustment. I feel like we're starting to adjust to our new normal, only to have to readjust when I begin back to work in October.

Courtesy of Frank Crocker Photography

Watching...
reruns of The Middle. It cracks me up and I'm amazed how much I can relate.

Listening to...
my two year old sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Jesus Loves Me".

Reading...
the latest Parents magazine and frugal cooking blogs. I'm also revisiting potty training tidbits since we've begun this venture (again) this week.

Dreaming about...
our new house. Every time I drive past our property my heart longs to pull into the driveway. With the changes we will be experiencing this year, it is unlikely the building process will be able to begin since our house has to sell first. I could be surprised but I'm accepting the fact that this dream will be postponed a while longer.

Wanting...
a cleaning fairy to come to my home. I just can't get this house together! I'm also wanting this potty training experience to be more fruitful than our last attempt...

Feeling...
a multitude of emotions. We have so much coming up that I am having to slow myself down and remember that 1. God is in control, 2. God will provide, 3. I am too blessed to be stressed.

Loving...
my life. Despite the challenges we're facing, I am so in love with this crazy, beautiful mess that I call mine. My children are healthy, my husband is amazing, my job is secure for another school year and the sun is shining. I think overall, things are pretty good.

What are you up to currently?

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Battling Infertility in the Wake of Baby Season

If you're new to R&R you may be wondering why there is a post on infertility in the midst of all these baby posts. This my friends is because I am no stranger to the struggle of infertility. In fact, our two babes are complete miracles and it was only through God's grace and the help of modern medicine that we conceived. My journey is not to be compared to anyone else, but instead, it is my hope that it serves as a beakon of hope for others on the same road.

If you're interested in reading more about our journey,  you can find that here.

::via::

This post has been in the making for the last couple weeks. As I was driving down the road the other day I realized that I'm currently in the midst of a baby boom. Several friends and family members are pregnant or have recently had a baby. I found myself in awe of this baby season and it dawned on me that just a few years ago I would have handled this season much differently.

When you are in the midst of an infertility battle, typically every pregnancy and birth announcement is like pouring salt into an open wound. So. Much.Pain. You dread or even avoid baby showers. Your heart aches as you make hospital and home visits, if you can even muster up the courage to do so. You wear a brave face as you fight your battle and you may or may not be open about your challenges. Regardless,  this season is like a long, dark seemingly endless winter.

I handled the times leading up to the conception of our two children very differently. For the first I was closed off and quiet. I avoided those I loved, I unintentionally damaged friendships and lost sight of the good that was still in my life. It was a dark time. When we began trying for our second I was much more open and sought support. It was hard but there were glimmers of light.

I just want to remind you that you are not alone. Whether you seek support through online blogs such as this or with close friends and family, it is essential to have a sounding board. Very few people outside of the infertility circle will understand your sense of loss, frustration and pain. They will try to emphasize with the ache but until a person has experienced it, there is no real way to truly understand. You'll be given advice and well intentioned "words of encouragement" and some of it will hurt. Take it with a grain of salt and don't focus on what has been said.

Allow yourself to grieve. Whether you've miscarried or have had multiple failed cycles, there is sense of loss. I think it's actually more fair to say that you may be experiencing continuous waves of indescribable emotional/physical pain...you somehow tread your way through until the next one.

You'll fight jealousy. It's a beast. Never forget that infertility is happening to you; it does not define you, and as I've learned, the experience and how you handle it will
 mold you.

I wish you the best in your journey and I want to encourage you to seek the good things that are still in your life as you wade through the season of little ones everywhere. These times come in waves and with each passing one you can either find a way to become stronger and rise above your circumstances or you can drown. Don't go under. I, along with countless others are here to offer you a life line and provide a safe place for these times in your journey.

Be brave. Be blessed.

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Thoughts for Thursday