Beginning

So I'm thinking I need to change the look of the blog. God's been working with me on "new beginnings." A recent post by Ann Voskamp, over at www.aholyexperience.com, spoke VOLUMES to my heart and soul. It's amazing how when I set aside the busies and dust out the cobwebs, I'm able to hear God's still small voice. Huh. Who woulda thunk? He only says it loud and clear in His Word REPEATEDLY.

Anyway...

I'm learning that it's so incredibly, maddeningly (made up word? not sure.) easy to fill your life with STUFF. Seemingly important stuff. Cleaning, laundry, dishes, playing with the babe, spending time with the hubby, errands, cooking, picking up, etc. etc. etc...Just the day to day regular ole stuff. Notice I didn't add activities, friends, church, etc. I'm just talking the day to days of running a household. There's nothing wrong with the stuff. It's all good in fact. I believe that as a wife, I am called by God to make my home a haven for my husband and children. I believe that as a mother, I am called by God to nurture and train up my daughter in the way she should go...this means spending time with her, being intentional with her.
Over the last 16 months (EK just celebrated her 16 month birthday. Coincidence?) I've gone through a bit of an identity crisis. God has shown me so much and revealed so much to me about who He is calling me to be in this season of life.

Servant of Christ. Wife. Mommy.

The three most important roles, I believe. How do they each look individually for me, specifically? How do they look displayed in my life when the three are balanced perfectly?

As I've prayed over this and poured over scripture, I'm beginning to feel like I'm finally reaching the surface of who I am to be.

As I end this post, know that I am excited to share more of this journey. I'll end with where I began. Voskamp, in her post, talks of organization and getting the day to day things done...how do you do it all? How do you do it all well? I was so excited to read this post because the title went right up my alley with all of the above! I quickly began to read and well, you'll just have to go read it for yourself.

Every beginning starts with Him. Not some new cleaning system. Not a new organizational chart. Just Him. More of Him. Because when I begin with Him, all is set right. When I begin with Him, all becomes organized. When I begin with Him, all is balanced. Servant of Christ. Wife. Mommy.

-Megan

Pajama Saturday

So I haven't posted in so long that I actually forgot my login password. Oops. I'm not really even sure why I'm posting...or what I'm going to write about for that matter. I am only sure about the facts that EK and I are still in our pajamas at 2:06 pm, my house is a wreck, and we are scheduled to have visitors arrive sometime this evening.

 I haven't forgotten about this here blog; I just haven't known what direction to take with said blog. Life has been SO busy and quite honestly blogging is on the bottom of that list...or maybe not even on the list most of the time. However, I keep remembering some of the things many of you have said about previous posts so I haven't really wanted to bag the whole thing. Truthfully I want to write about EK 24/7 but I just don't feel comfortable posting all that on the world wide web, so... what else is there to talk about I'd like to know?!

So...I suppose this is my attempt at bringing life back to this little space of world wide web. If it doesn't go well...hm...then I don't know. I seem to have lost all thoughts there as I got sucked into a rendition of "BINGO" on EK's baby channel. She is completely mesmerized as well.

Anywho....

No news on the adoption front. We have not started the process again yet. We have felt that we are going to switch routes a bit but there are some hold ups there so at the moment we are waiting.

*Sidenote* It is extremely difficult to write much of anything on here that makes sense when you have a fifteen month old running around with little supervision. She is currently emptying the end table drawer. So much for having that thing organized. And by organized I mean I know that's where to look for odds and ends junk.
Now she is by my side trying to shove a USB device into the laptop. She is also wearing a bobby pin she placed in her hair herself after digging it up from the depths of the end table drawer, as well as a beautiful necklace that is actually a second USB attached to a lanyard.
Now she is back at the drawer emptying a pack of cards. My mother would not be impressed with all I am letting her get away with at the moment. 

That being said, I guess it's time to sign off and go clean up what was once clean just a few minutes ago before starting this post. I have lots of ideas for blog posts swirling around in my head...I just need to decide what I want to start with. I'll be back soon!

Megan

Tuesday Ten

1. EK is almost one year old. Who knew that could be so emotional?
2. After a whirlwind of a summer, we are finally HOME. Please, don't ask us to go anywhere!
3. EK was dedicated this past Sunday, which was also the day of her birthday party...BIG day for such a little girl! She is still recovering...actually literally...she has been very clingy today.
4. I LOVE fall. Truly. The cool weather (notice I said cool not COLD), the colors outside, the crunch of leaves, long sleeves, socks, and scarves, cider, pumpkin bread, pumpkin apple spice or anything fall-ish scents, etc. etc. etc.
5. I do not like candles. I used to. Not anymore. This makes me sad because of the upcoming season...I might have to look into scentsy. We shall see.
6. We have an upcoming trip to visit my hometown and family this fall and I CAN'T WAIT!
7. We recently rearranged our living room and we LOVE it! We only did it to make more room for E's party but we liked it so much that we decided to keep it this way. Before it was so cramped...suffocating even...and now it's nice and open and E can stand on the couch and look out the window. She loves it.
8. We finally got rid of a mattress set that has been sitting in our hallway and nursery for two months. I sort of wanted to punch them every time I had to squish by them just to get into my kitchen or E's closet. I finally decided to donate them to the Salvation Army but before I could even get in the door a woman stopped me asking if she could have them. YES. We drove them to her house right then. I will be honest with you when I tell you I walked up and down my hallway afterwards a few times just because I could. Combine this with rearranging the living room and I feel like I have a new house!
9. I realize E is almost 12 months old and I still haven't posted her 11 month stats. I may or may not get around to it.
10. My mom recently gave me a compliment concerning how I parent. Coming from the greatest mom on the planet...it meant more than she will ever know.

Have a great week!
Megan

Ten Months!!

-BabyGirl is on. the. move. She is everywhere...not stopping for a second. She loves to dump out her toy box, taste each toy, throw it, and then move on to the next one.

-She loves peek-a-boo, itsy-bitsy spider, pat-a-cake, this little piggy, etc. etc. etc. She LOVES to interact...she can hardly contain her excitement when mommy or daddy gets on the floor to play with her.

-She wears a size 3 diaper and a size 3 shoe. However, of course, I have to throw in that we use cloth and love it.

-She has 4 teeth! Her top front, two teeth came in within a week of each other.

-Early this month, she started poking her lip out and pouting when told, "no." She will also shake her head back and forth when she hears, "no."

-She will stand on anything and everything to get what she wants. This means she hears, "no," a lot.

-She often pulls herself up on the entertainment center, which makes her eye level with the bottom of the tv screen...she will stand with both hands on the entertainment center and bounce up and down to the music on the tv. She has also figured out how to turn the tv on and off....

-After each nap, she reaches out to turn the light switch on. She smiles the BIGGEST smile when it comes on.

-She wakes two times or more each night. In her defense, we have been traveling A LOT lately. We have definitely learned that E is her mother's child and likes a routine with familiar surroundings. At home, she sleeps wonderfully...anywhere else is a different story. And don't even think about trying to get her to nap on the go...no way! She typically wakes in the morning around 7, takes two naps and is in bed around 7:30.

-Her hair is really growing in this month...and it's curly in the back! So sweet. Everyone asks where "the blonde comes from." Well, it's not exactly blonde...just light brown...and mine was just as light as a baby and then got darker as I grew...so I assume E's will do the same.

-One of her absolute favorite things is to attack the laptop when it's out. She will be playing with her toys and the second the laptop is out she throws the toy and shoots across the floor as fast as her knees and hands can take her. She wants to slam all the keys, chew on the side, and play peek a boo by pulling the top part backwards in order to see whoever is using it. At first it was cute...now she is going to destroy it if we're not careful. We're working on, "no," with this one.to
- She nurses about 5 times including one night time feeding. She has slowed down with enjoying solids this month. She still eats three meals a day but she's not very adventuresome with new foods and is A LOT more interested in playing than eating.

-She says mama, dada, baba, nana, gaga...she babbles all day long at home. When we're out and about she is usually pretty quiet taking everything in. She usually refuses to smile at strangers now. If someone is trying to get a smile out of her, she'll look at D or me like, "why is this crazy trying to get me to smile?"

-She began opening drawers and cabinets like a wild child. I'm surprised she hasn't pinched a finger in a drawer, or smashed a hand in a cabinet yet.

-I do believe this will be the last post I write while BabyGirl is playing...She will NOT leave the computer alone! I guess it's time to manage my computer time a little better!

Words can't express our love for BabyGirl. She is the joy of our lives. I am so beyond grateful that I'm able to raise her at home. There is NOWHERE I'd rather be.

-Megan

Tuesday Ten...Plus a Few More

So, I realize today is not quite Tuesday but I figured I'd go ahead and post this while I'm sitting here. Otherwise, there is a good chance I will forget tomorrow.

1.       I have been doing lots of birthday planning lately. I've been thinking about BabyGirl’s birthday since she was just a wee one. Birthdays have become a bigger deal around here than they used to be and I can’t wait to celebrate my little one’s life!

2.       Busy Busy Busy. Please can I just stay home without going out of town overnight for one month. That is all I ask. PLEASE. Don't get me wrong...every time I've gone out of town it's been by choice and has been completely worth it, BUT, this home-body is ready for some home time!

3.       I am thinking I’m going to do a blog entry soon concerning the #1 question I have gotten since EK made her entrance into the world… “Is she sleeping through the night yet?” I know you are waiting on pins and needles for this future post.

4.       We are so anxious to start our adoption process again but don’t feel that we’ve gotten the go ahead yet. We have some exciting news on the direction we’re taking…another future blog post!

5.       Daniel and I recently got a new mattress. Why we did not invest in this years ago, I do not know. It has changed my life. And I am not kidding. Not even a little bit.

6.       I am always hungry these days; however, I often get halfway through the day and realize I still haven’t eaten anything. I’m really not quite sure how one forgets to eat. Oh wait…I have a 9 month old who has no ‘off’ switch…that’s probably how.

7.       Daniel and I celebrated our 7^th wedding anniversary on June 17^th. When God is kept in the center of each individual, He truly does make something beautiful out of something NOT.

8.       All the storms lately just need to stop. I can’t handle anymore thunder. Seriously.

9.       I am currently watching America’s Got Talent on DVR. This thirteen year old girl (who looks like she’s at least eighteen) can seriously sing. Where has she been hiding? Oh, in Florida with her brother apparently.

10.   I am really missing my siblings these days. I just need all five of us together again. Soon. I wish we could all live on the same street at the end of a cul-de-sac. In houses built by my dad. 

11. My baby sister just got engaged. I am not sure how I feel about this yet. Not because I don't approve. I do. But she's my baby. 

12. My dad recently moved only 4 hours away from me. Words can not express my happiness over this!

13. EK turned 10 months old today. I held a 2 week old yesterday. I absolutely am overwhelmed with how fast E has grown and changed. I knew it would go by fast but WOW. 

14. My husband is such a servant. I am so blessed by his actions every day. He is always so quick to do things for me. I am spoiled ROTTEN. 

15. I have recently started coming up with activities to do with E...mainly thanks to Pinterest. I am so excited to start "school" with my baby! Many of the ideas are so simple, but things I never would have thought of. My sweet girl will have so much fun! She loves to play...especially with her mama. She wants to be where I am at all times. If I'm on the couch, then she is walking all along the couch, taking breaks while standing beside me. If I'm in the kitchen, then she's exploring in there. She follows me from room to room, crawling as fast as her little body can go...if I go too fast then she cries out telling me to slow down! I spend lots of time these days waiting on her to catch up to me. She gets SO excited when I get down on the floor to play with her. She can hardly contain herself. Her favorite thing is to climb over me a hundred zillion times. This baby girl is my little sunshine. I am beyond grateful that I have a husband who sees the value of me staying at home. I am also beyond grateful that we are able to make the sacrifices so that it's possible for me to stay home. There is nowhere I'd rather be. 

Happy Tuesday! ...or actually Monday if we're being completely accurate

-Megan

Nine Months Old

I'm trying to get caught up over here! BabyGirl turned NINE MONTHS OLD on June 15th. The speed at which this child is growing flabbergasts me. I simply can not believe it. Here is what she has been up to....

-EK has been a very busy girl this month. One morning Daniel went to get her when she woke and she was sitting up in her bed!! She's been sitting on her own since five months old but this was the first time she sat up all by herself!

-She started pulling up, crawling, and walking alongside furniture all within 24 hours. We worked really hard teaching BabyGirl to crawl. She really had to think about it at first and you could just see her little mind working. Now she flies all over the house!

-She does not nap well anywhere but in her crib. This obviously means we have to be home at naptime and bedtime. 

-She takes two naps each day.

-She nurses 4-5 times a day now.

-She is learning SO much! Early this month she slapped her hand on her tray while eating and I copied her. She slapped her hand again so I copied her again. Repeat this about a hundred times and you have the first of many times we've played this game! She loves it. She also began playing peek-a-boo. She clasps her hands together and holds them over her head. After a few seconds she'll pull them down really fast and wait for us to say, "peek-a-boo!" She'll play as long as we're willing! It cracks us up that she thinks she's hiding when she has her hands over her head. We've played peek-a-boo with BabyGirl for quite some time by covering her head or our own head with a blanket or whatever's handy and then pulling it down. She began pulling it off herself and now she plays with just her hands. It is amazing to watch a baby grow and learn!

-When she first wakes up, BabyGirl lays her head on my shoulder and cuddles for a minute. LOVE this. Since she learned to hold her head up, voluntary cuddling ceased unless she was sleeping. 

-She says mama, baba, and has said dada once. Her favorite thing to shout from her crib is, "MA MA MA MA..." How can a mommy resist that??? She can't. Which is why we are now sleep training all over again. Or attempting at least. 

-I mentioned sleep training above. With all of our traveling, cutting teeth, and injuries, BabyGirl's sleep habits at night have gotten a little scary. She is all over the place with waking up. We are lucky if we get a 4 hour stretch of sleep at the moment. When we walk in her room, she will raise her little arms up and clutch onto our clothes as tightly as she can and try her hardest to climb up into our arms. How on earth do you not pick her up then??? Well, we do (or I do at least...Daddy doesn't give in as easily). I have to say that even though I'm barely awake during the day lately, I cherish these late night moments when BabyGirl just wants to cuddle and rock. I am getting semi-weepy just thinking about it. She does NOT cuddle during the day like I've said many times before so these night time cuddles are just more precious to me than just about everything. 

-I mentioned an injury above. BabyGirl had her first injury this month and it was ROUGH. The sad thing is, there were three adults within arms reach of her the instant it happened. As we all know, BabyGirl is on the move constantly. An injury was bound to happen sooner or later. We were at Grandma's house where she was enthralled with her Aunt Rebekah's dogs the entire visit. She would just stare and stare. So, she was sitting watching them one afternoon when one got up and walked away from her. She began to crawl after it and got all caught up in her dress. She did a face plant into Grandma's stone kitchen floor. Now, before this moment, Erin had an "extended upper lip frenulum." For those of you out there who have no idea what this is, you are not alone. We didn't either. Anyway, the frenulum attaches the lip to the gums. E's was attached all the way to the base of her gums and possibly would have needed to be clipped when she was older if it interfered with her speech or teeth. Well...after the face plant, her frenulum was no longer "extended." She cut her gums open and tore her frenulum. On the bright side, she won't have to have that done when she's older. On the down side...well, you can only imagine the down side. The poor baby didn't smile for three days. She woke constantly during the night for several days. She did very little playing and only wanted Mommy at all times. PITIFUL. We went through lots of frozen food to suck on, Motrin, and Orajel.

-She is between shoe sizes. Size 2's are getting too small but size 3's are a little big.

-She wears mostly size 9 month clothes but can still wear most 6 month sized clothes.

-BabyGirl tried the finger foods, cantaloupe, watermelon, baked beans, peas, and white rice. She also loves sucking on lemons and oranges.

-EK is the cutest little thing while riding in her stroller. She likes to sit straight up with both hands holding on to her tray looking around, taking everything in. She has so much fun.

-She loves to wear sunglasses! She will wear them for quite a while before realizing she can take them off.

-She enjoys swinging. She smiles and laughs and just has the best time.

-She tried out swimming for the first time this month. She wasn't a huge fan because the water was a little chilly. She preferred sitting on a float playing with toys.

Our Little One is a busy, busy girl! Gratefully, our schedule will slow down over the next month, which this mommy is so excited about!

-Megan

Eight Months Old

I am obviously behind on posting BabyGirl's monthly updates but better late than never I suppose!

-E got her first cold this month. It lasted a long ten days and we were all glad when she was feeling better!

-She began reaching her arms out when someone reaches for her...only if it's someone she wants holding her though!

-She is a little more reserved with her smiles than she used to be. She has to check things out before she relaxes a little bit.

-BabyGirl moved up to a big girl carseat this month. Mommy cried. She is growing up too fast!

-She slept through the night for the first time this month! She'd been sleeping 6 hour stretches at night, eating once when all of a sudden one morning I woke up at 7am and shot out of bed to check on her and there she was, sound asleep! However, we left for vacation this same day and her sleep habits since then have left something to be desired. 

-She nurses about every 4 hours and usually falls asleep nursing. She takes 2-3 naps each day and eats solids three times a day. 

-She is beginning to enjoy finger foods. This month she tried banana and green beans. She loves her some food!

-She rolls and army crawls all over the place.

-She still wears a size 2 shoe and can wear clothes sized anywhere from 6 to 12 months. 12 months are mostly too big but she's worn some so that we can get as much wear as possible out of them!

-We still have not left BabyGirl in the church nursery or with a babysitter other than Grandma. One day we will get there...and this is actually an area I have really thought and prayed about and for me, as well as BabyGirl's personality, I decided that we're not ready yet. I believe that our culture pushes mommy's to leave their babies sooner than necessary...but don't get me started on that! 

-She finally enjoys eating fruit. I used to have to water it down quite a bit or add lots of oatmeal before she'd eat it without gagging, shivering, or acting like she was eating something sour.

-Her favorite things to play with are pens, cell phones, anything crinkly, paper, her binky clip....and pretty much anything else that is not a toy!

-She is the smiley-est little thing! She is very quick to flash a huge grin at anyone she knows well but others aren't so fortunate! She is very inquisitive when we are out and about, watching and looking, taking everything in. She will often raise her hand up from the stroller or grocery cart wanting to touch my or Daddy's face. Once she's reassured that we are right there, she'll go right back to checking things out.

-We are learning that we have to keep things very neat and tidy because she is into EVERYTHING. There have been a couple instances where if we weren't sitting right there, she could have seriously choked on random things that the average naked eye would never spot!

-She still does NOT allow Mommy to leave the room unless Daddy is in there with her. For this reason, both Mommy and BabyGirl are very happy to see Daddy walk through the door every evening!

-We ordered ribs one night at a restaurant and decided to let BabyGirl gnaw on a bone. She LOVED it! She "mm-mm-ed" the whole time, flipping it from end to end chewing away. When I took it from her, she stared at it and then CRIED! This was the first time she really let us know that she wasn't happy with something. I gave it back to her and she was tickled pink. Yet another instance of our baby's personality shining through...VERY determined and dare I say, strong-willed. 

-She babbles all day long, constantly saying, "huh," waiting until we repeat her. She'll play this all day long. She especially does it in the car, making sure we're still there I think. She can see us through her mirror attached to the seat of the van. She'll repeat "huh" over and over until we look at her and then she'll smile as big as she can and turn her face into the side of her car seat. 

-She is very ticklish and has been ever since I can remember. 

-BabyGirl has always loved bath time. She's beginning to notice the water and likes to splash intentionally now, rather than just randomly...but she is not a fan of water getting in her face.

Words can not express our love for EK. We will forever be in awe that God gave us such an amazing, miraculous gift. This month was BUSY! We have learned to take advantage of every single opportunity with BabyGirl because it just goes by too fast. She changes so much every day! What a blessing she is to us. 

-Megan