Our Current Favorite Picture Books

Reagan is really excited about books right now... he's in non-stop motion all day long, but right before naptime and bedtime, he will sit still while I read 5-6 picture books to him. Here are some of our current favorites!


Acorns Everywhere! by Kevin Sherry


Busy Little Mouse by Eugenie Fernandes


 The New Adventures of Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey


Not Inside This House! by Kevin Lewis


Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis


Good Night Engines/Wake Up Engines by Denise Dowling Mortensen


I Love Trucks! by Philemon Sturges


The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers


Stuck by Oliver Jeffers 

Multiple Personalities & Disorder

It's been 3.5 months since this sweet little lady arrived... 

Don't worry... you didn't miss too much.  Just sleeping, eating, and a whole lotta poopin'.  Eh... there were a few coos, toy grabbin' and smilin' somewhere along the way, but she's now at the stage that I really love in the baby world.  You know, that point when you start seeing a little personality?  I once told Richard that newborns were boring and have no personality.  He thought that was the most horribly wonderful thing I could say about babies and likes to bring it up in reference to my love for our children.  I've always loved her, but she sure is more exciting now that she interacts with us.

This little man has enough personality to share with about 20 people...

His personality is showing up more and more each day.  He's going to be just as quirky as his daddy... One example: he runs, marches, and dances while moving ONLY his left arm at a right degree angle.  Pretty sure he learned that particular move from this video.

Our FIRST "child" is even more quirky than she used to be...

And even more dramatic.  Has anyone else ever met a dog who actually sighs and then goes to the closet when you move your feet in the bed because she thinks you're kicking her out?  or runs and hides when you ask if she wants to go outside?  Ridiculous.  But we love her!

I'm learning each day that my perfectionist personality is going to get the best of me if I'm not careful.  My words in a conversation with Richard the other night... "I wish I could be good at everything."  I don't mean that I wish I was a perfect person, but that I could have a clean/organized house and delicious dinner on the table every night, after spending the day doing creative spiritually, mentally, and physically stimulating activities with my kids.  I guess I'll just resign to having a messy house and mediocre meals if that means I get to do more of this each day. :)

Sedona's Birth Story

In the past few weeks, I'd been praying earnestly about the upcoming arrival of our little lady.  My main concerns and prayers were that (1) Richard be with me when I went into labor, (2) Reagan would be cared for as we went to the hospital, and (3) there would be no complications for myself or the baby during delivery.  God answered each of those petitions with a YES, YES, and YES!

Wednesday (May 9th), I went in for what I hoped would be my final doctor's appointment and found out I was already almost 3cm dilated.  During the day Wednesday, I had a few random contractions and mild cramping, but nothing out of the ordinary for my final week of pregnancy.  At Bible study Wednesday evening, I started having more regular contractions that seemed to be increasingly more painful... but still, I wasn't sure that this was labor.  I mentioned to Richard that I thought it might be good for him to stay home Thursday (May 10th) if my contractions kept up, just so we wouldn't have to worry about him getting back home from work before going to the hospital.  I also called my mom to tell her to get her things packed and be prepared for a call in the next day or so.

After getting home from Bible study, my contractions were coming closer together and becoming increasingly more painful... nothing unbearable, but I was beginning to think I might be heading to the hospital by the next morning (answer to prayer #1... Richard was with me).  We took a few quick photos with Reagan, thinking it might be his final night as a big brother, and got him into bed.  I sent a text to my mom and Gran, telling them I thought things might really be beginning, and Gran offered to drive on down to take care of Reagan in case we had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night (that way Mom and Dad could be at the hospital with me).  It was already 10pm and I hated the idea of her driving 2 hours for what might be a false alarm, but I also liked the idea of having her here just in case labor had truly started (answer to prayer #2... Reagan would be cared for).  After giving her the "okay" to head down, Richard and I got our things together and started timing the contractions.  They were coming every 4-5 minutes for almost an hour when Gran arrived a little after midnight. I called the doctor's office to ask if we should head to the hospital and we were told they'd let the hospital know we were on our way.

My contractions continued coming closer together and increasing in intensity as we headed to the hospital, but I was not uncomfortable yet.  In fact, I was talking and laughing through the contractions.  I started wondering if we'd jumped the gun, but was also wanting to make sure we had plenty of time for me to get my antibiotics before delivery since I'd tested positive for Group B Strep.  We got to triage, I was hooked up to monitors, and checked for progress.  I was still only at 3cm.  I was told they'd keep me there for 2 hours and then check on my progress.  Even with regular contractions, if I failed to progress after 2 hours, I would be sent home.  However, my doctor offered the option to go ahead and be admitted if I would permit them to give me Petocin to kick-start my labor.  Though I didn't have a written birth plan, it was my desire to start labor naturally, rather than having to be induced.  Induction was my backup plan for going well past my due date, for the safety of the baby, not for convenience.  However, after Richard and I talked, we decided that since the situation was already ideal (he was home when I went into labor, Gran was taking care of Reagan, and we were already at the hospital where I'd be able to get my antibiotics with time to spare before delivery), we'd just go ahead and agree to let them administer the Petocin.

Excited to know we'll soon be meeting our sweet girl!

I was admitted to Labor and Delivery around 3am and my antibiotics were started.  I called my parents shortly after that to let them know we were at the hospital, but there was no rush for them to make the 2 hour trip yet because the doctor wanted me to get two doses of antibiotics (which were administered 4 hours apart) before doing anything aggressive (like breaking my water).  Sometime before 5am, I was checked and told that I had failed to progress any further.  The Petocin was started and I requested my epidural because I wasn't able to rest at all during the contractions.  Richard snored on the couch through all of this, but I was thankful he was getting rest because neither of us had before coming to the hospital.

When I got my epidural, I started to feel the pain dull a bit, but it wasn't doing what I expected it to (remove the pain completely and leave limited to no pressure).  I mentioned this to the nurse and she had the anesthesiologist come back to give me a second dose sometime around 7am.  Sweet relief!  I could feel my legs and just enough pressure to know when a contraction was coming, unlike my epidural with Reagan which left me without ANY feeling from my waist down. 

Richard woke up at some point to ask if our friend Audrey was working in Labor and Delivery that day, and she was!  So we put in a request for her to be my nurse when the shift changed at 7am.  How comforting and exciting it was when she walked through that door and I knew she'd be there for the little lady's delivery!  (Plus, she offered me ice chips, which the other nurse said I wasn't allowed to have... and boy was I glad to see those ice chips since I hadn't had anything to drink for about 6 or 7 hours!)  After getting my ice chips, I tried to rest a bit.

Around 9am, the doctor arrived to check on my progress and break my water.  I was about 6cm at this point.  By 10:30, I was fully dilated and my parents arrived.  When I was told 15 minutes later that I could start pushing, I invited my parents to stay for the delivery.  Mom happily accepted the invitation, but Dad wasn't so sure he wanted to be there, stating, "There are some things a father shouldn't see."  Haha!  I pointed out that there was a rocking chair in a corner near my head (which he was already sitting in) where he could be in the room and see nothing... so he agreed to stay (and used his phone for both distraction and entertainment while waiting).

Pushing began around 10:45, with only Audrey as my official coach because the doctor was in surgery elsewhere.  Mom and Richard were great at encouraging me through the pushes, supporting my legs and helping with the oxygen mask between contractions.  The doctor arrived after a few good pushes and was pleased with my progress.  After about 45 minutes of pushing, Sedona Raelin (named for our honeymoon location, the amazingly beautiful Sedona, Arizona, and the combination of 2 family names: 5 family members who have the middle name Rae/Ray plus my Mom's middle name, Lynn, and Richard's mom's first name, Linda) arrived "sunny side up" at 11:24am, weighing 8 lbs., 4 oz., and measuring 21 inches long.  She passed all her tests with flying colors and we were all crying happily after her arrival.

What a blessing it was, after carrying a child for 9 months, to finally hold her in my arms!  We look forward to the many years ahead of us raising two sweet children who are gifts from God!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighing In

Today marks 38 weeks and 2 days into my pregnancy with our little "Maybe".  I went in for my weekly appointment this morning, counting on everything being just as routine as the past week's.  I gave my urine sample to test for protein (negative), weighed in (same as last week's weight, which was a relief to me since I'd gained 2 lbs. at the last check up), and went in for my examination.  Little Maybe's heartbeat was a bit high at the beginning of the exam, but she was also pretty active.  After a few minutes, it slowed back down to the 140s, which was good.  She was still up pretty high, I was still only dilated about 1cm, but effacement had increased to 40-50%, so some progress had been made since the last appointment.  However, the doctor expressed some concern that my belly was only measuring at 37 weeks (like it did last week) and I that I hadn't gained any weight.  She wanted me to have an ultrasound to ensure that Maybe still had adequate amniotic fluid and was still growing as she should.

I left the office to get Richard and Reagan, so I'd have support if anything was wrong with the baby and/or I needed to go straight to the hospital from my appointment.  Having a perfectly normal pregnancy with Reagan, I didn't know what to think, so I prayed that everything was okay and called my Mom and Gran to fill them in on what was going on.  When we got back to the office, we waited a while to go back for the ultrasound.

The ultrasound tech let us know that she was checking 4 different things (measurement, fluid levels, fetal breathing, and something else) to ensure that the baby wasn't under stress.  Like an Apgar test in the moments after birth, each criterion could be scored as a 0, 1, or 2, with a perfect score being 8/8.  She told me if Maybe was scored as a 2/8, I'd be going immediately to the hospital, where if it was a 6/8, it would just be up to the doctor.  I was thrilled to hear that our little lady got an 8/8 on her exam!  She also weighed in at 8 lbs., 8 oz. and I have about 1.5 weeks left till my due date!  The doctor looked over the information and said I was good to go.  We'll just continue waiting around for our little butterball of a baby to make her debut!  Let's see if she can top her big brother's starting weight of 8 lbs., 13 oz.!

Questions, Questions, and I'm afraid to Answer!

Two questions I frequently get nowadays are, "How much longer?" and "Are you ready?"... these are to be expected as a pregnant woman's due date quickly approaches.  I don't mind the questions--it's the answers I dread giving.

As of today, I'm roughly 4 weeks away from my due date.  If our little "Maybe" decides to do what Reagan did, that means we have that plus 2 days till she'll be here.  I'd love for her to come on her actual due date, Mother's Day, for sentimental reasons (I was born on Father's Day).  However, I'm pulling for her remaining in-utero for another 9 months!

My feelings about this pregnancy/upcoming birth have been all over the place.  I remember being thrilled beyond belief when we first got the results back that I was expecting... and a few days later, crying because I was terrified and thought we'd made a mistake having kids so close together!  Now, I'm feeling those same things all over again.  While I'm excited that we're having another sweet baby (and a girl at that), I still have these lingering fears that I'm incapable of caring for a newborn and a toddler.

I remember being absolutely exhausted the first few weeks home with Reagan.  My family helped out the first week by rotating whoever came to stay with us, and then Richard went back to work in the middle of the second week.  Those early days on my own with Reagan weren't so bad because if I didn't get enough rest at night, I was able to rest during the day when he napped (and he napped A LOT).  This time, I'll be sleep deprived and in charge of entertaining/disciplining a busy toddler.  That's what I'm mostly worried about.  At least when Richard's home, we'll be able to divide and conquer. 

Looking on the positive side, though, Reagan has matured so much since my initial fears of having kids roughly 22 months apart set in.  He's become much more independent, obedient, can communicate his wishes even better (which helps us avoid a lot of unnecessary frustration), and is still really great at entertaining himself.  This last piece of goodness is what I'll be relying on a great deal at the beginning (until I get the hang of things).  I also think his love for babies will help us out.  The last few times we've been around babies, he's tried holding their hands, playing with their feet, tickling them, and (alas!) pick them up.  I think he's got a sweet, nurturing personality (something I found super attractive in his daddy, who loves kids) and this will also help us through those early months. 

Aside from all of this, I still have a pretty long to-do list.  One of those items has been on our list since we moved in almost 2 years ago--cleaning out the garage.  Richard and I have boxes sitting out there that haven't been unpacked since I moved into his apartment when we married almost 4 years ago!  Obviously, they're super important items we can't live without!  We've also got some cleaning, organizing, and decorating on the list. 

Your prayers would be greatly appreciated over the next few weeks and months.  Specifically, I am requesting prayers for 1) a continued healthy pregnancy, 2) a safe delivery of a healthy baby, 3) our strength as a couple as we go through some sleep deprived days with two kids, and 4) our parenting of these two precious children, that we do what is expected of us to raise faithful followers of Christ.

Also, any tips for those first few days of having two children would be awesome!

Vrrrroom Changes

A casual pose showing off his cool factor after his first night in a big boy bed.

Friday night was Reagan's first time in his new race car bed.  Richard got off from work early, and while Reagan napped, we brought the bed in from the garage to wipe it down in preparation for the big night ahead.  When Reagan woke up from his nap, we excitedly showed him the bed (which he'd seen in our garage over the past few weeks) where it sat in our entryway.  His reaction was FAR from what we expected.  He began crying, screaming, pulling at, and even hitting the bed.  He kept saying, "No, no, no.  Car, car, car."  He could not be calmed down.  I asked Richard to move the bed while I tried to help Reagan sort through his emotions... hard to do with a child who literally cannot be reasoned with.  Putting it in Reagan's room made matters far worse.

Going to the zoo for an hour helped calm him down and he returned to the house a bit more cheerful.  I showed him his bed again, offering to let him eat a cookie and watch "Herbie" on it.  That went great!  He was jumping up and down, repeatedly saying "car", and seemed thrilled about his new bed.  Then I started moving furniture around while he continued sitting on the bed.  Bad idea.  This started a new wave of erratic behavior.  Richard got him out of the room and distracted with a remote control car, but that only helped for a little while.  I came in and set up a few videos for him to watch on Youtube, and then came time for our first night of him sleeping in the bed.
 

We have a regular routine we go through at bedtime, and I think doing everything like usual, with only a different bed (but same mattress, sheets, stuffed animals, etc.), really helped us out.  Reagan was reaching for his car bed at the end of our nightly routine!  His first night was an amazing success!  Since then, he has spent 3 nights and 3 afternoons in his bed (and is currently adding another night onto that track record).  I've reminded him each time that he is to stay in his bed, and he has obeyed except for the beginning of his first nap.  However, having a two-way monitor fixed that quickly.  Just telling him to "get back in bed" over the microphone worked the two times he was out of bed that day.

I am amazed at how successful this change-over has been for us.  Since his crib is going to the new baby girl, I thought it was important for us to do the bed switch at this point so he can have time to adjust to one big change before another one arrives.  He has done splendidly.  We've been blessed with a wonderful first born.  Can't wait to see what's in store for us in the next 7 weeks!

Registering and Doubts

Today I pre-registered at the hospital where we plan to have our little "Maybe".  Strange... since I keep forgetting I'm pregnant until I happen to see my belly as I pass by the mirror.  Everything was so new and different with Reagan.  I'm loving this pregnancy just as much as the first, but it's refreshing not to be counting the days till delivery anywhere near as often.  Someone asked me the other day if I was ready to have the baby.  At this point with Reagan, I think I was... this go-round, I'm not quite as anxious.  Maybe I'll be singing a different tune in the final weeks, but I'm actually okay with the pregnancy lasting as long as it needs to because we still have so much to get done.  I'm just grateful we're not moving like we were with Reagan! 

Recently, I was having doubts about our financial situation with this baby on the way, wondering how we were going to feed, clothe, and diaper two little people.  Just as soon as the words came out of my mouth, God showed me the answers, and reminded me that I need to continue to lean on Him and stop worrying.  I need to continue to remember what a blessed life I have, what wonderful friends and family I've been given, and that I should not worry!

One-Twelfth

Here I sit, the evening of February 1, 2012... 1/12 of the way through the new year... roughly 3.5 months away from meeting our little lady, and 6 months from celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary and our sweet boy's 2nd birthday!  Where, oh where, does time go?

It's amazing to me how the older you get, the quicker time seems to travel.  I can remember the 8 minutes of time-out when I was 8 years old seeming to last FOREVER.  Now it seems like every time I blink, days, weeks, months, and even years go by.  It just makes me realize how precious time is and that I need to enjoy the seemingly "little" things.

On the days when Reagan wants to be held for the entire grocery shopping trip, I need to remember to take a deep breath and smile because one day he will be too big to carry anymore and may even think he's too "cool" to be seen with me in public.  Those times I get impatient because he repeats the words "car" (cah) and "airplane" (dah-dah) 15-20 times until I acknowledge him, I need to, instead, remember to enjoy the enthusiasm he has and be thankful he can communicate with me.  Life is short and I want to be sure that time's quick passage does not rob me of enjoying it.

I feel so blessed to live the life that I have with Richard, who has the strange ability to make me laugh even when I'm annoyed with him.  He is the most patient, forgiving, and loving person.  He's everything that I'm not and more.  We are a good match because we balance each other and strengthen one another in areas of weakness.  I still feel like we compromise on everything so beautifully.  Arguments never happen and disagreements are dealt with so quickly that it almost seems like they never were there to begin with.  We are a team, as husband and wife, and as parents.  I am blessed.  God brought me to a man who makes me a better woman.

Yet another blessing I can thank God for is healthy children... one running around the house and another doing gymnastics in my belly.  Reagan's been the picture of ideal health from my pregnancy with him up to this very day.  He's growing like a weed--half an inch away from being 3 feet tall and he's only 18 months old!  My grocery bill is growing as fast as he is!  By the time he's in Kindergarten, we may have to take out a loan in order to feed him!  Little "Maybe" is growing just as beautifully.  She is measuring right on target for my projected due date, has a steady heart rate in the 150s, and moves around constantly now.  I loved my pregnancy with Reagan and have been blessed to have another healthy, enjoyable pregnancy with this little girl so far.  We're prayerful that everything continues this way until she arrives sometime in May.  God is good!

Now for a quick update on Reagan's latest developments:

Physical:
• SUPER tall, SUPER big head circumference, average weight.
• Fine/large motor skills right on target for his age... putting small things in containers and taking them back out again, walking backwards, squatting to pick things up,  scribbling with crayons, removing clothing items (found him with no pants on when I got him out of bed yesterday morning), etc.

Speech:
• Growing vocabulary, attempting to repeat words he hears, continuing to build on his ASL vocabulary as well.
• Putting phrases together such as "night night ________" or "bye bye ________" (to whatever toy, person, or room he's leaving behind).

Interests:
We haven't really pushed or encouraged him in any one direction, but have been interested in seeing what things he's been naturally drawn to... which happen to be:
• Methods of transportation (cars, airplanes, and trains specifically)
• Animals (all shapes and sizes, but he's particularly fond of squirrels right now)
• Shoes (wonder where he got that from... maybe my husband who has about 3 times as many shoes as I do?!)  He'll go into our closet, and come out with a shoe on his foot, hobbling around, excitedly shouting "shoe" over and over.
• FOOD (the boy repeatedly requests fruit, cheese, and cookies throughout the day)
• Books (but typically only when he's interested in reading... otherwise, he's constantly in motion)
• Curious George (the TV show)
• Richard's iPad ('nuff said)
• Clocks

Things he does that I love:
• Often puts his finger up to his lip and says, "Hmmmmmm..." when looking for something.
• Hides things and says, "Eee-uh-eee?" while holding his hands up in a questioning way as if to say, "Where is it?"

• Gets into large containers around the house and signs "bath" while looking at me with a huge grin on his face.
• "Argues" with me (through ASL) that a particular star he sees from the church parking lot is an airplane and that my parents' smallest dog is a cat.

And that... is all for now.

Say Whaaa?

I've heard both positives and negatives about the use of sign language with children who are not yet speaking.  So far, my experience with it as a parent has been VERY positive.  I am definitely a proponent of signing with all of our children because of the benefits we have seen come from it with Reagan.  The other day, I noted all of the words he currently can speak and those he can sign consistently.

Speaking Vocabulary:

1. Cookie (sounds like "ccccckie", no "oo" sound)
2. Dada (depending on the volume level, this could mean Daddy or Rubix)
3. Momma
4. NO (even wags his finger and makes a very stern face)
5. Sit (points down at whatever he's supposed to be sitting on, but is actually standing on)
6. Turtle (sounds like "tuttle", no "r" sound)
7. Uh-oh

Signing Vocabulary:

1. All done
2. Baby
3. Ball
4. Bird
5. Bubbles
6. Dog
7. Eat
8. Fish
9. Grapes
10. Help
11. Monkey
12. More
13. Please
14. Squirrel
15. Thank You (though he waffles between signing and speaking this one)

The amazing thing... signing nearly TRIPLES his vocabulary!  It also saves us (Reagan included) some unnecessary frustration due to his limited speaking vocabulary.  We can almost always figure out what he's asking for or talking about and he rarely gets upset because of a communication barrier!  

And now, Introducing...

MOUSTACHE MAYBE SMOTHERMAN!

Yes, that kidney bean in the photo is growing in my stomach.  Our name for this one is "Moustache Maybe" because it is due Moustache May 13th (which happens to be Mother's Day--I was born on Father's Day, so I'm hoping this one will come ON the due date) and it's a Baby.  May + Baby = Maybe

Eyes Wide Open

"Words can be a sword to the heart... Sometimes there's truth in them.  Sometimes there isn't.  Go over what [was] said to you.  If there's any truth in it, you'll have to decide what to do with it.  As to the rest, try to let it go."

I read these words in a novel last week.  Little did I know they would be advice for me this week.

On Sunday, someone visiting at church wrote a note to Richard and I and asked us to read it together, understanding it was meant in love.  I won't go into detail about the note, but will say that it mentioned observations of our parenting style that had been made on a few visits to the congregation.  It also had advice, as this individual stated she had successfully raised 9 children of her own and has helped others with their children.

I'm not going to lie.  My reaction to her letter was not Christ-like in the beginning.  At first I was defensive.  That's not us.  She's got it all wrong.  We've got to tell her what was really going on.  She doesn't even know.  Then, I was embarrassed.  If a complete stranger thinks that of us, what do others think?  Then, I was angry.  Who does she think she is, writing a note like that?!  She didn't even bother to introduce herself to me!  She didn't even get to know us before doing that!  What gall!  Then, I was sad.  I can't believe someone would think that of us.  We're trying so hard to be good parents and set a good example.  I thought we were doing the right thing.  Then, I was doubtful.  Is she right?  Are we doing things the wrong way with Reagan?  Have I had it all wrong all this time?

The more that I thought about the note, the more concerned I got about my parenting decisions, the more I began to worry about what I was teaching my son by some of my choices with him.  I cried a good bit of the way home, going over my choices in my head.  Then, the quote from my novel came back to my mind. Words can be a sword to the heart... Sometimes there's truth in them.  Sometimes there isn't.  Go over what [was] said to you.  If there's any truth in it, you'll have to decide what to do with it.  As to the rest, try to let it go.

Some of the note was purely based on assumption.  However, some of the note was truly an outsider's view of what was going on in our family.  I knew what I had to do was take the "truth" written in this note and consider what to do with it.  I truly believe everything that happens to us is for a purpose.  In my heart, I know that this stranger was teaching me something I needed to know that would help me.  It took courage for her to write that note.  She mentioned to Richard, verbally, it was meant in love.  She wrote in the note that her intent was to help, in love.  God was working through this woman to bring something to our attention that we hadn't seen before.  We talked over some things and came up with a solution to the problem we were having.  I prayed that God would take away my anger and bitterness toward this woman, to let me see the good in what she had done.  He did.  By the next day, I was no longer defensive, embarrassed, angry, sad, or doubtful.  I was resolved and thankful.  I am thankful that someone had the courage to speak up early on before the problem (we didn't realize was there) had gotten worse.

Patience, the Virtue I need to Possess

Richard and I were talking a bit on Sunday about some of the challenges that we might face in the coming years.  I remember long before we were married, cataloging a mental list of DOs and DON'Ts for parenting.  These weren't things others had told me, but things I had experienced as a non-parent that I would not want others to have to experience from my children or me, as a parent.  When I'd make a comment about some of the items on this mental list, others would often say, "Just wait until you have kids.  Then you'll understand."  Some of those things, I still don't "understand" because I realize that a lot of things parents let their kids get away with may be "kids being kids", but still are impolite and things you would expect a parent to be embarrassed and discipline their children for.

I feel like, so far, Richard and I agree on reasons for (and methods of) discipline.  What I think we both are going to (and already do) struggle with is being consistent with those methods of discipline.  No matter how tired I am at the end of the day, if Reagan chooses to stand on the furniture, he must be disciplined so that he understands it's not safe to do that.  If I allow him to do it one time without consequence, the point I am trying to make about safety and not standing on furniture will no longer mean anything to him.  The same goes for playing in the dog food and opening cabinet doors in the kitchen.  Consistency is the only way he will understand, but it's also the most challenging thing for me as a parent.  Whenever I'm tempted to let him do something because it's the 15th time in the day that he's done it, I ask myself, "What will I be teaching him, if he's allowed to do it this time?"  I know that he would think, "If I just wear Momma and Daddy out, I can do whatever I want."

Every day, I am reminded that I am no longer an entity unto myself.  I have a husband, child, and dog to whom I have responsibilities.  The day we adopted Rubix, I actually cried.  Not from happiness, but fear.  Richard was perfectly capable of caring for himself, but this dog we were taking home required attention, guidance, and care.  She would not be able to do things without us.  I worried about my ability to be a good "dog mom".  Sounds silly, now that I'm putting this into words, but it was the first time in my life that I was truly responsible for another being.  Adopting Rubix certainly made us less self-centered.  We could no longer stay away from the house for extended periods of time without first checking on and walking her.  Trips away from home meant taking her with us or finding someone to care for her while we were gone.  We now had a dependent.

After having a child, the scariest day for me was the first day at home alone.  My family members stayed with us in shifts for the first week, and Richard was home for half of the second week.  The night before he went back to work, worry and fear set in.  How was I going to take care of myself, a dog, a house, and a baby?  After making it through the first day, then the first week, and then the first month, I started to get the hang of things.

Now, I've started thinking about the future with Reagan and any other children we are blessed to raise.  I know that in the future, it will be important to allow our children to make choices of their own while still living with us, so that we can help guide them, rather than making all the decisions for them.  This is such a terrifying thing for me to think about.  I want our children to be capable of making wise choices while under our roof so when they get out on their own, they will already have that skill acquired.  It's so hard to figure out how to guide without controlling the situation, especially when you don't want to see your children fail and get hurt.  However, I realize that it's more important for them to struggle and fail while we're there to help them pick up the pieces, rather than when they're out on their own completely.

I guess I worry too much about the future.  Something I'm learning is that God truly never gives you more than He knows you can handle.  Being a parent can be awfully frightening when you look at the big picture.  For some reason, when I pictured myself as a parent, I only saw myself as the parent of a newborn up through the toddler stage.  I can't imagine myself as a parent of a preteen, teen, or adult.  Am I the only parent who thinks like this?  Reagan was given to us as a complete dependent.  It is our job to train him how to be independent and hope that he takes what he learns and truly applies it in his life.  I need to stop worrying so much and cast my cares on God.  Please pray for me to increase my patience, maintain my consistency in discipline, and cease worrying about future parenting struggles.  I need to focus on today and worry not about tomorrow!

Eleven and Eight

Today marks eleven months since Reagan entered this world and eight years since my maternal grandfather left it.  I miss Grandpa and wish he would have been able to meet his four great grandsons who have since joined our family, and that they could have been led by his great godly example.  I pray that Reagan will one day aspire to lead his family in such a way that he would make Grandpa proud; that he will qualify and desire to become an elder and shepherd over a congregation somewhere, as Grandpa did... or, maybe he'll desire to preach as his Papa Smotherman did.  Whatever he chooses, I pray that he do it all to God's glory.

All parents have hopes and dreams for their children's success in life.  What is used as this measure of success, though?  Is it financial wealth?  Popularity?  Education?  While I'd never wish to see my children destitute, financial wealth is not what I hope they dream to achieve.  I do not wish to hear that others disdain them, but popularity is not my hope for them either.  And while having knowledge can be powerful, it can also be a catalyst for losing one's faith in the "unknown" because faith lacks the reason that knowledge necessitates.  My dream for my children is that they learn to love God and do what He asks of them, to marry spouses who will help them accomplish this, and to raise their children to do the same. 

Since Reagan's our first child, he's the "experiment".  Fortunately for us, he's the sweetest, most well-natured "experiment" we could have asked for!  Every day, I hug him and kiss him and thank God for one of the best blessings I could have ever received.  Eleven months have gone by entirely too fast.  My little helpless baby has become an independent toddler overnight.  He's able to go farther and do more for himself every day!  He leaves me awe-struck by his intellect, and I can't help but marvel that this little person was once inside of me... he is a little bit of me and a little bit of Richard, rolled into one!

Over the past month, Reagan has accomplished much. 

• He started walking roughly one week after his 10 month birthday, and he doesn't stop!  He's probably only crawling 5-10% of the time, now... and practically running the rest of the time!  He's our little "bruiser" (and has a few to prove it--ha!)... after falling down, he looks around, gets back up, and keeps on going, without even a fuss (unless he's tired).  
• He can now climb onto our chairs in the living room (and he loves to lie down on them, with his leg on the armrest).
• He is now eating anything and everything he can get his little teeth on.  He has 7 teeth now, and I'm positive the 8th one will be through the gums in the next week or so.  The kid eats non-stop all day long, and rarely passes over any food item put in front of him!
• At a weight and height check-up a few weeks ago, he was just over 21 lbs., putting him in the 45th percentile for weight, but he measured 31 inches, putting him in the 99th percentile for height.  Looks like he may be taking after my mom's side of the family with the height measurement!
•  Just this week, he showed us that he can "talk" on the phone just like Momma and Daddy.  While pacing around the room, he carries a toy, my phone, or just presses his own hand up to his ear and jabbers away.  I'll post a video of it as soon as I can!
• He has a weird fascination with a corner to the left of our fireplace.  He sets toys on the fireplace hearth in that corner and tries to balance them upright against the side of the mantle.  He especially likes to do this with these electronic drum sticks he has.  Do we have a savant in training???  
• Words he can say: "Dadda" "Uh-oh" and "Unh, Unh, Unh"... The latter, he mimics after I say it when he's into something he shouldn't be into.  "Momma" has long since been forgotten, but I guess I should enjoy these days when he calls "Dadda" because I know there will be a day I wish for that instead of a constant stream of "MOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" coming from his mouth.
• We've been kind of inconsistent with signing with Reagan, so his signing vocabulary is a bit limited.  He can sign "All Done" (which is required for him to leave his high chair after meals--otherwise, he throws food on the floor or pulls the top of his tray off and dumps everything on himself),  and sometimes he'll sign "Dog".  "More" isn't used much anymore because everything he wants is on his tray, as he is feeding himself now.
• We visit the library once a week, selecting 10-12 books for Reagan to enjoy, then return the next week for him to pore over new books.  His favorite thing to do at the library is walk up and touch the older kids in the children's section.  He smiles and charges at them, just to say, "Hi!"  He also enjoys pulling the board books and DVDs down and looking through them.  His love of books is obvious in the amount of time he chooses to look at them on his own.  I hope this is a love he will continue to have in the future, and plan to foster it as much as possible by taking him to the library often and reading with him at bedtime and throughout the day.

Father's Day, after Reagan's bath.

I've always loved children, but until I had Reagan, never truly understood what being a mom was all about.  I am so thankful for this sweet little person whose raising has been entrusted to myself and Richard.  He brings so much joy to our lives, and I see so much of Richard in him every day.  I can't help but love a miniature version of my quirky, lovable husband!

Counting My Blessings

Life is full of its ups and downs, but I am quite happy when I look back on what has happened over the past few years... and really have nothing to complain about.

When Richard and I got engaged, it seems like people came out of the woodwork to tell us how "hard" the first year of marriage would be, and that we really needed to make sure we were absolutely certain because it was a very serious decision we were making.  I don't mean to discredit their advice.  In a world where marriage is no longer held in honor and divorce is prevalent, it is important to make sure you choose your spouse carefully.  In our pre-marriage counseling, we talked about different issues that might come up over time... finances, children, spiritual leadership, etc.  It was clear we were "on the same page".  Even though our personalities are different, we both balance each other out.  Sometimes I'm a little too uptight and Richard's a little too relaxed.  Sometimes I'm a little too serious and Richard's a little too flippant.  The great thing is... we agree on the big things, and don't fret too much when we disagree about the little things (like whether or not it's okay to throw food wrappers and soda cans away in the bathroom trash can).  We've never really had a "fight".  Simple disagreements that always end in apologies (and GENUINE apologies) because neither one of us likes to see the other one hurting.

With all that being said, we've made it through nearly 3 years of marriage with no trouble.  Whew.  And guess what?  All those things people told us about how much our lives were going to change (for the worse) after having a child... DIDN'T HAPPEN!  It seems like those same people who told us how hard marriage was going to be were just as pessimistic about having children.  I'm not saying life with a child is always rainbows, unicorns, lollipops and gumdrops.  There have been a few sleep-deprived nights, yucky diapers, and scream-filled car rides... but I can't imagine life without my sweet little man in it.  And when he started crawling... life didn't stop.  Sure, I couldn't leave him on the carpet, run to the bathroom, and come back to find him in the same spot... but I sure have enjoyed watching him learn about the world around him (and getting himself from place to place, so I didn't have to change his location for him).  Now that Reagan's walking, we're enjoying seeing the joy on his face (and the awkwardness in his movements).  Life is good. :)

Happy 9... errr 10 Months!

I failed to post a nine month update.  However, I had this one started.  So, you'll get my nine/ten month update at once.

Nine.  A number that we love...


We dated nine months before getting engaged.
There were nine people standing on the stage during our wedding.
Rubix was nine months old when we adopted her in 2009.
I began my pregnancy in the year 2009 and carried Reagan for nine months.
Our first night in our new house was the ninth day of last May.
Reagan is now nine months old!

Technically, his 9 month birthday came and went without much ado a week month ago today.  Richard's family was in town, so we were busy entertaining and being entertained.  We spent the morning at the aquarium, came home for lunch, and then went to have our picture taken as a family (and others of Reagan with his cousin Samuel).  The rest of the week we... drove to Orlando to spend time with my family on Easter Sunday, spent the night and went to the Magic Kingdom on Monday, spent Tuesday resting and then went to the beach that evening, ate lunch with Richard on Wednesday, and then Reagan had his 9 month check up and we spent time with the family on Thursday.

Now, for the 10 month post:

Reagan is now proficient at...
- saying "Momma" and "Dada"
- clapping
- super-fast crawling
- walking next to the furniture while just barely holding on
- standing with large toys in his hands
- squatting and standing back up without anything to pull up on
- climbing over his tunnel we were using as a barrier to keep him in the living room (He thinks this is especially funny.)
- moving and climbing on top of the empty Atari box to reach things higher up on our entertainment center
- pushing objects while walking behind them
- feeding himself using his hands (The spoon usually ends up on the floor.)
- reading (Haha! Not really, but it sure sounds like he thinks he can read!)

Reagan LOVES...
- playing with his big sister Rubix
- crawling all over the living room
- reading books
- people watching
- when his daddy gets home from work
- playing peek-a-boo
- eating
- finding snacks in his music table's hidden compartment
- EASTER EGGS!
- empty cardboard boxes
- grocery shopping (mostly to people watch)
- playing at the mall playground
- Bible class (especially when he gets to hold the plastic toys)
- LIFE

So... I guess that's my big update.  Can't believe our little guy is only 2 months away from his first birthday!  Where did the time go??  I'm more in love with him every day!  He is so well behaved and laid back.  God has truly blessed us with an excellent child.

Ocho.

My baby is now 2/3 of the way through his first year!  EEK!  He changes so much and I love him even more every day.   Chasing him exhausts me, but he's a busy boy who needs to burn off some energy (and I need the exercise, anyway)!  I enjoy making things for him. (Cooking and sewing are two of my favorite things to do anyway and the fact that I'm preparing things for my son's enjoyment makes it even BETTER!)

Rockin' the fisherman hat and nerd shirt.

Pulling up the bathroom rug.

Telling me it's time to get off the computer.

Accomplishments this past month:

• Crawling quickly.
• Crawling up a single step/onto the fireplace hearth.
• Standing on his own for about 5 seconds.
• Growing 3 new teeth.  (He's got 5 teeth at 8 months!)
• Signing "more".
• Sleeping 12 hours at a time. (WOOHOO!)

Obsessions this past month:

• Socks.
• Shoe laces.
• Montel Williams in THIS commerical! (He'll still stop whatever he's doing to watch it... and lean to the side to see around my big head when he's eating, too!)
• Pulling up the corners of rugs (particularly the one in the kitchen).
• Rubix (her tail, her feet, her face, her everything)!
• Pushing an empty box over to the chair to stand on it.
• Puffs.
• Food.
• Signing "more"... even when it's not appropriate.
• Fake coughing for attention (especially in church services).
• Drinking out of my water glass.
• Climbing on the hearth.
• Bath time (and the bath tub in general).

A Month to Remember

Today marks 7 months since Reagan entered this world, and boy are we thankful we had him this past month!  As my brother-in-law, Shawn put it (while Reagan was crawling around in the funeral home this past Saturday), "It must be nice to think this is just another room to crawl in."  God sure has blessed us with a little one to cheer us up when we all needed it the most.

Here are some pics of Reagan with his Papa.  I have 3 videos, too.  I will make sure he knows all about his wonderful Papa!  I am so thankful to have had the privilege to meet this wonderful, God-fearing man (and to be married to the son he helped raise)!  He will be missed dearly.

Reagan meets Papa and Grandma for the first time, September 2010

Papa with his two Grandboys, September 2010

Reagan plays with Papa's hands, Thanksgiving 2010

Here are some of the little guy's stats:

Weight: 20+ lbs. (will know the exact amount next Monday)
Mobility: Crawling (learned this in the 2.5 weeks we were in Michigan), pulling up on things
Obsessions: Cell phones, buttons, jewelry, zippers, computer cords and shoe laces (he'll untie your shoes while you're sitting on the couch)
Diet: Nursing 3-4 times a day (mostly right before falling asleep), eating solids 3 times a day (rice/oatmeal cereal, apples, bananas, avocado, sweet potatoes, green beans, butternut squash) and snacking between meals on Gerber's puffs (sweet potato and banana flavors).  We'll be adding pears, carrots, acorn squash, and peas to the mix this month!
Teeth: No new ones this month... just the two bottom ones he got in just before turning 6 months.

Celebrating 7 months by riding in his new big-boy seat (still backward, of course)!

First time riding upright in the basket at Wal-mart.  He spent the whole trip grabbing my sunglasses and flirting with old women. :)  I love my little boy!

184 days

A letter for our son.

Today marks six months (that's 184 days) since you, our dear, sweet boy first entered this world.  Sometimes it feels like everything happened just days ago.  I remember everything so vividly--the excitement when the contractions first began, the joy we both felt when we first saw and heard you, the tears we cried after you arrived, thankful everything had gone so smoothly and that you were really here.  Other days, it feels like you've always been with us, like we've always been a family.

Six months ago, we began to look at the world through a whole new pair of eyes.  We learned to enjoy every moment before it passed by.  Our busy lives slowed down so we could take in the "little things".  We watched you sleep, listening to each breath you took.  We've already been through so many "firsts" with you--the first time you... smiled, laughed, rolled over, pulled on a toy in your car seat, bounced in your jumperoo, sat up on your own, ate solid food, cut your first tooth (and another a week later), and many, many more.  Every day you experience something new and we are right there with you, watching your excitement in the things we once took for granted.  Impromptu peek-a-boo games, staring contests, watching Rubix stare at squirrels, eating reading books, singing nursery rhymes, dancing for your entertainment; these are the things our life is about now.  Not a day goes by that we wish for something different.  Not a day goes by that we wonder what life would be like now without you in it.  Every day that goes by includes a thank you to God for giving us such a wonderful, happy, and healthy boy.

Here's to new experiences, and looking at them through your sweet gray-blue eyes!

All our love,
Momma and Daddy

Our sweet boy on the day of his birth!

1 Month

2 Months

3.5 Months

5 Months

6 Months, minus 1 day

Made with Love, By Mom

If you've ever talked to me for more than a minute, you know I'm a sucker for a bargain (and hate paying full price for anything).  In fact, last Sunday I nearly jumped out of my car to save the coupons that had been irreverently scattered across the road at the entrance to our neighborhood.  (Shame on whoever did that!)

Needless to say, the transition from exclusively breastfeeding (which, of course, is the most nutritious and cost-effective FREE-est way to feed your baby) to working our way into the world of solid foods has been really bothering me because of the cost.  The thought of buying baby food off the shelf at full price has really gotten me thinking.  Sure, I can find coupons and maybe get some good deals on occasion (and stock up when I can).  In fact, I did this months ago when some organic baby food was on sale (got $14 worth for about $4).  Still, Reagan will go through those in a matter of days.  I needed to find something much more cost-effective (and a way for me to know EXACTLY what is in the food my little guy is eating).

Enter Wholesome Baby Food, a website chock full of recipes and meal plans for your growing baby.  Not only is this a cheaper way to feed your child, but a much more healthy way, too (and the recipes are EASY)!  Today I made my first batch of homemade sweet potato puree for Reagan.  It only took me 45 minutes of baking 2 sweet potatoes + 5 minutes of pureeing them in the blender with a little breastmilk and some filtered water to get enough to fill 2 ice cube trays plus a little for a taste test.  I'm freezing them for a quick defrost-able meal for our little man. 

Oh, and here's how the taste test went:

Don't let his absent, deer-in-the-headlights look fool you.  He LOVED it!  He just gets sleepy when it's eating time.

A little MySpace action.