Celebrating Christmas begins

The first year I wasn't going to be with my family on Christmas Day, my mother decided to make the day we did celebrate as a family very special. I really like this - especially now that we live in the same town. We gather as family often so we need to do something different to make holidays feel special.

This year we celebrated on Friday, Dec. 22 since Clay's family arrived late that night to spend Christmas Day with us. Due to the ages of the children, finding an activity that we will all enjoy proves to be a bit of a challenge. This year we chose to go to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. They have a great area downstairs (call KidSpace) tailored for kids under 6. Everyone seemed to have a great time. We ventured upstairs to the hands-on science exhibit and got to hear the Texas All-Girls Choir sing a few songs as we passed through the lobby. Jbird loves music so much and this just thrilled his soul!

We braved eating out and then headed to my folks to put the boys down for a nap. Jbird didn't sleep long, but he was entertained by Kadyn while others tried to rest. Once Dylan woke up and the boys had a snack, we opened presents. What an adventure that was! Jbird kept leaving the area...Dylan wanted all the toys...and then Jbird face-planted on real tile. There was little blood and a nice bruise in the middle of his forehead, but new toys were a great distraction. It was a wonderful time to spend with family.

Family gatherings have changed quite a bit - much more chaotic than they used to be - but there is lots of laughter and a great appreciation for the blessing of doing life together in the same town. It was a great way to start the holiday weekend!

Enjoy these pictures from the day - just click on them to get a larger view!

Jbird's favorite toy in KidSpace - electronic finger painting! A TV he can touch and it has fun colors too! We kept trying to get him to do other things, but he always kept heading back to it.












He did get a kick out of turning the lights on and off in the little house - of course he enjoys this at home too!







We did distract Jbird with the water area for a bit. He loves to splash! And he was quite intrigued with the hand dryer...









Pictures in the car (across from the electronic finger painting)... I love the action shot (like his daddy).









He even let Dylan get beside him for a moment! Pop enjoyed trying to wrangle the boys for a picture.









The first present Jbird opened was the only one he was interested in for a while so we didn't take too many pictures!

Santa Visit

We visited Santa after taking pictures a couple of weeks ago. Jbird had been such a trooper at Portrait Innovations, but it was nearing lunch/nap time. We thought we'd check out the line since we were already out and looking cute. We walked right up and put him in Santa's lap...he was fine until we took bunny (his security) and his pacifier and stepped back. God love this sweet Santa who tried his best to calm this very upset little boy. We thought the picture was too cute so we decided we had tortured him enough. As soon as Clay picked him up, he was fine again - and we have this great shot.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas...

Standing by Your Convictions

Today I needed to read Emilie Barnes' words... it has been a trying few days with my son. His new-found independence and strong will have been testing my waters...and I have grown weary of sounding like a broken record, weary of popping his hand or leg, weary of his tears and whining, weary of fighting the same battle...and this is only the beginning! The last two afternoons, I have been overcome with the responsibility I have to teach this little man what it is to be a man, to be obedient, to respect authority, and trust in my love. I know that the lessons I teach him now will most likely shape how He views God...and how I desperately desire for Him to love God, to experience God's love personally, and to give every part of Himself to serving God. So when I picked up my devotional book and read about Daniel, I was encouraged to stand by my convictions and draw my strength from God so that I can know I have done my best. For you other weary mothers out there, I hope these words are encouraging to you as well.

From 15 Minutes of Peace with God by Emilie Barnes, p. 11-12:

Daniel 1:1-21

In the book of Daniel we see a son who was raised by the teachings found in Leviticus 11. Daniel did not want to defile his body by eating foods that were unclean or had been offered to pagan idols before being put on the king's table. (Eating food offered to a pagan god was an indication of loyalty to that god.)

Notice the deep commitment of faith which enabled these young men to take the stands they took. They bore testimony to the faithfulness of mothers and fathers who taught them the central issues of obedience and faithfulness to biblical principles.

Because of this, Daniel was able to withstand the forces he faced in a hostile land. But since he was captured by the Babylonians and taken from his Israeli homeland, his mother may never have known the results of her early training while he was still in her home.

This value of teaching future generations has been impressed on me since I have two children and five grandchildren. We as mothers may never live to see how our children will respond as adults, but we must be faithful in raising our children to be responsible adults. I'm sure Daniel's mother prayed for him when he was young. She also continued to pray for him during the time of exile.

Whether or not she knew what Daniel had achieved, she had done the best job she could do as a mom: to raise a son who as an adult would follow the leading of the Lord.

As we look at our children we never know of their potential or what they will be as adults. But like Daniel's mother, we must continue as best as we know how to raise and prepare our children for God's calling.

(this is the prayer Emilie writes at the end, but I have changed part of it to make it personal to me...)
Father God, at times I become so discouraged as a mom. At times I sound like a squeaky wheel around my children and family. But You know that I want the very best for them. I want them to know of Your love for them, how to live a disciplined life, to be responsible for their actions, and how to make wise choices. Even though I may not live to see them grown and I constantly fail, I want You to know that my desire is to make them the children You would have them be. Thank You for putting that desire in my heart. Amen.

Gladys Brooks once said, "Discipline is demanded of the athlete to win a game. Discipline is required for the captain running his ship. Discipline is needed for the pianist to practice for the concert. Only in the matter of personal conduct is the need for discipline questioned. But if parents believe standards are necessary, then discipline certainly is needed to attain them."

Giving props

I wanted to take a moment today to give props to my husband. He has been such a jewel throughout this entire pregnancy, but this weekend he went above and beyond! He braved Wal-Mart on a Friday night with our friends to buy gifts for children we will never meet (he doesn't like Wal-Mart even on a calm day). Saturday he painted my toenails and looked past the increasingly messy house as I battled a severe cold. He gladly took our son to church yesterday morning so I could have a few hours of uninterrupted rest. He stepped up with the boy all weekend really...and because I was able to rest most of yesterday, I am now doing much better.

I am so thankful for the blessing of this man in my life. These may seem like small things, but they are just an indication of the gifts I get each day - big and small.

So, honey, I give you mucho props today!

Family Christmas photo

Here's the official 2006 family Christmas photo.
(See the next post for other new pictures.)
We hope you all have a blessed holiday season focused on the birth of Christ and sharing it with others. We have been humbled by God's blessings this year...and now we anticipate the arrival of Elizabeth Jaye in late February 2007.
May you be stilled this season by the realization of all He has given.

Fun pictures

Last Friday we finally got pictures made again. Here is just a sample of what what taken (63 shots total). I give a lot of credit to Portrait Innovations - they did a great job keeping the little one focused and catching some great expressions. We got a CD with every shot they took regardless if we bought prints of it or not. So you get the benefit of seeing some of the priceless moments when he got really tickled. Our little boy is growing up so fast - he turned 17 months yesterday! Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?

Teen or adult?

Okay, it is no secret to anyone that I do not look my age - I don't even break the 5 ft. mark, I'm quite petite (even pregnant), the gray I do have is scattered sporadically throughout my hair instead of in patches (and you have to look close to see that they really are white/gray and not blonde), and I even have a young-looking face especially when I pull my hair back. All things that will be a HUGE blessing in about 30 years when I don't even look close to turning 60, but there are moments now (and over the past years) that it can be a bit frustrating...like today at Wal-Mart.

Jbird and I ran to the store to get milk, bread and a few other essentials. I often get looks when I am out with him that scream, "Wow, look what a young mother she is;" and I find myself subconciously making sure my wedding band is evident to any who pass by. Today was no different...and the mom and daughter behind us in line then commented that I was pregnant AGAIN...however, they apparently missed the day in school where you learn to use your inside voice.

It is moments like this that make me want to pull out my driver's license to show them I am approaching 30...or wear a sign that says something along the lines of "Almost 30, married over 7 years, and two miracle children...I'll be glad to prove it all!"

I thank God I can find humor in the stares/questioning looks...and I'll laugh all the way to the bank as I grow old gracefully without having to pay for plastic surgery to look 10 years younger!

A growing family

Finally, here is a picture of my growing self (not the best photo, but it does show the belly!) ...hard to believe we only have 3 months until this little girl's arrival! And yes, for those who haven't seen me in a while, my hair is growing too. I also posted a lot of pictures of the boy so make sure you keep scrolling down...we've had some fun since we got home and I thought I would share...we hope you enjoy!

Playtime in my new jersey

Auntie Claire gave Jbird a great new jersey for Christmas (we hate she won't be able to visit this year)...and it was warm enough today for a test run. He looks too cute!




















What up? (says our lil' gansta)

Taking over for the dog

What you can't hear is our son "woofing" in the first two pictures. He started imitating that sound Monday and then decided to imitate Jasmine...quite funny!




















As you can see, he is quite proud of himself...



















and Jasmine appears unmoved by her demotion...she sits perched on her "throne" completely oblivious!















Another picture captured that day during playtime

Discovering the Christmas Tree

Jbird didn't show much interest in the tree until today - he even ignored the boxes while I was decorating Monday. He discovered a red ball and a frosty one with glitter this afternoon and I caught him having some fun...

Taking a swing at the ball...



















Just looking after Mommy said not to touch...



















Mommy caught my follow through!



















Maybe she'll let me touch the tree...



















What, me? I wasn't touching it!

Somethin' just ain't right

Somethin' just ain't right when it's 79 degrees outside while I decorate our Christmas tree! Crazy to think our high on Thursday will be in the 30s...gotta love livin' in Texas!

Night #2

Night #2 in the big boy bed went GREAT! He didn't fuss at all, and I didn't hear him until this morning. He even got out of bed, shut his door (we gate him in), and read his Elmo book. Nap time today went without fuss again and he slept his normal time - I am just now hearing him beginning to stir. How thankful I am that thus far this transition has gone so smoothly... gives me hope for bringing home a pink bundle in 3 months!

Big move

There is much to write about since my last post (we were gone for 9 days driving over 1800 miles!), but that must wait until later. I did want to take a moment to share a monumental milestone that occurred last night...Jbird spent his first night in his "big boy bed" (ie. his crib mattress on the floor of his room)!





The night went much better than we thought it might. We thought the easiest way to transition to this new bed would be to try it out our first night home after being away from home for over a week. I wish we could have captured the look on his face as we laid him down and walked away. He was holding both his bunnies with wide eyes - he seemed a bit unsure of what was going on.

We didn't hear a peep out of him for over an hour so we went to check. He was too adorable and looked SO BIG! We just stood holding each other, watching our miracle boy sleep, and I wept. It's the small things that just grip my heart - I can handle the big milestones, but this one was too much. I decided we needed a picture and thus what you saw above (it really was dark in his room, our flash lights up the whole block I think!).

Another 15-30 minutes went by and we heard him wail...he had rolled off the bed. He rolled off two more times before we decided to put the bed rail on. It took a bit to calm him back down, but then he was out...or so we thought. He would cry out and then quiet down...finally I went to check on him only to find him hitting his head against the wall as he tried to turn over. He was still asleep so I scooted him down and over a bit and prayed for the best...and I didn't hear anything else until this morning. I found him sitting on his bed with both bunnies thrown over the rail. So night #1 was pretty good in our opinion - and I have a plan for preventing the head hitting tonight.

Nap time today didn't go as well. He slept at church this morning so that usually means no nap at home...and today proved no different. He did lay quietly for a bit playing on his bed. Then I heard a sound I know well: the vibration of the doorstop. I found him behind the door playing. Back in the bed we go...wailing commences...and I find him in the middle of the floor. So he has figured out he can get off the bed which might make tonight a bit more interesting. I am waiting to put some toys in his room until we have the sleeping thing down a bit more. Overall, this first 24 hours is not the battle or trauma I thought it could be.

Our little boy is growing up - much faster than I wanted, but only out of necessity so his sister can have a bed when she comes home! He gained a lot of confidence with his walking while we were gone too - so now we are working on learning how to stand up without needing something to pull up on.

What a precious gift he is to us...I love being a mom!

He's walking!!!

Up to this point when someone asked me if Jbird was walking, I would smile and say, "He'll take a few steps between Mom and Dad with encouragement, but he's so close." Well, today he turned a corner and he spent over an hour total walking to various parts of our living room tonight! He had been playing tag with us for a few days - not stopping long before he turned around to head back to the other - and today he started between me and the ottoman. Before it was all said and done, he was going back and forth between the fireplace and coffee table of his own free will. With each pass, he got faster and more steady. He is doing a great job steadying himself, but when he does end up sitting down he simply says, "uh-oh", and crawls to something to get up and go again. He is so proud of himself...and so are we! It's hard to believe he wasn't even crawling 2 months ago. He is growing up so fast, but this is a big help to me as I continue to grow another little one inside. So now when asked if he is walking, I will smile and say, "YES!" We are still in the early stages, but something tells me he'll be running before Christmas.

A few changes

With the upgrade of Blogger, I decided to update my template. Also to avoid favoritism, I sorted my links alphabetically. I hope this doesn't cause you too many problems and that you might even enjoy the new look. Have a great day!

I have a crown

I have a crown...unfortunately it isn't one that sits upon my head - it's in the back of my mouth! I inherited my grandfather's and mother's bad teeth - lots more work than one soul should have to endure in their mouth in one lifetime...and today the dentist found I had a fractured molar. The amazing part is that I had no idea and no pain or sensitivity due to the fracture or decay. So, now I sit with the left side of my face swollen and tingly as the meds wear away and I get to go back next week for the permanent crown. I do love my dentist - he doped me up well so I didn't feel a thing (not even the shots) and he kindly gave my jaw a rest throughout the ordeal. So, I now always carry my crown...and I might try to milk it for all it is worth! Something tells me this won't be the last...thanks, Mom, for passing along your thin enamel...couldn't you have opted for something a bit better to give me?

Halloween fun

We had a great time last night! He did a bit better in his costume, and he was a trooper as we walked our friends' neighborhood. He got a kick watching their daughter go door-to-door. Here are a few pictures...I'll post one of Jbird and his friends later once the system stops bugging out!

A close up of his face














A picture from the front (where he is actually walking toward me which is why my mom looks so surprised) and a rear shot

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

Here's a preview of tomorrow night...we had our church's fall festival last night so it was Jbird's first interaction with his outfit. He wasn't too fond of it... especially the hat! We did catch a few pictures before he completely broke down.


One of the few smiles from last night!




Daddy showing Jbird what he looks like in the mirror.



Here Jbird stopped in the middle of his tantrum to pose for the camera! It was too funny!

The most important things

My heart swelled with joy and excitement at lunchtime today. We changed two routines lately now that Jbird is older and can start participating - 1) mealtime prayers and 2) nighttime family devotions/prayer. At lunch today, I asked if he was ready to pray and he immediately put his little hands together without any assistance from me and smiled. He's getting it... each meal and every night he sits quietly while we talk to God. While we want him to know words and other skills, a love and respect for God is what is most important for us to teach him. It's a small step, but it made this mama's heart swell. A definite moment I will treasure for years to come.

Gotta love the Backyardigans

One sure-fire way to keep two boys from pushing each other over the edge: the Backyardigans. These two boys don't know what will hit them this winter as they each welcome a new sibling...they think sharing is hard now! Thank you, Backyardigans creators.

Who needs a sit and spin?

My son surely doesn't...he created his own with his hand, feet, and our wooden kitchen floor. He spent about 10 minutes yesterday turning himself in a circle making sound effects and everything! It was too cute...and he kept coming back for more! And yes, I did capture it on video!

Smart or too much TV?

So this morning as Jbird is watching Meet Blue's Baby Brother, I noticed his eyes moving to the next character that would sing before they would start singing. My first thought was "Wow, he remembers what happens next!". Then I realized it may simply be because he has watched this episode a lot... maybe too much! Just another thing I said I would never do/allow before I became a mom that hasn't proven true... there are moments The Backyardigans and Meet Blue's Baby Brother are the only way either of us keep our sanity!

Book recommendation

May I recommend a good read? God at Your Wits' End by Marilyn Meberg. If you are at your wits' end with life or a certain circumstance, if you have ever been there or think you might ever be...you need to read this book. I wish this book had been out during our infertility struggle or other tough times, but now I feel much more prepared to face my next wits' end experience. The book confronts faulty thinking and how that affects our faith. Marilyn does a great job of relating truth with humor and grace. If you can't read the whole thing, at least take an hour to go to Barnes & Noble and read the last two chapters!

Benefit of illness

Jbird was sick a few weeks ago (ear infection and some kind of virus)... it was a long week for all of us and I think "detox" after illness may be worse than the actual illness. However, I have discovered one benefit to his illness: he transitioned down to one nap a day without fuss. I hesitated saying something too soon for fear it wouldn't stick, but for over two weeks now he has been taking one long nap after lunch. I know many other mothers and children who battle this transition for weeks; but thanks to his illness, we made this transition smoothly and quickly. So, my perspective has changed on illnesses...there is always the possibility of a few benefits!

Her first pictures

Here are our little girl's first pictures... we think she is beautiful.

It appears she has more my face shape than Clay's along with my big feet so she may favor me like Jbird favors his dad...

her profile

Her face
(tilt your head to the right to look her face to face)

Making things a bit more even

Come February our home will be a little more even... 2 boys to 2 girls!

Yep, we're having a GIRL!!!!

We are quite excited... and she's already been given a pair of shoes - black patten leather Mary Janes complete with bows! I plan to post her first pictures soon so keep checking.

I think she's already wrapping her daddy around her little finger... heaven help us all!

The Texas State Fair

We had much more success at the State Fair barnyard area than we did the zoo. Jbird did seem to have more fun playing with the shovels intended for feeding the animals than looking at them - as you can see by the pictures below. I made him touch a camel and that didn't go over well. He was really just excited to hang on to the gates and take it all in - he is a definite people watcher!

This picture we took at the end in the designated "picture spot" shows his excitement over the entire adventure. My expanding belly is hidden a bit in this picture, but rest assured - it is getting bigger!












This is my favorite shot, I think... we are looking at the goats... then I had to post the pic with the "do not feed fingers to the animals" sign...too funny!














Even with a goat right beside him, Jbird enjoyed watching a little girl fill the shovel with feed! I'm still not sure if he ever saw the goat! What a great day!

The zoo with Mimi and Grandaddy

I'm sorry for the long lapse in posts...Mimi and Grandaddy came to visit and then Jbird got sick after they left - an ear infection AND a virus. We are now in "detox" from the illness...Jbird doesn't quite get why he isn't getting whatever makes him happy now that he is feeling better. He's developed a new scream and his temper tantrums are now grade A. We are just thankful to be back among the healthy.

During Mimi and Grandaddy's visit, we made Jbird's first trip to the zoo. He was not as interested as we had hoped. It ended up being the hottest day we had in over a week by 15-20 degrees so the animals weren't moving much. Jbird was much more interested in the water flowing through the exhibits. We did catch a few pictures before he fell asleep...

Notice that his eyes are focused down (on water) while his dad's are higher (on the animals). He did get a little intrigued with the gorillas at one point or maybe he was just excited he could stand on the rocks!

Christmas came in September

Christmas 2005 finally came - in September 2006! Last Christmas I asked for a new kitchen faucet (ours leaked unless you held your mouth just right), and my sweet husband threw in a whole new kitchen sink. We decided to wait to get it until after the holiday season since I had no real idea what I wanted. I finally picked it out in April or so, but long story short we ended up not buying it (and we ended up getting a different model anyway) until June. It sat in our garage for over 2 months as we had a busy July and a surprise pregnancy. Finally, he and a friend installed my WONDERFUL new sink in early/mid September. Isn't it beautiful? I just love it!!! Clay thinks I'm odd that something so practical excites me like it does, but none-the-less...I smile when I see this shiny new sink. Christmas is great any time of the year! Now, we need to work on the pink countertops!