Barefoot Mama

Where I've Been

2012-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago now, we moved! This move has definitely been the most challenging (ripping up linoleum anyone?), but also the most exciting (we own!). The house is starting to feel more like home each day, and I got almost giddy the other night when I asked Chris to hang pictures in Timmy's room and he was able to pound nails in the wall.

Loving some Pinterest inspiration

Speaking of Timmy, he loves our new place. Freedom to crawl everywhere (no stairs) and a yard! He's getting much better at standing on his own, and playing independently, too.

A little morning reading

I know I said Baby2 had a name, but we're not quite so sure now. It depends on the day if we've settled on one or not. I'm currently voting that we wait until he's born and see if he looks like a ____ or ____.

Back to ~~searching Pinterest~~ menu planning!

Back (And Items of Note)

2012-01-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

How many times can a blogger declare she's back from an unintended break before it comes true? Christmas was a wonderful time of family and friends. We came back tired but ready to embark on our next adventure--home ownership!

We got the keys last Thursday and so far have cleaned, removed/prepped all the doors, drawers and cabinets for painting, put the first coat on the doors and ripped up the dining room carpet. And yes, I get tired just looking at the list of what we've done. Hopefully the painting will be done by the weekend. That, along with installing laminate flooring and putting up curtains are on our pre-move in list. So, so excited to live in a house that we own. One that has space for entertaining, a larger garage, no stairs and a real yard. Meanwhile, any spare evenings are spent at the new house and I've come to accept that easy meals and two slightly chaotic residences are just life right now.

A week from Thursday my little boy will be one year old. Yikes. He's not walking, but loves to stand and does pretty well on his own. Cheerios are his new favorite food. Other favorites are his finger puppet books, blocks and teddy bear or fuzzy lamb, depending on which stuffed animal is clean. ;)

Baby2 (who has a name, but we're keeping it a secret) is doing well. Somehow the third trimester sneaked up on us like crazy; yesterday was 27 weeks!

Repeat Ad Nauseum

2011-12-19T12:19:00.000-08:00

I feel I could start all my posts with "my poor neglected blog..." But as the kitchen is clean, Timmy is just stirring from his nap (as opposed to full out talking and partying) and I've made remarkable progress on my to-do list, I figured I'd take time to write a little.

Hard to believe yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. It definitely flew by this year. Thankfully, I am not feeling as behind as I was. I've come to accept that our house will be in a perpetual state of chaos until we get things settled in our new home (yes, we're buying a house!). I'll have to write the story someday. In all my spare time, obviously.

Saturday I used some birthday money to buy fabric for a knitting needle roll to house my double pointed needles. I'm hoping to finish it tonight, but we'll see. Sometimes I'm so brain-dead in the evenings I can't do a whole lot (hence the blogging at noon thing). Once it's done, though, I can start on the wrist warmers I'm making for myself and the hat for Chris. Very excited about those.

Well, Timmy's ramping up the party noises now so I suppose I should get him up and feed the boy some lunch.

Behind

2011-12-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

That's how I'm feeling these days...Christmas cards are still a mess of ideas on Costco.com and our Christmas letter is a draft in my Google docs. The fall wreath is sitting on the bookshelf (taken down due to wind) and we've only done a few activities on our Advent calendar.

But! There is hope. I chose super simple Christmas baking this year and half of it's done. I should be home all day today and plan to catch up, clean up (so we can get our tree tomorrow!) and hopefully wrap a few gifts. And yes, I should be doing those things rather than blogging, but this poor blog has been so neglected as of late. It doesn't help that half the topics I want to write about involve Christmas things that must still be kept under wrap (no pun intended).

Timmy is looking more and more like a toddler every day. He quit nursing cold-turkey right before Thanksgiving, which I've finally come to accept. His favorite foods now include fruit, yogurt and bread. H2 is an active little fireball (kicking more than Timmy ever did, I'm certain) and makes a me a little concerned to think about having a baby even more energetic than Timmy. Yikes.

Speaking of my little bundle of energy, I hear noises coming from the monitor so I'd better get off the computer. Have a lovely third week of Advent, friends!

Grateful Praise

2011-11-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

Lord of all to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise

...for the saving love of Jesus, undeserving as though we are

...for the godly man along whose side I have been blessed to journey through life

...for the babbling, crawling and smiling baby boy who wakes with giggles and brightens each day

...for the new little boy kicking inside me, increasing our anticipation of his arrival

...for e-mail, Skype and picture mail, keeping us in touch with family and friends far away

...for a roof over our heads and food in the pantry

...for our charming small town and the quirks we love about it

...and for so, so much more

My Poor Neglected Blog

2011-11-21T16:39:00.001-08:00

I haven't intentionally been not blogging, but life seems to be whizzing by these days. After a tiring few days with a sick baby, I'm so thankful that he's been sleeping better than he has in his life the last few nights. Too much to hope it might continue?

Just because he's cute

Thursday is Thanksgiving and I'm so excited. Like before, we're having people from Chris' work over who need a place to be. Our menu is very similar to last year. Turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn, gravy, pumpkin pie and Oreo turkeys will be adorning our table.

We've been hard at work on Christmas presents over here, but unfortunately, I can't show them until after Dec. 25th lest the recipients get a peek at what will be awaiting them under the tree. I was wanting to knit myself a scarf, but after finding out we're having a boy and browsing baby hat patterns on Ravelry, a little blue hat has been cast on my needles.

Speaking of baby boy, his name may end up being TimBob2...so hard to find another name! ;)

Peaceful Monday [Gifts 422-429]

2011-11-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

We had a friend over for dinner and games last night, and thanks to a quick tidying of the house, I woke up to a still-clean house and leftovers in the fridge for lunch. The biggest and best news this week is finding out that Higbaby2 is a boy, and we can't wait to meet him. While I'm a little bummed to not be as far along as we thought, I'm thankful that there will be a bit bigger of a gap between Timmy and Baby Boy. We'll have another ultrasound the beginning of next month, and we're excited to see our boy again!

While we've discussed names, we won't be sharing it until Baby Boy makes his appearance, so we are currently calling him Timothy Robert II. ;)

And for the record, I'm glad we found out the gender with this baby, but after not finding out with Timmy, it seemed rather anti-climactic. My official vote for the rest of our babies is to wait until birth.

422 a Bumbo with tray at the consignment store for much, much less than retail price

423 learning Timmy will have a little brother

424 coupons

425 cold, clear tap water

426 a successful kidney donation between friends

427 an Edith Schaeffer book for 25 cents

428 finding Christmas stocking fabric for our boys that matches Chris'

429 158 beats per minute

Finding Out

2011-11-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's the same old-fashioned streak that causes us to not have a t.v. and listen to LPs on a regular basis, but we chose to keep Timmy's gender a surprise until the moment he was born and Chris proclaimed, "it's a boy!" (Though really, I was so convinced we'd have a son that the announcement was more of a confirmation than a surprise for me.)

For this baby, though, we've decided that it might be nice to actually plan something in our lives, so we decided to find out Higbaby2's gender. The tech said right away that my dates were off, so instead of being 20 weeks along I'm at 17, so it was a little hard to tell but she's quite confident it's a...BOY! So excited to have two little boys close in age!

Catching Up [Gifts 412-421]

2011-11-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

I haven't intentionally left my blog alone all week, it just kinda happened. Oops. That obviously means it's time for some bullet points.

Cowboy Timmy on Halloween

We had a lovely at-home date last night, complete with enough Chinese takeout for an army. Note to self: next time order ONE meal to split.
While the extra hour of sleep was wonderful, that coupled with an early bedtime last night meant Timmy was up and ready to go at 6:50 this morning.
Timmy used to love carrots, so after I pureed and froze a bunch for him, he decided he hates them. Sigh.
My husband brought me peanut butter M&Ms the other day. I love that man.
Timmy actually fell asleep in my arms at church yesterday. I forgot how nice it is to hold a sleeping baby.
This is the best.bib.ever.

First trip to the pumpkin patch

412 an at home date

413 cloudy weather

414 a freshly bathed baby

415 a low key, inexpensive pumpkin patch

416 playing peekaboo with Timmy while pumping gas

417 Timmy babbling in the car

418 seeing him light up and chat with another 9 month old boy at the library

419 meeting Chris for lunch

420 being in and out of Costco in 30 minutes

421 Timmy doing well on a major shopping trip without Chris

Yummy Yummy Felt

2011-10-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Deciding that I needed to make this happy birthday banner, I bought some felt from Amazon. When it arrived the other night, I was slightly disappointed to find out that there were only two sheets of white. Definitely not enough to make that banner, plus our printer was nearly out of ink and I wasn't about to freehand the lettering.

Breakfast anyone?

I'd asked my sister-in-law if my 2 year old niece had a play kitchen and was informed Kaylee's getting one for Christmas, so obviously my next step was to make her some felt food. I started with these eggs and then made some pancakes and bacon that I free handed. I also made the orange slice from that same tutorial and free handed a cookie as well. Can I just say that I love the fact felt food doesn't have to be perfect? (And as a bonus, I can now sew circles on my sewing machine.)

Isn't Today Monday? [Gifts 404-411]

2011-10-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

After being gone all day yesterday at an OB appointment, today feels like a Monday as I do laundry, pay bills, tidy, etc. My long trip, though, was totally worth it the moment the doctor put the doppler on my stomach and I heard the steady thump-thump-thump of our precious baby's heartbeat.

404 folding clothes still warm from the dryer

405 crunchy leaves in the grocery store parking lot

406 accomplishing lots of small cleaning tasks

407 a clutter free counter

408 being married to the most wonderful man in the universe

409 juicing apples with a friend

410 being in and out of the DMV in less than an hour

411 a good OB visit

She Gets It

2011-10-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

(Worth every moment of lost sleep)

A few weeks ago, I was reading a post on MoneySavingMom about preparing for a newborn, and came across one simple line that was so encouraging:

"...Silas did not sleep through the night for the first entire year of his life. In fact, for 12 months, the longest stretch of sleep I got was six hours — twice."

Not only did her son take longer than he "should have" to start sleeping through the night, she's alive to tell about it. Sometimes, all a tired mama needs to know is that she's not alone.

Grace of Friends [389-403]

2011-10-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

389 Skyping with an old college roommate

390 autumn weather

391 a good day, even though nothing went like planned

392 family play time

393 unexpected, undeserved blessings

394 a friend watching Timmy while I ran a big errand, and leaving us a loaf of fresh homemade bread

395 homemade caramel corn

396 five hours of games with friends

397 Timmy sleeping in his pack and play at their house

398 not falling asleep in church after staying up until nearly 1 a.m.

399 organization paying off

400 local delicious fruit

401 my apple peeler/corer/slicer

402 a box of apples even though the season is over

403 growth as a homemaker

Timmy's Busy Week

2011-10-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a big week for Timmy so far. This weekend, he learned to go from belly to fully sitting up, Sunday tooth #3 popped through and he's also progressed from mostly army crawling to almost always real crawling.

Yesterday, he pulled himself to standing on a laundry basket and then head-dived in. He also pulled the doorstop off his door. (I'm not quite sure how he managed the latter, as I had to twist it back in to fix it.)

Being that it's only Wednesday, I'm curious to see what else might transpire this week. (And, to be honest, a little exhausted at the prospect!)

On Monday, We Went to the Park

2011-10-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

After a Monday that didn't start out very good (but mercifully ended on a better note), I decided to abandon my to-do list and take my boy to the park. The blustery wind and autumn chill made it perfect hoodie weather and meant we nearly had the park to ourselves.

He swung,

sat on the playground

And played with leaves.

Note the historic moment: the leaf did not go in his mouth.

Grace [384-388]

2011-10-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

384 Timmy sleeping in when insomnia keeps me up half the night

385 generous family

386 a simple dinner that Chris loves

387 Timmy going from belly to fully sitting up the same weekend his third tooth came in

388 strength to do the next thing

Today...

2011-10-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

image credit

...I'm smiling at the rain.

...we're having company for soup, bread and apple crisp.

...my kitchen is clean.

...I might have time to knit this afternoon.

Today is a good day.

Gifts in Fall [376-383]

2011-10-03T08:27:00.001-07:00

Autumn is by far my favorite season. I'm not huge on hot weather, so when the mornings and evenings come with a chill, I embrace it fully. Soup, homemade bread, knitting and cozy evenings under blankets are on the horizon. (Once I find our blankets--I had to use one of Timmy's last night because we aren't sure where ours are!)

376 hot chocolate in a mug from our honeymoon

377 making a decent dinner on a Saturday

378 dreaming with Chris

379 my nieces

380 strength when Timmy wakes up early

381 a friend and her husband getting a much needed apartment

382 seeing photos from a friend's wedding on Facebook

383 my belly starting to grow with life

Wednesday Meanderings

2011-09-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Timmy has started babbling "ba-ba-ba-ba" and it's the cutest thing ever. Along with this photo:

Inspired by Gretchen's Apron Week posts, I snagged a vintage looking tablecloth at the thrift store for $1.25 and am excited to turn it into an apron. Because I tend to think I can sew better than I actually can, I made a small scrap apron for my Molly doll as practice.
I love love love hearing the heartbeat of my unborn baby.
This post was supposed to be published last Wednesday, but the funny thing about scheduled posts is you actually have to publish them. Crazy, I know.

Gifts [367-375]

2011-09-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

My poor blog has been a bit neglected. I'm working on some changes around here, and I'm afraid that's consumed my blogging time instead of new posts. Hopefully soon I'll have something to show for my work. In the meantime, I'm off to work on my long to-do list, hoping that Timmy wakes up in a better mood...

367 the clearance section of jcpenney.com

368 strength after a night of insomnia

369 hearing Higbaby2's heartbeat!!

370 a friendly OB

371 not having to reschedule my appointment, even though she was called out for delivery

372 helping Timmy watch out the window for Chris to arrive home

373 Timmy doing well when we were gone from home much longer than expected

374 homemade bread

375 my parents getting to see Timmy army crawl on Skype

Gifts in Joy [361-366]

2011-09-19T11:36:00.001-07:00

Today marks 12 weeks of being pregnant (I think--my first OB appointment is still coming up), and it's also the first day I've felt more human. It's a wonderful, wonderful thing!

361 being reminded that the joy of the Lord is my strength

362 food tasting good for the first time in weeks

363 family time

364 ice cream

365 ginger ale

366 lasagna from the freezer that feeds us for several meals

Aprons of Generations

2011-09-19T11:09:00.002-07:00

Last Christmas, tired of my largely pregnant belly attracting food and spills, I requested an apron for Christmas. My lovely sister came through, giving me a beautiful blue apron, providing wonderful protection for my limited maternity wardrobe. Now that baby's on the outside, I still reach for it when in the kitchen, especially when baking bread or something else involving copious amounts of flour.

(Sorry for the poor self portrait. That's what happens when I forget to ask Chris to take one.)

My apron doesn't have any stories to tell of generations past. Not yet, at least, but hopefully one day it will bring back memories, just like this one...

Given to my mother by her grandmother, it's been a staple each Christmas season when Mom sets to work making the delicious Norwegian treat known as lefse.

(Transcription:

Dear Beth,

Today on your 21st natal day, I am giving you an inheritance, namely my old lefse making apron. I used to feel like I'd want a white apron for lefse making. Pretty crude one, especially the top band made over in a hurry. If you never use it that's fine.

Just in fun,

Grandma)

I asked my dad if his mom ever wore an apron, and he couldn't recall her doing so, but I'm sure that as a farmer's wife with four kids, she surely donned one as she prepared those large meals for her husband and sons working in the fields...

It's Apron Week at the Little Pink House and I'm loving the posts and photos. Check out the giveaway from Posey Lane here!

2

2011-09-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

(Our actual anniversary was Monday, but since we didn't arrive in Cali until 11:00 p.m. blogging wasn't at the top of my to-do list, and I wasn't on top of things enough to have a post scheduled!)

2 houses

+

2 states

+

2 babies (one still inside me and one napping upstairs)

=

2 of the best, most wonderful and craziest years of my life. Here's to many, many more as Mrs. H!

Gifts in Traveling [342-360]

2011-09-14T12:20:00.001-07:00

Timmy and I returned Monday night from a whirlwind trip to the lovely state of South Dakota in order to celebrate my maternal grandpa's 90th birthday. In true Norwegian fashion, there was lots of food (and butter), and in keeping with the season, we feasted on delicious sweet corn and watermelon. By the grace of God, I survived flying halfway across the country with Timmy while being pregnant without Chris. As always, the gifts kept coming...

Ready to see Daddy!

342 a man telling me what a bundle of joy Timmy is

343 free cookies on the plane

344 the man who passed out on our flight being okay

345 reprieve from nausea

346 lunch with my siblings at our favorite Greek restaurant

347 Mom taking Timmy so I could sleep in

348 cousins

349 a full house for my grandpa's open house party

350 an uncle who's a pediatrician and could answer my questions about Timmy

351 Midwest sweet corn

352 2 years of marriage

353 a vintage Fisher Price barn for Timmy (that I played with as a child)

354 my 10 year old cousin entertaining a fussy Timmy

355 looking forward to seeing Chris

356 a fun family day

357 being back in the arms of my love

358 Timmy sleeping well at the hotel

359 having our happy boy back

360 Timmy crawling for the first time when Chris was home to see

It Runs In the Family

2011-09-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

When people find out Timmy's going to be a big brother, one of the first questions they ask is how far apart the babies will be. "A little over 14 months," I say, trying not to think of the sleep deprivation in my future.

It's true, our first two will be close in age, but the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized it's almost genetic. I'm the oldest of four kids--my next brother and I are 16 months apart. Chris is the second of four kids. He is 12 months (to the day!) older than his younger sister. And my dad (also the oldest of four) is one year and 10 days older than his next brother.

So yes, close siblings apparently run in our families. And you know what? It's a gene I don't mind carrying on.

Gifts in Craziness 332-341

2011-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

We went camping last weekend in order to celebrate our second anniversary (!). The whole saga is worth a blog post of its own, but let's just say that we were on the road home by 7:15 a.m., and we're laughing about it now. :)

332 clean handtowels

333 Timmy pulling himself up on his toy crate

334 learning that a friend will be getting a much needed kidney transplant

335 how Timmy loves carrots

336 the wildfire moving away from town

337 looking forward to seeing family

338 being able to pump a bottle when Timmy wouldn't nurse (and seeing him feed himself--adorable!)

339 surviving our first camping trip

340 naps for all of us the day we came home

341 firefighters who work tirelessly to battle the 8,000+ acre blaze

Oh, Pregnancy Brain

2011-08-31T11:44:00.001-07:00

I am currently 9 weeks pregnant. In addition to nausea, tiredness and crazy dreams, I get really bad pregnancy brain. In the last two weeks, I have:

Given the doctor's office my zip code from FOUR YEARS ago instead of my current one
Lost my menu for our camping trip
Forgotten at least one birthday

I don't have high hopes for my mental facilities in the next 31 weeks.

Growth, Change and Rest {Gifts 321-331}

2011-08-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Timmy is very close to crawling. He gets up on all fours, rocks back and forth and then lays flat down, upset that he isn't moving faster. I'm quite certain that once he does start moving, I won't sit down, ever.

Pretty soon, I'll be hopping on a plane with Timmy, flying halfway across the country to help celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday. I'll also be hoping that flying alone with a 7 month old while 10 weeks pregnant doesn't fall under Very Dumb Things I've Done. And I'll be missing my husband like crazy. Thank God for cell phones!

321 announcing to the world that Higbaby2 is on the way!

322 meals from the freezer when the nausea won't stop

323 reading

324 feeding Timmy solids while we ate dinner

325 Baskin Robbins specials

326 the nausea and tiredness that assure me Baby is doing fine

327 rest

328 getting my rings cleaned (for free!) for the first time in nearly 2 years of marriage

329 the lady telling me how much she loved my engagement ring that Chris designed

330 getting my whole to-do list done on a Saturday

331 a perfect Sunday afternoon at the park, reading on a blanket

About Those Changes...

2011-08-22T12:09:00.001-07:00

I can now talk publicly about those life changes that are always coming. First, the not-so-good.

We placed an offer on a house. A lovely 3 bedroom, 1 bath house, built in 1959 with lots of character, a fabulous yard and a kitchen we were eventually going to bring out of 1973. And we didn't get it. :( Thankfully, neither of us were as disappointed as we expected, so we are continuing on in the house hunt.

And the wonderful, we-are-so-excited-and-thrilled news is that this big boy

is going to be a big brother! Baby #2 is due April 1 (I think). I still need to see a doctor; prayers for baby's health and growth would be much appreciated!

312-320

2011-08-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

312 family walks to the donut shop

313 a finished Christmas gift

314 my slow cooker

315 Timmy sleeping in some mornings

316 making good Southern gravy

317 church picnics

318 Timmy's second tooth

319 his amber teething necklace

320 leftovers for lunch

Giving Up on Perfect

2011-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last night, suddenly inspired by a recent placemat making fiesta, I pulled out the quilt I started working on many, many years ago. I don't remember the exact year, but it was pre-Chris and probably pre-college degree. In a flurry of productivity, I finished the top in less than two hours.

My secret? I gave up on perfect. I decided I'd rather have it finished than sitting around because I'm too scared of messing up. Sure, I tried my best, but I didn't use my seam ripper once (a record for any time I try to sew) and I had fun!

Very much not perfect

And because I quit seeking perfection, last night my quilt went from strips in a pile to a top ready for binding.

In Every Change, He Faithful Will Remain [Gifts 303-311]

2011-08-15T10:04:00.001-07:00

This past week has been an absolute whirlwind of good, potentially life-changing events. But...because some things aren't 100% for sure yet, I don't want to share them online. Hopefully soon, though, I can tell you what God is doing and the crazy ride we've been on. (2011 isn't exactly turning out to be our year of normal, and that's okay...really.)

303 getting rid of a ton of clothes

304 family walks

305 excitment

306 naps

307 a raspberry custard danish--summer in my mouth

308 perfect summer evening weather

309 praying over Skype

310 dreaming with Chris

311 Timmy getting up on all fours

Recipes for the Dietary Restricted

2011-08-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

It's my firm belief that every cook needs to have recipes in her (or his) repertoire that meet the needs of people who either can't or won't eat a standard diet. Last night we hosted a friend and her brother, one of whom required gluten and diary free food.

I was pretty pleased with how everything turned out--I'd make the meal again even if we didn't have anyone over who needed the GF/dairy free aspect of it.

For our main dish, Chris grilled this chicken which I'd marinated. One of our side dishes was rice and the other was this interesting and delicious take on cauliflower. For dessert, Alisha and I modified a GF cookie recipe to make it dairy and egg free as well. (We would have used Thea's flax replacement for eggs, but I was out, so we subbed baking powder, oil and water.) They turned out pretty well. I've made them with butter and eggs before, and they are scrumptious even if you're not GF.

Mix together
3 eggs
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 t vanilla
1 T Karo syrup (corn syrup)
1 1/2 c peanut butter

Add
3 c quick oats
2 t baking powder
1 1/2 c coconut
1 c chocolate chips

Bake on a greased sheet for 11 minutes at 350.

Gifts 289-302

2011-08-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

Not much to say about this week, other than Chris discovered during church yesterday that Timmy had cut a tooth! It explains the whining and super short naps from Saturday. :) I can't believe my baby is growing up so fast, and as always, I'm seeing the gifts more and more each day...

289 popsicles made with real juice

290 a plane ticket

291 gift cards

292 Timmy doing well with a friend during my 3 hour dentist appointment

293 taking a shower, even if it was at 1:30 p.m.

294 Novicane so I don't feel pain

295 a toaster

296 delicious cantaloupe

297 a new bathmat to replace the one the dryer ripped to shreds

298 clean floors under my bare feet

299 the moment each day when Chris walks through the front door

300 a delicious and easy gluten free meal

301 Timmy loving his exersaucer

302 his first tooth! (with minimal fussing and pain--the only indication was short naps and some whining)

Thoughts From the Chair

2011-08-03T13:16:00.001-07:00

I spent approximately 3 hours in the dentist chair today, but survived just fine, and so did the friend who kept Timmy at her house for me. While I sat there, several thoughts went through my mind.

Does anyone ever sneeze while the dentist is working on them?
It'd be kinda cool to be able to see what he's doing, but that also may gross me out.
What's that tool for?
Where does the dentist go to get his teeth worked on?
Deaf people are lucky because they can still sign while their mouths are full
I don't think interpreting a dentist appointment would be very fun.

And finally...

What makes a person decide to put their hands in other people's mouths for a living?

Grace in Difficulty [Gifts 269-283]

2011-08-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

It hasn't been the easiest of weeks. My long-napping baby suddenly decided than sleeping for more than 30-45 minutes just shouldn't happen, and much of his awake time should be spent whining and fussing. Every time I'd moan to myself about how horrible the week was, I'd remember something a friend said on Twitter. "I am finding that adding "1st world problem" to my complaints helps put them in their place." No one died; no one got horribly sick. We have food, shelter, clothing and indoor plumbing. First world problems, indeed.

Pardon the shadows..cell phone photo :)

269 popsicle molds from a friend who knew I was looking for some

270 pizza and "happy 6 months of being a mommy/I'm sorry you're having a rough week" roses and cake

271 our church being given a piano

272 Pintrest inspiration

273 video Skyping with my brother

275 Skyping with my parents, sister and grandparents over a thousand plus miles

276 birthday cards done before they need to be mailed

277 color in our bathroom

278 progress on my to-do list by 9:30 on a Saturday morning

279 6 hours of sleep in a row!

280 a relaxing evening with Chris after a rough week

281 delicious leftovers for lunch

282 an impromptu trip to the park

283 a new-to-them, much needed building for old church

A Splash of Color

2011-07-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

Because we rent, our walls are a white-gray. All of them. I'm trying to add some color around here, so Sunday afternoon I set out to make something that relatively matched our new shower curtain, using spray paint I'd bought.

A few hours, one slight fussy baby and one viewing of That Thing You Do! later, this is what I ended up with:

I didn't take any photos of the process because I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but this is basically what I did.

1) Spray painted a 12x12 piece of cardstock aqua.

2) Cut 4 4x4 squares from notecards.

3) Glued to 12x12 paper.

4) Cut up a paper towel tube into the "petals."

5) Spray painted the pieces green (hung on a coat hanger for painting).

6) When dry, glued onto the white squares.

7) Hang and enjoy!

The Very Hungry (Knitted) Caterpillar

2011-07-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned previously, I decided to knit a caterpillar for Timmy, modeled after Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I finished it sometime last week, and judging by how much Timmy has tried to eat it, I think he's going to enjoy the creature. I'm pretty happy with the finished product. Once I was finished, I realized an easier way to do the eyes, but oh well. The legs were kind of tricky to attach securely, so I'm prepared to re-attach them as they are ~~eaten~~ loved off.

I am making one for my niece for her birthday (along with a copy of the book) so it's on the needles yet again.

6

2011-07-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

Can it really be six months since we welcomed our Timothy into the world?

At 182 days old, he is rolling both ways, playing with his hands and toes, scooting (though I don't think he realizes it), learning to sit and smiling at everyone.

Happy half-year birthday, my dear boy. We can't wait to see what the next six months bring!

(True story--he grabbed a clamp and then after dropping it,
reached back and grabbed a second one.)

Gifts 258-268

2011-07-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a week of the mundane, but not boring. A week of laundry, dishes, nursing, knitting, cooking, and as always, a week of gifts.

258 brothers who help me navigate the confusing world of cell phones

259 Timmy learning to sit up

260 Starbucks' treat receipt

261 healing surgery for a friend's baby born blind

262 a brief nap helping me feel a million times better

263 walks to the mailbox

264 finishing knitting projects

265 being able to read Ephesians in the back room at church while I rocked Timmy to sleep

266 the antics of my adorable six month old

267 a church picnic in the park

268 going to bed on Sunday night with a clean kitchen

What the Flowers Said

2011-07-19T12:22:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, flowers say I'm sorry, we're grieving with you, like when they covered the foyer after my grandma's memorial service. When I was home from college for break and my Dad would greet me at the airport with a bouquet, they said I'm glad you're back. After Timothy's birth, We're so happy for you! flowers adorned our living room.

Yesterday, when Chris came home from work with an assortment of yellow, red and purple blossoms, the flowers simply said, I love you.

In My Head (Gifts 245-256)

2011-07-18T12:50:00.002-07:00

Normally I keep a post drafted of the week's gifts, making it easier to recall all that I have to be thankful for when it's time to post them on Mondays. Some weeks, though, the draft is in my head, and I mentally list them while I'm emptying the dishwasher and making lunch for myself. The challenge is remembering them all when I do pause at the keyboard. We'll see how I do...

245 a dishwasher

246 long naps for Timmy

247 seeing a good college friend twice this year

248 Chris finishing dinner prep (and cleaning it up) when I didn't feel good

249 family adventures

250 a newly organized front closet

251 bags of things for Goodwill

252 the promise of herbs from a friend

253 an air mattress for overnight company

254 Crockpot meals on hot summer days

255 smiles from my boy when he wakes up in the mornings

256 Timmy quickly falling asleep without crying even though he was over-tired and over-stimulated

Gift Ideas (From the Knitter)

2011-07-14T09:25:00.004-07:00

It's no secret that knitting is taking up a fair amount of my time, energy and passion these days. I love seeing what becomes of a skein of yarn when it's paired with two (or four) needles and a pattern. Since I'm in the season of life where everyone's having a baby, I have been trying to come up with a gift I could make that wouldn't require a lot of money and is easy to ship. (Friends, you all should move closer to me.)

Upon seeing this caterpillar at Ravelry, I decided to make one in the style of perhaps my favorite children's book, The Very Hungary Caterpillar. Though not quite done, mine is close and I'll post photos when finished. While working on it, I realized that a copy of the book (preferably the board book, says this new mama) and a very hungry caterpillar of baby's own would make a great gift.

(If you are a beginning knitter, this pattern is actually fairly easy, once you get it started.)

But why stop there? You could also make...

this bear, paired with some Little Bear books

or give this bunny as Little Nutbrownhare from Guess How Much I Love You (or the wee one from The Runaway Bunny).

There are more possibilities to be sure (Frog and Toad? The Very Busy Spider?) but consider yourself warned: you may end up spending way too much time at Ravelry, squealing over cute little animals like these.

(All photos taken from their respective Ravelry patterns. Also, I didn't create any of the patterns, just wanted to share a cute idea.)

Gifts of Rest [222-244]

2011-07-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm still playing catch-up from our vacation, hence the sparse blog posts. Nevertheless, memories of family, friends, sunshine, the ocean and laughter are fresh in our minds as we work at righting our house and ridding it of ants.

God's gifts were abundant those 10 days, and as I typed them into my phone while we drove back, I realized just how incredibly blessed we are.

222 Timmy sleeping my arms during the post parade festivities

223 knitting with my mom and sister

224 the wedding of a close friend

225 gorgeous weather for their special day, despite predicted rain

226 a small town 4th of July

227 the ocean

228 rest

229 familiar faces

230 strength after sleepless nights

231 Timmy playing with cousins and friends

232 yarn shopping with my mother-in-law

233 healing from the colds all three of us had

234 PNW sunsets

235 the traditional game of Scrabble with my Dad

236 seeing how my oldest niece has grown since Christmas

237 Tevas from a friend

238 seeing my brothers as uncles

239 Timmy not having stranger anxiety yet

240 friends welcoming a 4th of July baby

241 Timmy doing incredibly well on our plane rides

242 God's protection of our unlocked car

243 miraculous provision of a seat for Timmy on both our flights

244 my whole family singing the Doxology to Timmy before bed

My Monday

2011-07-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

Today feels like a Monday, as we officially came back from vacation last night. I'm spending the morning putting things away, unpacking, relistening to the rest of last Sunday's sermon as I was feeding Timmy during the end and preparing to do a thorough vacuuming of the house, courtesy of the ants we came home to. (Thankfully they weren't all over.)

My priorities are clearly in order as I've already uploaded pictures but the dishwasher still hasn't been emptied. Ahem.

I meant to have some blog posts scheduled for the time we were gone, but the craziness of pre-vacation prep got the better of me.

Our time in Washington was absolutely wonderful. I'll probably be blogging some photos when I get a chance (they'll also be on FB soon).

Off to take advantage of the rest of naptime!

Gifts 215-221

2011-06-27T21:00:00.001-07:00

215 having fun in town while our car got a checkup

216 raw cookie dough

217 playdates

218 perfect summer evening weather

219 Groupons

220 air conditioning!

221 books from PaperBackSwap

Be Imitators as Children

2011-06-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I want my son to know Jesus. For Timothy to believe in Christ as his Savior would be the greatest joy Chris and I could have as parents. Beyond that, though, there's a whole list of other qualities I want to impart to him. Of course I want him to be kind, loving, a hard worker, wise, a godly man (and should he get married/have kids, a wonderful husband and father). It's definitely enough to overwhelm any mom (or dad). How do I teach my son all these things?

The answer--as with anything else--is found in Scripture. Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, Ephesians 5 tells us. As Timmy grows and copies everything we do (good and bad) it's a heavy reminder that the best way to point my son to Christ is to model a Christ-centered life myself. Easier said than done, but like every other aspect of parenting (and life, really), it's another opportunity to depend on grace.

Tuesday Ramblings

2011-06-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

I really hope Timothy pops a tooth soon. Either that, or the 'napping for less than an hour' phase is over soon. For a mama (and baby) who appreciate predictability, it's been rough.

Saturday I made freezer breakfast burritos. We didn't have enough tinfoil so I just wrapped them in papertowels and put them in a freezer bag. (The papertowels got a little soggy.) I sneaked one for breakfast this morning, and it was quite delicious. Best of all, it only took about an hour to make them (and that included a break to nurse/change Timmy's diaper).

Timmy started solids! Earlier than I had planned on, but he kept waking up from naps being hungry, and hasn't been sleeping as well at night. So far we've tried sweet potato (I think he had a slight reaction), avocado and banana (both were a hit). Thankfully he's almost 5 months old so that will allow him a few more menu options.

I made Taco Pizza last Friday and it was a hit. I concocted sauce from a can of tomato sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and salsa to taste and topped with taco meat and a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheese on our favorite pizza crust. We were out of lettuce and sour cream on Friday, but I had some on my leftover pizza the next day and it was tasty.

After Timmy was in bed Friday, I went to the grocery store alone. It was quite peaceful (score one for small towns on a Friday night), even though I was pretty exhausted.

Gifts 204-214

2011-06-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

204 Andy Griffith being on Netflix

205 Timmy chewing on my nose

206 loving my new haircut

207 having it done by a friend who came to our house

208 anticipation

209 new Tevas

210 Timmy being happy even though he was refusing to sleep

211 getting projects done

212 Father's Day

213 randomly having ice cream with a nice co-worker of Chris' and his wife

214 casting on a new knitting project

Our Life These Days

2011-06-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

Now that Timmy is a whopping four months old (little boy, please stop growing so fast!) it seems we're getting into a weekly routine. Like all of life, it's subject to change, and though it's not always the most logical (it would indeed make more sense for cleaning day to come right after baking day), it works for us. After tweaking, taking into account Chris' work schedule (he has every other Friday off) as well as life with a four month old, this is what I've come up with.

Monday: Walk/run (starting the Couch to 5K program in a few weeks!), pay bills/paperwork, draft blog posts.
Tuesday: Errands.
Wednesday: Walk, laundry, projects, grocery shop if necessary.
Thursday: Clean house.
Friday: Walk, baking/batch cooking/making baby food.
Saturday: Laundry.

In case you're curious--I find that several shorter trips out of the house are easier than one long outing, since Timmy prefers to sleep in his crib. That's why errands and grocery shopping are on two different days. Not the most efficient, I know, but it saves my sanity. I didn't want to plan my housecleaning day for Fridays since Chris has half of them off, hence it's on Thursdays, and I find it easier to clean all in one spurt, which is why I dedicate one day to cleaning instead of spreading it out.

Gifts 189-203

2011-06-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

189 getting to watch my brother's college graduation live streamed

190 strawberries and whipped cream

191 finding much needed clothes on sale

192 reading while nursing

193 errands done by 10 a.m.

194 finding my sunglasses

195 Chris coming home early, bringing Starbucks

196 having people over for Friday night pizza

197 a recovered lampshade for Timmy's room

198 pictures of his great-grandfathers in their military uniforms to hang on his walls

199 how Timmy coos after he sneezes

200 being ready for church way ahead of time and spontaneously going out for breakfast

201 spray paint

202 perfect weather

203 Timmy's face the first time he tried sweet potato

204 finishing my first sock

Ma Ingalls

2011-06-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Even though I'm starting my mothering journey far from family and long-time friends, I'm super thankful for new friends and technology that helps me not feel the distance. Lately, I've been thinking about women who haven't had those advantages.

Ma Ingalls comes to mind. Quite frankly--how did she do it? How did she make (all) the clothes for her family while pregnant and keeping house? Did she have trouble breastfeeding? Did she ever get frustrated while trying to turn the heel of a sock? When Pa was off hunting, did she stay up at night worrying that he might not come home? Did she regret that her parents weren't there to see her girls grow up? I can at least e-mail/Facebook/text photos of Timmy to his grandparents, but she had no such luxury.

It's a good reminder on days when I feel overwhelmed to be thankful for conveniences that make my work as a homemaker and mom that much easier.

When Sparrows Fall

2011-06-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

When Sparrows Fall caught my attention as I was curious to see how the author would portray a fundamentalist family.

Overall, I thought it was a well-written story. The plot twist caught me a little off guard, but that may be because I didn't catch some hints early on. I really liked how the author showed Miranda's reason for marrying such a conservative man in the first place--given her background, it made sense and added plausibility to her character.

I realize that the speed at which a story develops can be tricky for writers. Make it too fast and your readers will be confused, but if it's too slow they'll be bored to tears. That being said, I thought the drama happened awfully quickly (the pending move announced on page 2 and her fall on page 6). I would have liked a little more time to get to know Miranda and her children before they were thrust into the throes of the plot.

All in all, I enjoyed the story. It was interesting to see "justification" for some of the fundamentalist rules and get a glimpse (though fictional) into their lives and views.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Gifts 168-188

2011-06-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

168 Timmy "talking" himself to sleep

169 when my weekly routine actually happens

170 Sunday morning donuts

171 water

172 having company for dinner twice in one week

173 the farmer's market

174 having dinner ready when Chris gets home

175 exercising

176 Timmy waking up from a (short) nap but talking in his crib happily for the next 30 minutes while I cleaned house

177 Chris' birthday

178 family adventures

179 a day to get things done around the house, after several days of being hither and yon

180 extra (homemade!) teriyaki sauce from a lady at church after our Memorial Day BBQ

181 PandoraOne for Chris' birthday (though I use it, too)

182 friends announcing a new baby on the way

183 all the socks having a match

184 Sunday afternoon naps for all three of us

185 delicious, ripe peaches

186 a newly organized and purged craft shelf

187 finding a box of photos from 10+ years ago and smiling at all the memories

188 making great headway on my to do list

You Need This Recipe: Keebler Bars

2011-06-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

My new genius idea involving food is to make highly caloric (and thereby delicious) desserts...and bring them to church potlucks so I don't eat them all myself. So far, so good. Although because we had company for dinner on Friday night, I did make a double batch of these and thus consume too many. Such is life.

I got this recipe from my paternal grandma, and I have no clue where she got it, but I love her for it.

Keebler Bars

Grease 9x13 pan and line with Club crackers (my two batches took nearly one sleeve, I think).

In saucepan, combine: 2/3 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c butter

1 c crushed graham crackers

1/4 c milk

Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour over crackers.

Mix together: 1/2 c chocolate chips

2/3 c peanut butter

Melt and pour over bars.

Chill in fridge (keep 'em in there, too, or else they'll get chewy and you'll have to eat them all at once).

My apologies for no photos...Pioneer Woman, I am not.

The Janitor Knows All

2011-06-03T16:37:00.000-07:00

I/we've been rewatching Scrubs lately (thank you, Netflix) and in an episode from 2006 I recently watched, the Janitor made this comment, "if you ask me, we should be looking for Bin Laden in Pakistan."

There you have it, folks...the Janitor knew all along.

(I realize many people probably thought the same thing, I was just amused.)

Because I'm Thinking in Bullet Points Today

2011-05-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

I decided recently to switch to WordPress. However, I imported my blog under a name I didn't 100% love and want to delete it but don't know how. Sigh.
After having done laundry on Wednesday, cleaning the house yesterday (along with washing diapers) and not needing to run the dishwasher last night, I woke up feeling like I was practically on vacation.
I almost dragged Timmy out of the house for two garage sales this morning, only to realize that they are actually tomorrow.
How do you tell if a baby is eating more because of a growth spurt, or because he's ready to start solids?
Along those same lines, I used to count down the weeks until Timothy started solids because I hated nursing, and while I don't absolutely love it now, I am a little sad that my baby is nearly old enough for big people food.
We have a lot of empty wall space in our house. Hopefully this will be rectified with picture frames, spray paint and Costco's photo center. Anyone good at decorating walls?
We learned some cake decorating skills at a church ladies function recently and now I'm itching to get my hands on some supplies of my own.

Gifts 149-167

2011-05-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

149 a new computer

150 the ladies at my knitting class not minding a noisy and sometimes fussy baby boy

151 rainy days

152 finishing projects

153 cleaning in a skirt

154 a delicious recipe being easier than I remember

155 going to the library with Timmy

156 Timmy waking up from a nap with coos

157 dinner cleaned up, baby in bed for the night and curling up on the couch with a book by 7:30 p.m.

158 a husband who appreciates the work I do at home

159 a clean house

160 walking on a beautiful day

162 scrumptious strawberries at an incredibly good price

163 friends from church coming over for supper

164 quite possibly Timmy's best night yet

165 rearranging the living room to make it immensely more useful and enjoyable

166 a book I can't put down

167 one year ago

Can Someone Please Tell Me...

2011-05-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

how we can go from this:

May 23, 2010

to this:

May 22, 2011

in just one year?

On Mother's Day

2011-05-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

This year was actually my second Mother's Day. Mother's Day 2010 found me pregnant but not knowing it yet. Because I (firmly) believe that life begins at conception, I was indeed a mother last year. Chris and Timothy spoiled me big time with breakfast in bed, a gift certificate to the fabric store (seasonal placemats are on the horizon!), Subway, Ticket to Ride, and Starbucks. Of course phone calls to our moms and Chris' sisters were in order.

But while my Facebook feed filled up with (deserving) well wishes to moms everywhere, my heart was thinking of friends. Friends who would love to cradle a little one but whose arms are still empty. Friends who've had to say goodbye before ever saying hello.

If your arms and heart are achingly empty, please know that as I held my chubby boy, I prayed that the God of all Comfort would indeed comfort you.

Gifts 139-148

2011-05-16T13:26:00.001-07:00

139 clean and organized pantry shelves

140 31 Days to Clean

141 a kind dentist

142 good dental insurance

143 a garage sale with quality little boy clothes for 25 cents each (a rare find in Cali!)

144 a husband who insists I nap

145 Chris taking us for a drive during a long day of teething

146 a fabulous deal on a much needed computer (arriving soon!)

147 hot showers

148 birthday shopping for Chris

31 Days to Clean: Day 7

2011-05-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

After tweeting about Sarah Mae' ebook, 31 Days to Clean, I was excited about embarking on the challenge. I love that the book covers the why along with the how. Two weekends ago, I deep cleaned nearly the entire kitchen giving me a head start, but sadly, I didn't take before and after photos. However, I did manage to snap a few of the pantry shelves when I cleaned and organized them last Saturday.

Before:

After:

I was surprised by how quickly the job went. It wasn't difficult, and my supervisor seemed to approve of my work, too.

Gifts 120-138

2011-05-09T13:04:00.001-07:00

120 remembering to post the gifts

121 being greeted with a kiss, "happy Monday" and cake from our favorite bakery

122 the wiggly bundle of energy in my arms

123 phone calls with my brothers

124 walking to errands

125 long phone calls with other mommy friends

126 the house smelling of fresh air

127 Timmy talking on the phone

128 my first Mother's Day

129 breakfast in bed, "made by Timmy" said Chris

130 dreaming of all the projects I can make with the gift certificate to the fabric store from my boys

131 Chris insisting I get a "fancy" sandwich from Subway yesterday

132 half price frappicinos at Starbucks

133 knitting

134 moms and grandmas

135 Timmy's hair being messed up when he wakes up from a nap

136 slowly but surely, longer naps becoming reality

137 free photo collages

138 pigtail braids

Still Here, Still Clicking

2011-05-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

We're alive and well over here, just continuing to type slowly. I started the 31 Days to Clean Challenge last weekend with a bang by deep cleaning the kitchen. I am still participating in the challenge, though not alway able to complete one of the Martha tasks each day, especially on busy days. I just remind myself that it doesn't have to be completed in one month.

Yesterday was one such day, with meeting Chris for lunch and then going to Costco (an hour away). Timmy did quite well, though (it was our first time going without Chris). The motivation for going was to pick up Timmy's birth announcement. Yes, he is 3.5 months old. Better late than never, right?

I am so excited about the Mother's Day cards I made for my mom and Chris' mom. I'll post a picture when I know they've received them.

Off to keep scaling Mt. Laundry and organize the pantry! (Oh, and make these if I have time.)

Multitudes on Mondays: Gifts 107-119

2011-05-02T13:11:00.001-07:00

107 my brother showing me the onscreen keyboard, making life much easier

108 family walks

109 Timmy sucking his thumb

110 chatting with another (wise) mom while nursing Timmy at church

111 deep cleaning the kitchen

112 adding to my pile of 100 things to get rid of

113 Timmy fitting into his adorable denim shorts

114 plane tickets

115 how yarn and needles work together to make a vast array of knitted items

116 falling into bed knowing that I worked hard that day

117 walking to church

118 remembering two years ago

119 two hour naps

Tedious Blogging

2011-04-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to my brother for telling me about Windows' onscreen keyboard. It makes typing easier but still tedious. At least I don't have to copy and paste the missing letters anymore, which is great because you can't exactly copy and paste the ENTER function.

Running through my mind as of late...

Knitting for babies is great because the items are small, but small needles take forever to make progress on.
On an entirely related note, does my niece really need TWO leg warmers?
I'm already nervous about my dentist appointment in two weeks. I hate dental anxiety. Sigh,
Timmy can roll already and I fear he'll be an early crawler, which I am NOT ready for.
I should upload more pictures. It'd be less typing/clicking.
Cadbury caramel eggs are vastly superior to the creme eggs. Vastly.
I'm excited to do the 31 Days to Clean challenge. I'm starting tomorrow to make up for the Sundays I'll take off.
I ended at least two points with prepositions but am way too tired to fix them. Does that make me a bad blogger?
Our town has three small thrift stores. While their clothing selection is pretty terrible, I do appreciate that their prices on non-clothing items are quite cheap.

Creating Tradition: Easter Bundles

2011-04-25T17:54:00.001-07:00

One of the things I really looked forward to in starting a family was creating our own traditions. Be it everyday or especially traditions (as Noel Piper puts it), they have the power to create lasting memories and bring families together.

Recently Chris and I were talking about Easter and discussing whether or not we wanted to do Easter baskets for our kids. Our (quick) consensus was that while the concept is fun, they're usually full of cheap trinkets and plastic Easter grass which is pretty much like saying "yes, I'd like to pay to have my house be messy."

"Let's do books," Chris suggested, "like your parents." "Brilliant!" I replied. Several years ago, my parents started giving us a book on Easter, as well as including one in our Christmas and birthday gifts. Over the years, I've gotten several classics and other editions I've been wanting. (Although when asked about this last Christmas, I told my mother the only title I could think to ask for was The Vaccine Book. Thankfully, they got me a different one.)

So, armed with the decision to give books, I set off on my hunt. Thanks to Amazon's 4-for-3 deal, Timmy is getting two books, and because I needed just a few more dollars to make my order count for another month of AmazonMom, he's also getting a toy. Lucky kid. I added some Easter chocolate and bundled them together with hemp, along with a tag proclaiming "He is risen!" For Chris' bundle, I also included a picture frame. If I was super creative, I suppose I would have whipped up some cloth bags on my sewing machine or used colorful ribbon...but I'm not so I didn't. Also, my parents sent us books but I am too lazy to retake photos and upload them. Just imagine a space book for Chris, one by Gary Thomas for me and Curious George for Timmy.

Without further adieu, here are the H family's Easter Bundles 2011:

MIA

2011-04-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Our keyboard had an unfortunate run-in with Chris' beer a few days ago and some important keys such as E, I and S no longer work...hopefully we'll be getting a new keyboard soon, though we know a new computer is in our future before too long. (I copied and pasted the missing letters so this post would be legible.) And if you'd like to donate a new computer, just let me know!

On Co-Sleeping

2011-04-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing this post has taken awhile to write because my opinion and experience keeping changing. :) Before Timothy was born, Chris wanted to have him sleep in our bed, at least at first. While I wasn't thrilled with this idea (I was afraid of rolling over him and I wanted to be able to snuggle with my husband), I agreed to at least give it a shot at some point.

During the first few weeks of newborn craziness, we initially tried Timmy in his Pack 'N Play bassinet at the foot of our bed, but he didn't like it. Same with the crib, so our bed was where he slept. It actually worked out pretty well, especially when he was waking every few hours to nurse. Frankly, walking into his room every few hours was too much in the middle of the night, and after being so incredibly pregnant, I definitely wasn't in the habit of rolling so I didn't worry about squishing him. We also have a king size bed, so we certainly didn't lack space, and I liked knowing when he was hungry because he'd start moving and making noise, but not all out crying.

That worked well for awhile, until Timothy was 5-6 weeks old and discovered hey! I can move my legs! and my arms! And I can make noise with my voice! Suddenly, he wasn't very cuddly (unless he was soundly asleep) and not so fun to share a bed with. Thankfully, we got him and his crib on speaking terms again. For awhile he'd stay in our bed after eating at 4 or 5, but I think that just confused him, so now he typically spends all night in his crib until we start our day. If we've had a short night, though, he'll sometimes lay in our bed with me in the mornings so I can doze while he talks and then we snuggle/sleep. :)

For those of you who co-sleep for more than a month (haha), I admire you, because I have no idea how you manage the flailing of baby limbs. :) Like most of mothering/parenthood, time and experience changes our opinion. So even though it wasn't what we'd envisioned from the start, it's worked for us.

Coming Across My Screen

2011-04-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

Good links I've found lately...

Don't Skip Lent (oh so true!)

Easter Week in Real Time

The Usefulness of Google

Remember Jesus (see quote at the end by Spurgeon)

Multitudes on Mondays: Gifts 81-106

2011-04-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

81 how fast the gifts add up, when I stop to count them

82 baby socks

83 a walk with my boy on a beautiful spring day

84 dinner with a delightful family of seven from church

85 singing the Doxology as the mealtime prayer with them

86 colorful cloth diapers

87 homemade French bread

88 Amazon's 4-for-3 deal

89 coupons

90 Timmy being an absolute champ during our errands

91 journal entry #5000

92 no line at the Post Office

93 Sonic Happy Hour

94 praying for a friend in labor

95 making our Easter bundles

96 people who hold the door open for mamas lugging carseats

97 a husband who doesn't mind working on dinner when I start cooking but then have to feed Timmy

97 hearing that two babies I've prayed for have safely arrived

98 hand-me-downs

99 singing all hymns at church (a capella, because both guitarists were gone...and we sounded GOOD!)

100 walking to church

101 my red Kitchen Aid

102 Timmy actually falling asleep at church

103 productive weekends

104 Chris cleaning out my car

104 singing the Doxology to Timmy at bedtime

105 bedtime routine (especially story time)

106 consistency in the increased feedings

I Don't Need Sleep

2011-04-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

This post has been written in my head for awhile, but I'm just now getting a chance to type it up.

I stumbled into Timmy's room at 3 a.m., silently pleading with God, just let him sleep! It's what we both need, Obviously, rest was the solution. As I sat down in the rocking chair with him, the thought that had been trying to work its way into the front of my brain (but I'd been shutting out) suddenly hit me with full force. I don't need sleep. I need Jesus. I'd been (wrongly) convinced that a good night's sleep would solve all my problems and exhaustion that comes with having a new baby, but my focus was misplaced.

While I rocked my baby, I confessed my idolization of sleep, realizing yet again that I can't do this whole mom thing on my own. And you know what? Since then, Timmy has been sleeping MUCH better at night and I've learned in a whole new way how to depend on Jesus.

For He gives to his beloved sleep

-Psalm 127:2

She's Got a Ticket to Ride

2011-04-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

I've referenced the game Ticket to Ride about, oh, a million times on my blog. The lovely Fries family introduced us to it and in turn Chris and I showed the game to our families. I know some other friends of mine are big fans, so I thought I'd do a post about some variations of the game we've come up with.

Off to the Races
Deal like normal--five destination cards and four train cards (or however many you start with). Each player selects exactly three routes to complete and discards two. The game is played like normal, but ends when the first player completes all three routes. Once they're done, that's it. Another option we've started doing (and enjoy more) is leaving the trains on the board after the first round, discarding our current route cards and redealing them, using to our advantage the trains we've already played. The first player to complete all three routes wins. Typically three rounds make up a game. Instead of adding up route points (because we usually forget), the winner of each round gets a 30 point bonus. Bonus points for longest train and most routes completed still apply.

Where On Earth am I Going???
Deal six train cards and commence play with no destination cards. Play until a pre-determined amount of points (like 10 or 15) or until each person has played a certain number of trains. Once you've reached the goal, you draw destination cards like normal and proceed.

My Routes Were Predestined
(A little Reformed humor for ya.) We haven't actually played this version yet that I can recall, but I'd like to. Each player is dealt say, four or five routes and you have to complete all of them. Each person gets one more turn when one player has less than three trains, just like normal.

If you've come up with any versions of your own, we'd love to hear them!

Missing Lent

2011-04-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ash Wednesday sneaked up on me this year. So much so that I hadn't even given a thought to fasting and just that morning pulled my copy of Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross off the shelf. (And my copy of Isaiah 53 to memorize in the shower just came out of hiding a few weeks ago)

Much to my dismay, our church here doesn't celebrate Advent or Lent, so I'm learning how to observe them with just our family and not the involvement of a church.

As the days steadily march towards Easter, I'm excited to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, but to be honest, I'm also a bit scared. I'm worried that without much of a focus on Lent, Easter won't seem as glorious. I didn't start observing Lent until college, but once I did, Easter quickly became my favorite holiday. Coincidence? I think not.

So as we soon enter Holy Week, I'm going to do my best to remember Jesus and His sufferings, amidst the dirty diapers, spitup and feedings, and focus on the events leading up to that glorious Resurrection Sunday.

Gifts 72-80

2011-04-08T16:36:00.001-07:00

72 four generation pictures on both sides of my family

73 feeling more rested each day

74 making one of Chris' favorite meals for dinner (it's one of mine, too)

75 homemade cookies to send with my grandparents

76 snow on the day my family left from their spring break trip

77 how Timmy smiles now each time I start the little mobile in his crib

78 Chris feeling better after leaving work sick yesterday

79 beating my Dad in Scrabble on my last turn

80 Costco folding chairs from my parents (we can seat 7 now!)

Gifts 63-71

2011-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

63 paying cash for our (new to us) truck

64 the lady at the automotive place telling Chris how he could save money registering at another business

65 a tidy house

66 finding baby socks around the house

67 caffeine

68 seeing my parents as grandparents

69 Timmy's great-grandma rocking him to sleep

70 knowing that Timmy has met three of his four great-grandparents on my side

71 eat/wake/sleep

72 sweater vests for newborns

73 Dedication Sunday

74 freezer meals

75 date night

76 my husband's smile

77 notes on my nightstand

78 my 85 year old Grandpa joining Facebook

79 Moby wraps

80 hymns

81 four hours of sleep in a row

Love Me, Love My House

2011-04-01T17:46:00.000-07:00

One night last week, we had a co-worker of Chris' over for dinner. We didn't have anything fancy (just taco salad) and the house wasn't picked up to perfection. At one time, that would have bugged me, but I've changed my thinking about hospitality a bit.

I don't think that hospitality is inviting people over for meals only when your house is perfect and you have a gourmet meal ready. I know that some of the most meaningful hospitality I've experienced is with friends who invited me (or us) over for a meal on the fly and just let us be a part of their lives. What I remember are the conversations and laughter that took place over lovingly prepared meals, and not if the house was perfectly clean. Are there times when it's fun to plan big dinners and do nice meals? Sure, but we can't just limit our hospitality to those times.

What is hospitality? Inviting friends and strangers to be in your life, sharing meals and a place to sleep. (That's my definition, mostly because I'm too tired to get my copy of The Hospitality Commands off the bookshelf. Good book, though.) As I enter my mothering years, I realized I couldn't let the state of my house be an excuse to not inviting people over. Plus, why not let people see us as we really are--messy house and all.

I'm not advocating being lazy or letting your housekeeping skills slide. I am trying to get better about maintaining a neat house, but if I wait until it's perfect--let's face it--I'll never invite people over. And you know what? I'd rather invite someone over for a meal I was already planning to make, even if it's just brinner, because it's letting them get to know us for who we are.

Thank You God, for Mommy

2011-03-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

We've been reading to Timothy since before he was born. In the months he spent inside me, many chapters of Scripture along with Goodnight Moon, Guess How Much I Love You and other childhood classics were read to our unborn baby.

Now that he's on the outside, we still read to our boy, despite the fact that he is "too young." To that end, I'm always on the hunt for quality kids books. Classics, to be sure, but also new ones hitting the shelves. When I saw Thomas Nelson offering Thank You God, for Mommy, I snatched it up. In its charming pages are shown a young panda bear and his mother, doing a variety of things like swinging, praying and even spilling honey ("She's oh so patient when my uh-ohs become big messes"). Throughout each page, the little one is thanking God for his Mommy because "she helps me try again," "cares for big and small" and "turns frowns upside down." It focuses on the little activities mommies do that we want our kids to remember. As a new mom, I found the book incredibly sweet.

On a side note, although my child is entirely human, I think the panda has an expression that kind of matches his. In other words, the illustrations are adorable.

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson. The opinions expressed are my own.

Gifts 53-62

2011-03-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

53 oven omelette and popovers for dinner

54 a finally sleeping baby

55 scaling Mt. Laundry

56 knowing that a plethora of family will arrive in just a few days

57 pictures of my nieces

58 new tubes of Burt's Bees

59 the nebulizer that helps my baby breathe

60 six hour stretches of sleep

61 Chris' wisdom in knowing when not to buy a car

62 selling the dirtbike

1000 Gifts 38-52

2011-03-28T12:39:00.001-07:00

38 the fact that we both survived his first vaccinations

39 sunshine after days of rain

40 rain that reminds me of the PNW

41 up to 11 lbs 1 oz in one week

42 Timmy and I not getting sick after Chris

43 Snapfish sales on prints

44 Chris taking Timmy downstairs on weekend mornings so I can rest

45 my parents and mother in law telling me I can never send too many photos of Timothy

46 bad days not being so bad when Chris is home

47 scrapbookin in the scrapbook my dad gave Timmy

48 a full picture frame

49 Timmy falling asleep quickly during the night

50 homemade chocolate milk

51 nail polish

52 looking forward to brinner

1000 Gifts 31-37

2011-03-26T13:04:00.001-07:00

31 singing hymns to my baby, which I realized during the early weeks of sleep loss and frustration was more a balm for my soul than his

32 leftover soup in the crockpot meaning I didn't have to cook

33 catching up on laundry

34 hair ribbons

35 looking cute when I'm not planning to leave the house

36 getting Girl Scout cookies just a few days before they stop selling them

37 baby monitors

1000 Gifts 24-30

2011-03-25T15:33:00.001-07:00

24 learning to bake at 4000 feet after living half my life at 30 feet above sea level

25 holding him

26 health insurance

27 9 lbs 11 oz--proof he's thriving while being exclusively nursed

28 rocking my baby in the same chair my parents rocked me in

29 how my husband locks the door each morning when he leaves, showing his protection

30 mentally adding to this list while rocking my baby at 2 am

Why I'm Counting

2011-03-24T13:18:00.001-07:00

Last night, as I went into Timmy's room for the second time in an hour, I was exhausted and not too thrilled to be awake. After giving him his pacifier (again) and sitting down in the rocking chair to comfort him, it hit me.

This is why I'm counting my gifts.

For the times I'm too tired to think as I stumble into his room for the umpteenth time at night. For when I'll be cleaning up puke at 3 a.m. When I have to remind my precious boy again why the dog can't sit at the table.

For the times I lose my focus, that's why I count.

1000 Gifts 14-23

2011-03-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

14 playing a million games of Ticket to Ride

15 a two year old who wants to look at Timmy

16 hearing that my 1 year old niece thinks her family is made up solely of her baby cousins

17 looking forward to a visit from family

18 handwritten letters

19 Timmy's sock monkey, made with love by a dear college friend

20 pictures for the scrapbook my Dad bought Timmy

21 snow on the first day of spring

22 a good book to read while nursing

23 the Nalgene I've had for nearly 8 years

Counting the Gifts

2011-03-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

In junior high, I kept a gratitude journal, recording 5 things I was thankful for every night before going to sleep. Eventually, I stopped as it became more of a journal of what I did that not, and was something I just did out of habit.

Fast forward to 2011 in the blogging world when some friends (like Gretchen and Anna), prompted by Ann Voskamp, have started listing 1000 simple gifts they find in the mundane. I thought it was a cool idea, but had no ambition of doing it myself. However, now I find myself crossing the starting line of motherhood. I know that finding joy in the midst of sick kids, toddlerhood, sleepless nights and difficult days will be challenging. What better time to start counting the gifts of God than as I start the hardest yet most rewarding journey of my life?

1 my husband being on the mend after spending all weekend with a nasty stomach bug

2 going to bed with a clean kitchen

3 nurses who care

4 clean sheets & a freshly made bed

5 a baby who sleeps in his crib

6 a mom at church with a (clean!) spare pacifier

7 baby smiles

8 burps that finally come out, explaining the fussiness

9 digital cameras

10 Internet, texting and picture mail, making us feel not so far away from family

11 pictures of my new niece

12 long talks with my sister-in-law, who's also a new mommy

13 "late" night talks with my husband

Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

2011-03-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

(Note: I'm trying my best not to turn this into a total mom blog, but I am a (new) mom and thus it consumes a large part of my life.)

What are little boys made of?

Frogs and snails

And puppy-dogs' tails,

While I was pregnant, a lot of people asked if I preferred that Higbaby be a boy or girl. I can honestly say that I didn't favor one gender over the other. Certainly, I'd like some boys and some girls, God willing, but for our first, I just wanted a healthy baby. As I was utterly convinced the entire pregnancy that we'd have a boy, I wasn't too surprised when Chris announce "it's a boy!" just over 7 weeks ago.

As Timothy's growing, my excitement over having a little boy as increased, too (and trust me, I was already excited). Our wonderful church had a baby shower for us a few Saturdays ago, and I loved all the clothes with dinosaurs, monkeys and tigers. I'm excited for the day we're driving down the road and I hear "Mommy, there's a train!" and for all his grilled cheese sandwiches to turn into guns.

So when I'm sacrificing another glass jar for his worm collection or wishing that he'd stop hammering with his tools, I'll stop and thank God for the privilege of my little boy, frogs, snails and puppy dog tails included.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (Or: A Husband's Favorite)

2011-03-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

It's simple, has no redeeming nutritional value and made for one very happy husband (though I certainly enjoyed it too) on Pi Day.

Without further ado, I present Double Layer Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (courtesy of--where else--AllRecipes), blogged as per Chris' request.

1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon cold milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
4 peanut butter cups, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I forgot to buy these)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and peanut butter until smooth. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping. Spread mixture on bottom of pie crust.
In a second bowl, stir pudding mix with 2 cups milk until thick. Immediately stir in remaining whipped topping. Spread mixture over peanut butter layer.
Scatter peanut butter cups over top of pie. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Serve to your overjoyed husband.

Curried Coconut Chicken (SO GOOD!)

2011-03-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

This was dinner last night and oh man...it was SO ridiculously good, if I may say so myself. Here's the recipe so you can all make your family and friends happy, too.

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes (I didn't have any, so I just added extra tomato sauce)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar

I also added a bag of mixed veggies and a few tablespoons of Trader Joe's Red Thai Curry Sauce. Next time I will add the diced tomatoes. Really need to keep some around as a rule since they go in everything.

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve over rice and enjoy!

26 Words

2011-02-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly host

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Amen

It's a simple verse, the ending of a lesser known hymn, "Awake, My Soul and With the Sun" sung by thousands (if not millions) of people throughout history. Having attended a church where the Doxology was sung following Communion each week endeared these words to my heart and if I'm honest, I admit I'll always miss that. There was (is) something holy about voices blending together as kids and adults we thanked God for the gift of Communion.

I'm not sure what entices me to the words. Maybe it's the way the author skillfully weaves in all members of the Trinity. Maybe it's the sole focus on praising God and not asking Him for things. Maybe it's the fact taht no matter how many times I sing the lyrics, they never grow old. And since I've dubbed it Timothy's "nighttime song," I'll hopefully be singing it many, many more times in the coming years.

The Naming of TimBob

2011-02-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

Many people, upon hearing Timothy's name for the first time, commented on how wonderfully normal it is. While I do have a soft spot for unique names (especially for girls), Chris and I wanted good, solid, not-crazy names for our kids.

Robert--my paternal grandpa's first name, my dad's middle name as well as my brother's middle name and Chris' paternal grandpa's first name. It took almost no discussing to agree on that as a middle name.

Timothy took a little longer to agree upon, but we both liked Timothy in the Bible and it's a strong name. 2 Timothy 2:1 was the clincher for me, because what else could I want for my son than to be strong in the grace of Jesus?

Even though Timothy is barely 4 weeks old, he has a whole host of nicknames--Timmy, Tim, Bubs and TimBob. The last one was inspired by Charles Robert, a friend in college who was sometimes called ChuckBob.

So there you have it. I always enjoy hearing why people picked the names they did. And our girl's name? It's safely tucked away for re-consideration, should God bless us with a daughter someday.

Sometimes, I Hold Him

2011-02-14T12:54:00.002-08:00

(Pardon the blurry cellphone picture)

Sometimes, when my baby falls asleep in my arms, I don't put him down. I hold his tiny body in my arms and kiss his sleeping head. The laundry may remain unfolded and the dishes dirty, but God forbid I regret these days, having spent them cleaning instead of cherishing. When he cries, but stops when I hold him, I'm thankful that as his Mama, I can comfort him. Sometimes a new Mama needs to hold her non-crying baby and just enjoy him.

The Birth of Timothy Robert (Or: A Story of Impeccable Timing)

2011-02-12T12:05:00.001-08:00

My sweet Bubs (as I call him) is, for the moment, sleeping in the Moby, so I'm doing what any new mom with TWO free hands would do--writing his birth story. :)

After going back and forth with our doctor about induction (she wanted to, we didn't), we agreed to be induced on Wednesday, Jan. 26th. For various reasons, Chris and I were more comfortable with this than the earlier dates she wanted to induce. We'd been trying for about a week to start labor naturally and at my appointment that Monday (the 24th) I was 4-5 cm dilated and 70% effaced, so my body was clearly getting ready on its own.

Though I was really scared of Pitocin, we were so looking forward to meeting our baby. Tuesday night we had dinner with my mom (who'd arrived the Wednesday before) and played--what else--Ticket to Ride. It was an epic game in that Chris and I tied for the first time ever.

We were supposed to be at the hospital (nearly an hour away) at 6 a.m. so an early bedtime was in order for everyone. Surprisingly, I didn't have any trouble sleeping as I was pretty tired already. Around 2:30 I woke up needing to go to the bathroom, but really not wanting to lug my pregnant body out of bed again. As I lay there, I finally decided that I should get up and try to get a few more hours sleep. Right before sitting up, however, I felt a pop that I thought was a low baby kick but upon standing, realized my water had broken as it came pouring out! It was about 3 a.m. (we had planned to get up at 4:30) so I woke Chris up and told him the good news. We'd been praying so hard for labor to start on its own and I couldn't believe it had actually happened. My mom heard the commotion and woke up as well. While waiting to take a shower, I had a few contractions but they didn't become regular until about 4:00.

After packing our last minute things, we ate breakfast and headed off to the hospital. One of the things I was dreading was the long car ride in labor, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as I expected. I just needed to hold Chris' hand each time I had a contraction--my mom timed them and they were 6-8 minutes apart at this point. It was crazy foggy out and I felt bad for Chris driving his pregnant wife to the hospital when visibility was about nil. Thankfully we made it without incident, minus a wrong turn or two. (We'd only been to the hospital once before.)

By the time we arrived, my contractions were stronger and I couldn't walk through them. The front desk offered a wheelchair but I was determined to get to maternity on my own two feet. And I did! We just had to make frequent stops. :)

Once we got to the maternity ward, I was not feeling so great. Before even getting into the hospital gown, I'd thrown up. Getting into bed was a relief, even though I maintain they should try and make hospital gowns look cuter. You already feel horrible in labor; why look bad, too?

Time went by so quickly for the first several hours. Honestly, I don't remember how far apart the contractions were, but we were able to play one hand of Rummy (gotta have priorities!). Chris and Mom were indispensable as labor progressed. Just like in the car, I had to hold/squeeze Chris' hand during each contraction--it helped take my mind off what was happening physically. I'd written out a bunch of verses that Mom read over and over--that helped me not dwell mentally on each contraction. Also, a huge thanks to my friend Lisa for putting Psalm 121 to music for her son. As Children's Church teacher, I memorized it which got me through many, many contractions.

During our childbirth classes, we practiced a variety of positions during labor. However, because I was hooked up to monitors walking around wasn't really an option. Honestly, though? I didn't want to move. The few times I walked to the bathroom were excruciating. I even tried leaning on Chris liked we'd practiced in class during one contraction on the way back to bed, but it didn't help. Laying down felt the best, another thing to be thankful for.

Around 11:00, the contractions slowed down, which, to be honest, was quite nice! However, we also wanted to meet our baby. The nurse wanted to start Pitocin, which we agreed to as it was a small amount and I didn't want to be in labor forever. As I mentioned previously, I was really scared--mostly of not being able to handle the pain, but thankfully, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Yes, they were more regular (every 5 minutes) and longer (I think), but the pain didn't become sharp and stabbing like I feared.

I expected more defined stages of labor like we'd learned about in our birth classes, but really the only sign I was in transition was my mental state of "I can't do this anymore." Chris reminded me that I could do it and that feeling that way meant we were almost done. Mom pointed out that they were getting the warming bed ready and preparing for our baby--it was nearly time! There were sort of two stages for pushing for me--first to get a lip of cervix out of the way, and then actually pushing out the baby. Thankfully, I only had to push for about 40 minutes before Timothy was born!

His actual birth went much quicker than I expected, which was a good thing. He was covered in meconium and very limp/purple/blue when he came out (initial Apgar score for color was 0). Chris announced the gender, cut the cord and then went over to the table with Timothy while they worked on him. Suddenly I realized there were a lot of people in the room. We later learned they were NICU nurses and respiratory therapists in case Timothy needed extra care, but thankfully he was able to get worked on in the room. After cleaning him up and checking his lungs, they wrapped him up and Chris and I got to hold our beautiful baby boy.

The whole story really amazes me. I'm still praising God I went into labor on my own. We were nervous about a hospital birth, but all our nurses were fabulous and did a great job respecting our birth plan. Even though I was scared of Pitocin, I made it through. As I wrote, I realized that I used the word "thankfully" a lot and really, that's the best way to sum it up. I'm thankful for a healthy baby boy, despite some scary moments after his arrival. Thankful that he decided to come on his own and, despite the lack of sleep and mountains of frustration ("why is he crying??") so, so thankful for our beautiful Timothy.

The Daze of Days

2011-02-11T12:39:00.000-08:00

Timothy is 16 days old now and I (sometimes) feel like I'm getting the hang of things. The other day he slept in the Moby while I cleaned the kitchen and did laundry. Both those activities have never felt so wonderfully normal. He's lost about a pound since he was born, so our big goal now is weight gain. Prayers would be appreciated...my baby needs to get bigger! One reason he looks skinnier, though, is because he's already 1/2 an inch taller! His hair has gotten darker, too. Crazy how fast they change.

I've written his birth story but need to proofread it before posting. It's pretty long...apparently I have no trouble sharing the details of childbirth on the Internet. (Don't worry, it's not too graphic.)

He typically wakes up 2 times each night, once around 12 or 1 and again at 4. The worst part is that between eating, burping and diaper changes he's usually awake for about an hour each time. Thankfully Chris is always willing to change him, but I'd like Timothy to be awake a little less. We got some help with nursing yesterday so I'm hoping he'll become a more efficient eater and not keep us up quite so long.

I was always told the first two weeks were the roughest and so far that has totally been true. Last Wednesday (his two week birthday) was a really good day, and though we've had some fussy moments since then, I feel like overall things are getting better. I'm aware, though, that once I feel I have the hang of this newborn thing he'll switch it up on us and we'll (again) be feeling clueless.

Thank you to everyone who's prayed for us, asked how we're doing and sent gifts. All three of us are very loved!

Introducing..

2011-01-30T18:50:00.000-08:00

Timothy Robert

Jan. 26, 2011

1:55 p.m.

7 lbs 10 oz

19 3/4 inches

My favorite photo of my favorite four day old:

Birth story to come when I get a chance to write it :)

No Baby Yet

2011-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

I feel like every call/text/e-mail conversation should be prefaced with that fact. We're still playing the waiting game. My mom arrived on Wednesday and my dad will be here next weekend after Higbaby arrives. I'm pretty confident, though, that I won't let them go back home ever, so I hope they enjoy their new life in California.

Here's to hoping baby decides Jan. 22nd is a great day to be born. I know a couple getting married today, so it's clearly a day for celebration!

I Want to Remember

2011-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday found me sitting down at the table with a stack of pictures, some new scrapbook paper and a blank book waiting to be filled. Even though it's been nearly a year and a half since our wedding and our first baby is due tomorrow, I figure better late than never, right?

I've been woefully behind on scrapbooking my life--the last event I chronicled being college graduation in 2007--but I decided that instead of waiting until I got 2007-2009 scrapbooked, I'd just start with our wedding. Why?

Because I want to remember.

No, I won't forget our wedding day, but it's the details I want to capture before they're gone from my mind. I want to remember that it was Lisa who hand-addressed all our invitations, BJ who designed our programs, Lise' who arranged our flowers and my aunt who made our cake. I don't want to forget about the flat tire we got after post-reception pictures--though I don't think there's any chance of that happening--and that our photographers changed it for us. (Yes, we spent the morning after our wedding having brunch while Firestone fixed the hole. I have a feeling the "Just Married" decorations contributed to the fact that they did it for free!)

So even though a lot of exciting events have transpired since September 12, 2009, I'm going back and reliving those moments as I crop, arrange and glue, because I want to remember.

Preparing Spiritually for Birth

2011-01-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

As Baby Day draws closer and closer, we've been busy getting ready as all parents-to-be find themselves filling the last days and weeks before their little one arrives.

There is one area, though, that I have been (shamefully) neglecting in my preparations, and that is preparing spiritually. Thankfully, I was able to take some time today to pray and meditate over some verses that I compiled. Lindsay has some great encouragement here about preparing your hearts as well.

These are the verses that I gathered thanks to the above article, asking people on Facebook and some other online searching, highlighting the phrases that seemed particularly applicable to me.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.--Psalm 127:3

Psalm 34:4

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 139:13-14

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and

wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

Philippians 4:13

I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.

Deut. 7:9

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

Psalm 56:3-4

When I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.

In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.“ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Isaiah 40:29

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 26:3-4a

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.

Neheimiah 8:10b

And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

John 16:21

When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

Psalm 40:1

I waited patiently for the LORD:

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

James 1:3-4

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved,

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep your going out and coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 71:6

Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;

you are he who took me from my mother's womb.

My praise is continually of you.

Hebrews 10:35-36

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Monday Meanderings

2011-01-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

I've been unintentionally absent from blogging this week. Possibly because we've been getting ready for baby? Or because I'm lazy/forgetful. Most likely the latter, sadly.
My brother informed me yesterday to not call my parent's house again until I was in labor. Thankfully, he was joking.
Pregnant women need an outgoing ringtone that says "This _____, I'm not in labor but please answer your phone."
A super encouraging e-mail from a friend reminded me to RELAX as we wait for baby, which means that my house needs to be tidied up in order for me to actually feel relaxed.
I sewed a Bible cover/pen holder last night and was putting it on for the final time when I realized I messed it up and it wouldn't work. Sigh.
"Sewing without a seam ripper is like working on a computer without UNDO." I am so living that right now.

It's the Little Things...

2011-01-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

Soup simmering on the stove and pulled pork in the crockpot, waiting to be frozen for post-baby meals.
New dish brush heads (from Amazon, as we can't find them in our town).
Sneaking a cup of said soup for lunch.
Tweets like this from my dad.
Dinner with--count 'em--FOUR dishes last night. Garlic chicken, baked potatoes, corn and salad.

Monday Meanderings

2011-01-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Google image of my grandma's sewing machine

that's now mine

Hopefully my Kitchen Aid enjoyed its Christmas break, because Saturday I mixed up four loaves of bread, putting the poor thing to much use.
We're in full-fleged baby prep mode around here. We figured out which hospital we're hoping to deliver at, the carseat is installed and we bought some diapers and wipes at Target on Friday.
I made this project yesterday (well, just the mittens). They're not perfect as I am pretty bad at sewing circles, apparently, but hey, they turned out. And it only cost the $3.50 I spent on the sweater! Next up is a pen holder for my Bible pens.
Having a husband who worked in industrial sewing (at a parachute shop) who's also an engineer is quite handy when you don't have the manual for your sewing machine and the thread and bobbin have both run out.
Thank you, Yahoo! groups for providing said manual for free. I love how vintage it is--the machine and the manual.