Bye Bye PC

Well, we are up and running with our new iMac computer. Yes, we changed allegiance from PC to Apple and are so far, VERY excited about it. However, it will take me about a year to figure out all that the cool stuff it can do. Beware, a blizzard of pics will hit the blog soon from the past 3 months...ok, a small blizzard as I don't have time to post them all. :)

Full of Joy

As we worshiped with the church this morning, we sang Joy to the World with a new chorus starting with "joy, unspeakable joy." I could actually sing that with a heart full of joy, nothing supressed. Oh, and I loved Alex in my arms as she joined us to worship through song at the beginning. One of the pastors spoke about Jesus coming as the light into darkness when He was born. He eventually defined joy in a way I have never heard - a deep confidence in the character of God (i.e. His character of grace, love, power, control, etc).

I often felt like I was letting the enemy steal my joy the first few months of David's life. After desperately seeking God about this and my circumstances, He changed my perspective and attitude. He has recently renewed my spirit, my joy, and I can see my cup full, overflowing actually. In the midst of the yuck, I memorized Phi. 4:4 with Alex (and sang the song), "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice" as I was desperately needing something to rejoice about. That helped in regaining perspective, but another verse we recently memorized has been pivotal in keeping perspective, Psalm 136:1 - "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever." We talk about it, give thanks to God through praying and even sing the Steve Green song of it (Alex thinks every Bible verse has to have a song- ha! I often make them up.) My deep confidence in the characters of God (my joy) is back or just not suppressed anymore. I pray that I don't lose perspective that bad again and that I can be more faithful even when times are tough. I do thank God for the hard times as I learn so much through them. However, I'm just thankful that life is not so hard right now. :)

Life is Good

After watching Julie and Julia tonight, I was inspired to blog. I have a million things I'd love to post, but I'll keep it short I hope as it is late.

Life is good. I almost forgot how good life was when I was deep in the trenches of a newborn and an unadjusted toddler. Yes, I am still in the trenches of raising kiddos and think I will be for a long time as each new age is a new learning process in parenting. However, the trench does not feel so deep right now and I am thankful for that. Alex has adjusted fully to David now, loving him dearly, playing with him, missing him, helping him, making him laugh, singing to him, etc. Her interrupted sleep from his birth has been resolved finally- thank you Lord! Life just got much easier and more fun between David's 5th and 6th month mostly because of Alex's adjustment. or maybe my adjustment...My perspective is changing. I have had to adjust my approach with the kiddos as well which has helped Alex I'm sure. I am striving to be more patient, loving, kind, wise, gracious, teachable, helpful, the list goes on and on. As my attitude changes with God's help, I notice Alex's changing, too. I know she sensed my stress and frazzlement (is that a word? if not, it is now :) for several months. Alex is so full of life and I know my stress hindered her. God, along with my special Moms and More bible study group, helped me see that and make changes. I can truly say that I love watching her very active, independent self learn and grow. Tonight, she wanted to learn how to put my earrings on and take them off. I taught her, showed her and then let her try. She did it the first time! Such a learner! As for David, he is such a sweet, laid back, easy going baby whose smile, kisses, hugs, laughs, death grips, wiggles, jumps, big blue observation eyes, etc make you want to melt.

Life is good and I never want to forget the blessings God has given me in my precious husband, Chris, and our children. I am so thankful for the little (and big) things in life.

The Pop Tart Train

Since I cannot upload pics to our blog right now, I thought I'd share another cute story.

Scenario: Chris asked me last night if I had gone to the store to buy him pop tarts. I told him that we did not go to the store today. Alex ran to our kid sized picnic table in the kitchen and straddled one bench.

Mommy: Alex, what are you doing?
Alex: I'm riding the train to the grocery store to get Daddy some pop tarts. Chooo chooo.... (and yes, she said choooo choooo at the end. :) so cute!!!

Then, Alex ran to Daddy like she was carrying something and pretended to give him pop tarts... so sweet and thoughtful!

So yes, I picked up Daddy some pop tarts while out Christmas shopping late last night. :)

an update may come soon...

Hoping to update soon. I have loads of pics from Oct and Nov that never made the blog. Life has just been so busy and our VERY slow computer squelches even the thought of posting with pics. So, I hope to post some pics soon, but the further I get behind I honestly doubt keeping the blog up at all.

Ok, off to nurse, clean, play with kiddos, back to gym for first time in 6 months, store, cook, etc.... whew! The blog just drops in priority these days amidst everything! Maybe we'll get a fast computer next year and I'll do better. ;)

Doctor Daddy and Words of a 2 yr Old

I always intend to blog about things that Alex says for her to see one day, but never do. So, here is a glimpse tonight...

Alex cried while going down for her nap the past two days. She said her ear hurt. When I asked what happened the first day, she said she thought she bumped it on her rocking chair. So, I kissed it and it was "cured." The next day she cried again saying her ear hurt, but with painful tears. This time, I gave her motrin as she seemed sincere and told her we would let Daddy look at it after naptime. She finally went down. Well, we did go visit Dr. Daddy at work after naptime.

On our way there, one conversation was:
Alex: I'm going to the doctor.
Mommy: You sure are because we are going to see Daddy and he is a doctor.
Alex: I want to be a doctor like Daddy. My eyes hurt. Daddy can kiss them.

After Daddy looked in her ears with an otoscope, Alex said, "they're all better." ha! Daddy did find an ear infection in one ear...her first ear infection. :( (thankful to have an ENT in the fam!)On our way back from getting her prescription filled in the next building over, she scratched her booty and said, "My booty hurts. Daddy needs to check it, too." LOL!!!

Since this post has an anatomical flare, I'll add another conversation from about six months ago.
Scenario: Daddy was scratching his arm and Alex was staring at him.
Daddy: My arm itches. Alex, do you ever have an itch?
Alex: After obviously thinking about the question... "Yea, my butt itched one time." LOL!!!!!!!!

Halloween

Our little pumpkin and princess Cinderella

We went to a Trunk or Treat again this year with the Ramsey Family.
Duck Reese, Punkin David, Princess Cinderella - Alex, Princess Mulan - Reagan

Halloween night at a Trunk or Treat

"Daddy, I want some of your hotdog!"

Alex wanted to eat every piece of candy as she got it. She didn't understand that she couldn't eat it all right then!

Driving the fire truck

Dressing up for dance class... Alex as Cinderella and Reagan as Mulan - beautiful princesses!

Trip to Big Cedar Lodge

Ok, so I was hoping to post this in October, but time/life got away from me. We enjoyed a fabulous weekend at Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, MO while Chris attended a conference last month. The scenery was incredible with all the leaves changing colors. Alex loves to tell you it is the fall season when the leaves change colors and fall off the trees. :)

Morning out with the kids playing while Chris attended a conference.

My little butterfly...can you see the real butterfly in the purple flowers?

here it is...beautiful!!!

such a big girl!

Happy Fall, Everyone!

Zerbert Central

Alex LOVES to give zerberts and receive them as you will hear her ask for one at the end. David likes to receive (or endures) multiple zerberts a day!

5 Month Old David

David's 5 month old treat was a taste of rice cereal. On his 5mo birthday eve last night with all of us cheering him on, David had his first go at rice cereal. He did great and caught on swallowing instead of tongue thrusting almost instantly. David seems to have come alive even more this last month...more talking/screeching, giggling, interacting, wiggling, rolling, moving, etc. It's been fun to watch, but I can't believe how fast he is growing up. I can remember feeding Alex her first bite of cereal!

"Cleaning my face with my bib"

Alex's first go at rice cereal when she was 4 mos old. We tried then, but waited til closer to 5mos to continue with her. While feeding David today, Alex asked to taste the rice cereal. She gagged. ha!

I thought I videoed this laughing extravaganza, but unbeknownst to me, I accidentally stopped the recording after about a second. However, Alex and David were hilarious today. Alex would let David lick her hand and she would kackle, then David would giggle. They went back and forth laughing at each other for a while. So cute and so sad I can't make you smile with a video.

Ok, I am shocked at how much I have been posting this month and that I have had the time to do it. Or maybe, I've just lost some sleep to get it done. ha! O'well, it's been fun. I still hope to post our Big Cedar trip before the month is out as well. :)

Fall Decor Project

David supervised Alex and me as we made Fall decor for the table. After collecting acorns and some acorn hats on a walk/stroll, we separated them on a plate. I put hot glue in the acorn hats while Alex pushed the acorns in the glue filled hats. We had a good time and Alex loves to pick up the finished acorns and say, "the hats don't come off now." :)

Finished project

My precious three pumpkins...Alex and David are so sweet holding hands.

Cuddle time with Daddy

Homemade Baby Food

Well, it's that time again. David will be five months old in a few days and we plan to start cereal soon. Since winter squashes were on sale at Kroger, I decided to go ahead and make some baby food for David and freeze it. So, here is my first go at making homemade baby food again: acorn squash puree. And btw... I have a recipe for toddlers and grown ups to add butter, honey and cinnamon to it so we had some for us as well. :)

Baked about 50 minutes.

Gutted seeds and scooped squash into food processor

Then, the processor does all the work. Voila! Acorn squash puree!

1 oz cubes of squash to be frozen and then bagged for later. Hope David likes it. Alex loved acorn squash...but not anymore.... :(

Roll Time

"Mommy, do I have to roll again?" So yes, David is a bit fussy in this video as it was taken last week after I made him roll several times after he started rolling again (he did it during his 1st month, then stopped). I know rolling over is a good developmental milestone to reach, but it can be annoying when you have a tummy sleeper who rolls over and then can't get back on his tummy. David, it's time to learn to roll from back to tummy!

Oh Happy Day

I couldn't resist posting this video of Alex and Sable singing while we were stopped on the way to B'ham. They had a blast together!

Pumpkin Patch

This quaint pumpkin patch, Bobrook Farms, in Roland Arkansas was perfect for us today as it was only about 15 minutes away with pumpkins, animals, hay maze, hayride, face painting, hay bale climbing and a little store that sold apple butter! I told chris on the way that I hoped they canned some of their fruit as i was looking for apple butter for a new apple butter (btw...it is not butter at all; more like a glorified applesauce) pumpkin pie recipe I found. I was pumped to find the last jar on the shelf!

making a silly face
looking forward to taking our pumpkin home for daddy to carve it

enjoying the hayride