Making Room

Funny Teeth

2012-02-08T08:36:00.003-06:00

Rebekah has been eating solids for a while now. Recently, we introduced her to some baby "puffs." They are softer than cheerios and sort of dissolve in the mouth (after the baby drools on them for awhile. Here is a video of her trying to eat one:

Trains

2012-01-20T09:58:00.003-06:00

Luke can make up his own Thomas stories now:

A Month in a Minute

2012-01-08T19:56:00.005-06:00

We have now been in California for 27 days! As our CA trip draws to an end, I'd like to share some of the highlights:

Rebekah meets Gus and we all get to spend 5 precious days with him
This trip, more than any other, I had some amazing talks with my brother and sister. They are both younger than me and are growing into wonderful adults. I am excited to see where life takes them.
I had the chance to see my cousins- now in CO, TN, and NC
My dad drove us down to San Diego for the second half of our trip. That was 7 hrs in the car with a wiggly little boy and a baby- they were great!
We saw some great friends from our old Church in San Diego and Orange County
We all attended a special party for Nathan's Aunt Susie- it was her 60th birthday, and a celebration of her victory over stage 4 melanoma. Praise God!
Rebekah got her first tooth 1/6/12, and is now working on #2 (I'll be glad when I get a break fromt he night wakings again)
Rebekah began to clap her hands all by herself! (See video below)
I became an auntie once again- Baby Emma Grace Jones born on 1/7/12 weighing 9lbs 13oz, and as Luke would say, a "cutie patootie!"

We fly out tomorrow on a non-stop to Houston. I had a great time, but am certainly looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, cooking in my own kitchen, and opening all of our Christmas cards! Also, stay tuned- we are going to be doing some big work in our yard in the next couple of months- fruit trees, tomatoes, onions, etc... It is going to be a great year!

Playing with Paper

2012-01-02T16:28:00.003-06:00

A favorite pastime of Rebekah Ruth:

Christmas in Stockton

2011-12-17T21:39:00.003-06:00

Today we (the kids and I) celebrated Christmas in Stockton with my extended family. It was a last minute trip and Nathan had to stay behind to tie up some loose ends at home. We will get to see him again in San Diego-probably on Christmas.

We flew up here especially to see my great-grandpa who was just placed on hospice care. He is 94 years old and is a great man. Time with him and all my family has been precious. I am trying to savor the moments.

We enjoyed a very good meal featuring pork tenderloin:

Rebekah enjoyed her spatula (she really hasn't taken to solid food yet):Oh and Rebekah sits up really well now! She can sit nice and tall and play for a long time.

Here is a picture of my sister Kelsey and her husband Erik. Aren't they cute?

Here is a picture of the boys. I forgot my camera for the one of the girls :(

Dressing up for St. Nicholas Day

2011-12-07T10:38:00.003-06:00

The kids and I went to church yesterday for St. Nicholas Day. Rebekah wore her pretty red dress:

Sitting Up

2011-11-22T13:05:00.001-06:00

Here she is:

Adventing

2011-11-19T13:06:00.006-06:00

Last year, my Advent efforts mainly consisted of making an Advent wreath (late) and packing a few boxes for Operation Christmas drop. This year Luke is much more aware of what is going on, so I really tried to get my act together.

Orthodox Advent begins 40 days before Christmas, so we have been at it since the 15th. It kind of snuck up on me again, but not entirely.

I wanted to make a traditional advent wreath that included activities that Luke could understand and enjoy, and that could be transported. This year, like we have done for all our Texas years, are traveling to see family at Christmas. Moving right into Christmas is one of the problems that we usually run into when we travel. Who can resist with all the family around?

I took the boy and the girl (I call them by those names in an affectionate sort of way) to Hobby Lobby to see what we could find. I got the information for the wreath from my friend's blog and found all the supplies that I needed. I decided to make a felt wreath (so it could be folded up and taken on the plane with us to CA), and decorate it with pictures that helped us prepare for Christ's birth. We had all of the nativity characters, pictures of fasting foods, money (for almsgiving), and pictures that related to St. Nicholas. Here are a couple of pictures:

Felt wreath with the little girl next to it. She is happy if she can see me while I work.

Here are our candles and pictures. On the backs of the pictures I wrote a short explanation. Everyday, the plan is to let Luke pick out a picture and talk about what is represents. On Sundays we talk about the candles and what each one of them signifies. Luke has really enjoyed this! He asks me to sit with him, pick out a picture and "Glorify Him."

Yet Another Sibling Video

2011-11-18T10:35:00.005-06:00

I just love watching these two play. Here is another video of siblings at play:

Christmas Preview

2011-11-14T20:12:00.003-06:00

I've been busy with my Christmas projects, advent projects, etc...

Here's a peek:
It is not easy to get both of your children to smile at the same time- especially when one is 4months old, and the other is rather obstinate :)

Oh, and aren't these adorable shoes? $1, yes just $1. If anyone needs a personal shopper, I'll send you my portfolio :)

Picaboo

2011-10-27T17:56:00.003-05:00

So sweet. I love watching my kids play together!

Videos

2011-10-26T15:58:00.003-05:00

I will be posting some videos from the past month. This was taken two weeks ago when Grammy and Papa were in town:

Bran Muffins

2011-10-24T15:10:00.002-05:00

Here is my tried and true bran muffin recipe. I usually double it and make 6 jumbo muffins and 12 regular sized ones.

1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice ( or soymilk, to make them dairy-free)
1/3 cup vegetable oil ( can replace most with applesauce to make them lower fat- needs at least 1T of oil)
1 egg
1/4 cup honey or combo of honey and molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Combine wheat bran and milk/lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside
2. Combine oil/applesauce, honey, egg and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Add in soaked bran mixture and stir until combined.
4. Add flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and stir until combined.
5. Bake at 350 for 10-15 min for regular sized 15-20 minutes for large. Makes one dozen regular.

*Note- these are supposed to be moist. If you over bake them, they will be dry and not very good. I usually just smell and check them to see if they are done (not sure how to say that more precisely in a recipe)

**Since the advent fast is coming, I'll mention that you can substitute an egg replacer or 1T ground flax seed mixed with 1T water for the egg.

Hope you all enjoy!

Katie

Hoppy Ball

2011-10-16T19:52:00.003-05:00

For Luke's birthday, some of my family sent him some birthday money. I was looking for something to wear him out inside the house when the weather was bad. Here is what I found:

Baptismal Sewing Projects

2011-10-11T18:22:00.004-05:00

Rebekah's baptism is this Saturday at 10am and I have been working on her dress for a while now. Finally, today, the last item was finished. (It feels so good to be sewing again!) Meanwhile, Grammy made a bonnet and Godmother Melissa gave us beautiful shoes to complete the outfit. Here are some pictures:

1. The dress front:
2. The dress back:

The buttons and double fold bias tape were improvisations due to the fact that Rebekah has grown so fast since I started sewing it.

3. The Bonnet:
4. The baby in full baptismal attire:
Isn't she cute?

Pictures that make me happy

2011-10-02T08:39:00.004-05:00

Luke smiling after eating a big bowl of oatmeal:Baby Rebekah smiling in her bouncy seat. Could there be a happier baby? Honestly, I think not. :) (Thanks to our friends, the Neacsu's for letting us borrow the seat!)A flower cake. Do you see the big yellow center and the pink petals around? This week was my dear friend Miss Clare's birthday. She turned 83 and we had to celebrate! Sorry the picture is sideways?

Finally a video. Do you see how active this little one is? She kicked around for an hour last night and another hour this morning :)

Rebekah Grows!

2011-09-22T17:12:00.003-05:00

Rebekah is growing so fast! A couple of days ago I noticed that she was getting too big for her 6 month onesies! Also, her legs are so long that her feet now stick out of the infant car seat. I had hoped to keep her in it longer than I think I will be able to. Next Monday is her next Dr. appointment. We will see how big she has grown over the past month.

Here are some recent pictures:

In her little watermelon outfit:
A nice close-up:
Sleeping on Daddy (she likes sleeping on someone's shoulder best of all)
On Grandpa:Oh, and we can't forget Luke!

How Poo Saves the Day

2011-09-17T19:57:00.004-05:00

The scene: It is just before 7am and Rebekah wakes up for the day. I am groggy after 2 night feedings and Luke up 3 times screaming- first a nightmare, next his covers are not just so, third time- he runs into the bedroom holding up a finer and says, "Daddy, I have a boogie." (Nathan handled the Luke wakings, I handled Rebekah and heard Luke's screams from afar.)

Back to Rebekah- I see her smiling at me as I go to pick her up out of the crib. I picker her up and notice that my hand is wet.... Oh no, a leaky diaper. I set Rebekah down to change her.... Oh no, worse than a leak- its a poo. A big poo that is in her hands, up her back, soaking through the blanket, in the crib. Now I have poo on me too.

I realize that if I wash her up in the bathroom, it will probably wake Nathan up. Nathan has already had his share of waking ups (bless him) during the night, so plan B is the kitchen sink.

I quickly wash out the sink with the hand that has no poo on it, and hold dirty Rebekah with the other. Then I wash Rebekah up and hear Luke screaming in the background. That is how he wakes up these days. So I rush to finish with Rebekah and Luke comes flying into the living room. He is emotional and so I decide to cheer him up by telling him about Rebekah's colossal poo.

L: sobbing
M: It was all over the place!
L:Giggle.
M:She had it all over her back and hands and everywhere!
L: Giggle, Giggle.
M: (to Rebekah)- Oh you little stinky winky! :)
L: Laughing and now in a good mood.

Luke thinks Baby Rebekah is the funniest little girl ever.

I am in a good mood because Rebekah is clean once again and Luke is happy.

That is how poo can save the day.

Talking in the Bunbo

2011-09-14T19:05:00.003-05:00

Here is Rebekah saying a few words while sitting in the bumbo:

3 Years Old!

2011-09-01T12:10:00.004-05:00

My big baby turned three last week. I really can't believe that he is three already! We had a pretty big group over to the house on Sunday to celebrate. Since it was 100+ degrees outside, we just set up lots of water toys and and it was lots of fun. Here's the proof:A special thanks to Aunt Bethany for ALL her help corralling the kiddos.

Watching the Mobile With a Bow

2011-08-24T17:24:00.003-05:00

Isn't the bow cute? :)

In CA

2011-08-19T19:14:00.004-05:00

We have been visiting in CA for the last week (and escaping the horrible, horrible heat!). Luke has gotten very tan and enjoyed many hours of outdoor time with Grammy. We have had visits from good friends, and my dad even drove down from Stockton to see us.

Here are some pictures:

Smiling and Cooing

2011-08-07T16:11:00.003-05:00

I love this! Rebekah is an amazingly happy baby.

Waking Up

2011-08-04T08:45:00.003-05:00

A little video from this morning. I love watching Rebekah wake up. Luke did pretty much the same thing when he was a baby.

Rebekah Tummy Time

2011-07-31T16:11:00.002-05:00

Rebekah lifting up her head:

Faces

2011-07-28T08:12:00.002-05:00

I took some pictures today as Rebekah was waking up from a nap. She was making quite interesting faces. You might notice the chubbiness of her face too- she was 10lbs 6oz. and 22 inches long at the Dr. today. Her head also grew almost an entire inch to 15 inches.

And here is Grammy, Luke and Rebekah:

I took some pictures today as Rebekah was waking up from a nap. She was making quite interesting faces:

2 weeks

2011-07-23T14:48:00.001-05:00

Sleeping in her "nest."

Bath

2011-07-20T18:11:00.003-05:00

Here is Rebekah's first bath in the baby bath tub. She lost her umbilical cord two days ago and was smelling a little like sour milk. :)

More of Luke and Rebekah

2011-07-19T08:56:00.004-05:00

Here is a cute video from this morning. I am amazed that my wild boy can be so sweet with his little sister:

Day 5

2011-07-14T19:39:00.001-05:00

A full body picture:Long legs:
I had another video of Rebekah and Luke both watching the mobile go around (and watching each other), but it won't load. I hope I can get it up soon.

Luke and Rebekah

2011-07-13T14:17:00.003-05:00

My sister-in-law, Bethany said once that when you have your first baby, the biggest adjustment is the adjustment in your marriage- from a couple to a little family. When you have your second, the biggest change takes place in the relationship between you and your first child.

This has definitely been true for me. The afternoon when I was in labor, Luke woke up cranky and bewildered from his nap and could not stop crying. I really wanted to comfort him, but I had something else taking up my time and energy. I began to cry and decided that I needed to hold him anyways. We sat and cried together and I really felt the weight of the coming change.

In the hospital, I was away from Luke for two nights. I have never been away from him over night. That was hard too, even though I knew that he was in very capable hands at home- thanks Grammy and Papa! So, I really welcomed his visit the day after Rebekah was born. We took a little snipet of their first encounter which you can see below. In the video he is saying something like "we ate mommy's shirt and she popped out." I still don't know how all of that fits together, but it was so cute to see them together- Luke made a giggly sort of noise upon seeing his "chubby baby," and has been calling her, "baby Gobekah." It is so cute that I'll admit i've called her baby Gobekah once or twice now.

Today we had a first Dr. appt. too. Rebekah is 8lbs 11oz and 21 and 1/4 inches long. They must not have measured her very well in the hospital because the Dr's office took great care to make sure that they had accurate measurements. That puts her in the 92% for height and 75% for weight.

Rebekah Ruth Jones

2011-07-12T10:30:00.002-05:00

Rebekah Ruth was born at 11:04pm on Saturday 7/9/11. She weighed 8lbs 12oz and was 20 inches long.

Rebekah Ruth was born at 11:04pm on Saturday 7/9/11. She weighed 8lbs 12oz and was 20 inches long.

The birth story:

I began to have contractions on the Tuesday morning before she arrived, but they stopped. Then Friday morning, I began very slight contractions that got stronger around 9pm. They were about 10-15 minutes apart and I was able to sleep through them for a little while. The long slow process continued throughout Saturday until 4pm. I was about to give up hope and expected them to go away, so I went to take a nap. I woke up from the nap with a much stronger contraction. For about two hours I had strong, regular contractions about every 4 minutes. Nathan and my doula (Kristi) helped me through each one and got us prepared to go to the hospital in between. At 7:15pm we left for the hospital.

Houston's roads are terrible and I was not very nice to Nathan on the car ride over. The contractions and the roller coaster like ride were not fun, but we eventually got there. At the hospital I labored in water and with the birthing ball until about 10pm. The contractions were so close together, strong and long, that I was sure I was in transition. However, the midwife checked me and said I was only 6-7cm dilated. At that point, my panic set in and I looked at Nathan and told him that I wanted to get an epidural. Our original plan was a natural birth, but this really had been a long ordeal and I needed some help. **

Epidural in, I relaxed for the first time in a long while. It was only 45 minutes later that I was ready to push. She came out (all nearly 9lbs of he little self) in about 5-10 minutes. I hardly tore and was able to push efficiently since I could still feel a bit. It was so wonderful to have her. They put her on me, Nathan cut the cord, and she began to nurse for the next 45 minutes. She also lifted up her head right away just as Luke had done.

She is a beautiful, healthy little girl and we just want to look at her all day long. Luke has had a very positive reaction to his little sister and likes to say that she is "my chubby baby." He also says, "We ate the shirt and the baby popped out!" That one is confusing.

**Note: Not that this is a debate, but I wanted to explain why I did what I did. This time I was ready to take an epidural if I ran into a similar situation to Luke's birth. Since I had so much postpartum anxiety troubles from the traumatic birth experience with him, I decided that it was the right thing for me to do. I have to take care of Luke and Rebekah this time and I felt it more important for me to do all that was possible to be the most functional mother that I can be. I don't regret the decision.

Last Pregnancy Pictures

2011-07-08T22:00:00.003-05:00

Before I *try* to go to bed tonight, I am going to post some last minute pictures of our little girl in utero. Here she is at 41 weeks:

Hiding from the front:

Side view- wow, there she is:
Contractions are getting heavier and more regular, so I think tonight is the real deal. The next post will be pictures of our new little girl- stay tuned. :)

No Baby News, But Here is a Cute Luke Video

2011-07-02T10:12:00.003-05:00

I went to the yard sales this morning. (Why not? No contractions yet :) )

One sale had all the things that Luke would love. We got an easel with a chalkboard for $3, a HUGE set of tinker toys for $3 and this lovely tent/house for $2.

When you live through Texas in the summer time, you begin to realize how important it is for kids to have indoor play items. And after rearranging the playroom, everything fit again too.

Father's Day and Dr. Appt.

2011-06-20T13:17:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, we really had a lovely day. We went to church in the morning and stopped by Subway on our way home. One of Nathan's favorite things is to stop by Subway and get the 2/$10 footlong subs on Sunday after church. Then we go home and read the Sunday paper. It has become sort of a special routine for us, so being that it was Father's day, we made sure that it was on the agenda.

Later, I made eye round steaks. I found a recipe from Cooks Illustrated that turns out fabulous, so we have made it for a few special occasions. Luke even devoured his portions.

After dinner, we all went outside. Luke and I went in the pool (which was glorious!), while Nathan sat on the patio and just enjoyed the outside. We have had great evening weather lately and still no mosquitoes to speak of (due to the really bad Texas drought).

Today, I had an appointment with the midwives. They are pretty sure that there will be no baby this week, but I have dilated 1-2cm and am beginning to efface. The baby still has not dropped too low and was at about a -2 station (for those who speak baby positioning language). That is good news for us- on one hand, she will probably wait for Nathan's mom to get here (June 28th), and on the other, I am actually progressing.

What we have been doing

2011-06-17T09:08:00.003-05:00

Here is a list of some things that we have been busy with lately:

1. Today marks 38 weeks of pregnancy. We have been busy getting the final things in order before our little girl comes. Diapers, wipes and other little things are all here. The room is all set up, the baby's bag is packed. I have appointments every week and the midwives have continued to say that everything looks good.

2. I have been working with Luke on a new routine since he has decided that he no longer needs a nap. Now he has a rest time at about 1:30 for about an hour. He stays in his room and listens to Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Rabbit, or Dr. Seuss. His favorite is Pooh and it has been fun to hear his new vocabulary.

I wish that he would have waited a little longer before dropping the nap since it does make him cranky, but Nathan and I are enjoying the earlier bedtime. Also, if I get really desperate to get him to rest, I can usually take him for a short ride in the car and he will sleep for a little bit.

3. Nathan has been working away on all of his work projects and took a trip to Ohio last week. That was the last trip before the baby comes, and hopefully for a while after that. We have been discussing baby names and still have reached no conclusions. I think that we will just take a list to the hospital and decide when we see her.

4. My dad visited last week and spent countless hours playing with Luke. They went outside and they played with Luke's Thomas the Tank Engine Lego set that I found at yard sale (score!).

We also celebrated Father's Day early with a trip to a BBQ place. It was definitely a Texan way to celebrate. :)

5. Most of my free time has been taken up with selling things on Amazon, Ebay, and Craigslist. We continue to find things that are just taking up space around here and it feels good to see them gone.

Also, selling off stuff is part of our larger plan to pay off debt. We have recently been turned on to Dave Ramsey and his getting out of debt plans. We don't have a whole lot to get rid of, but it would be really nice to finish up paying off Nathan's student loan and a couple of other things. At first, I thought that Dave Ramsey was kind of a used car salesman, but after listening to the testimony of others that I knew and reading The Total Money Makeover, we decided to try it out. It is really motivating to have someone encourage you not to spend money when everything else tells you to buy, buy!

That is about all for now. I'll try to be posting more often and will definitely post when the big event occurs.

Swim Class

2011-06-06T07:19:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures and a video of Luke's last swim class:

1. Floating on his back with Ms. Brittany

2. Standing on the tower in the middle of the pool, getting ready to jump. Jumping off the tower was one smart way that the instructors got the kids to get comfortable going completely underwater.
3. Into the water with a big splash!
4. Having fun at the end of class on the mat:
And a video:

34 Weeks and Outdoor Play

2011-05-20T09:00:00.005-05:00

Well, here I am at 34 weeks. We are getting close! She should be about 5 and 1/2 lbs right now and I can feel all sorts of feet, elbows, and knees.
Also, I took a few pictures of Luke playing in his water and sand play table. He plays in it about an hour at least everyday and loves it. We find all sorts of things to pour water and sand around with. The current favorites are matchbox cars and the plastic eggs from Easter.
Happy kid:
Oh, yes, and another shot of the garden. So far we have taken in about a dozen cherry tomatoes and 5 beefsteak tomatoes. There are many many more on the vine too!

Our weather has been downright gorgeous- which is really saying something for Houston in mid-late May. Last year, it was already unbearably hot and muggy and the mosquitoes were out in force.

Stick Horse Riding

2011-05-19T19:46:00.003-05:00

These arrived in the mail today:

Birth is Messy

2011-05-06T21:33:00.004-05:00

Luke: You have a big baby in your tummy
Me: Yes, I do here she is (put hand on belly)
Luke: And she isn't going to pop out yet. She is still growing.
Me: Yes, she is growing bigger and bigger.
Luke: (covering his face) Then she's gonna pop out your belly and its going to get all over my head.
Me: (Where in the world did he get that from?)

He has also told me on a few occasions that "You gonna need a new shirt mommy, when the baby pops out."

We haven't shown him any birth videos (and won't). Where does he get this? :)

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

2011-05-05T19:02:00.002-05:00

It's about time that I wrote a more substantial blog post. I would have done it earlier, but there has just been too much going on in my head. Here is an update on our family:

Having the baby:

We have really been getting ourselves ready for baby #2. The room, the labor details, the supplies... everything. I am only 32 weeks, but I really have felt the need to get ready. Maybe that is because last week, at my appointment with the midwives, I realized that I didn't even know where to go when I was in labor. With Luke, there was only one place to go- the birth center. Everything happened there- check ups, birthing, the works. I also realized at that appointment that i had to make sure that Luke had a place to go when I go to the hospital. Another complication that we didn't have the last go around. Basically I had not really thought of the important stuff (or aybe shopping for girl stuff was just more fun).

So, since then, I think I have gotten my act together. In the past week, I: 1. hired a doula (labor assistant) that I am very excited to work with, 2. got an appointment to view the labor and delivery ward at the hospital- which happens to be in a completely different building than my prenatal visits. That was kind of important for me to know! 3. found a back up person to watch Luke if his auntie and uncle are still out of town.

I feel better now.

The baby's name:

I have one that I am completely stuck on now. Hopefully Nathan will consent. :)

Luke:

Luke has continued to be an avid reader with me. He remembers books better than I do and will sometimes just break out into a 12 line rhyme from Dr. Seuss.

Some things that he says a lot right now:

"I got an idea!"
"Let's throw you into the hole top bacon."- we have NO idea where this came from
"It's all right, your friends are all here."
"I'm still hungry mama- my tummy is empty."

Next week, he starts swim lessons. He is very excited about that!

Also, Luke has been better lately. We have still had our moments, but on the whole, I think that he is beginning to get better about obeying and playing nicely with other kids. I found that taking him home really helped me with this. We were at the park on Monday and he whacked a a couple school age kids (Yes, he is fearless) and threw rocks. I picked him up by the arm, took him to the car and told him that we had to go home. He cried for about an hour, but has been a LOT better since.

Nathan:

Nathan has had some good news this past week. His company gave him a raise and a lot more support on the project that he was working on. It was a welcome surprise.

Me:

I have been thinking through a lot of my first birth experience lately. The ups and downs, what I would like to try and do differently. Some of it has just been remembering how things felt. I think it is a grace that most of my sad and difficult labor and post labor thoughts and feelings have dulled or completely been forgotten.

I have also been thinking about how gracious God is to me. This past Sunday at church was a great example. For one, I didn't want to go. Second and third, I knew that Luke didn't want to go and I was feeling really tired from the pregnancy. Luke ended up being very good for me and there were a couple of older mothers who came up to me at lunch and gave me a lot of encouragement. Really, they were exactly the words I needed to hear. I got a little teary.

It is hard to be a mother because you don't always know what to do. I find this especially with church. I want Luke to love God and the Church like I do- and truly much better than I do. I want to bring him often, but I know that he can only handle so much sitting still and such.

Well, I have to go now. We are in the crazy hour before bed and I need to get ready to enjoy some stories with Luke and steel myself for the "I won't go to bed!" routine. :)

New Room

2011-04-29T19:17:00.003-05:00

On Monday, I had a baby shower for our new little one (thanks Bethany and Kathy!). It was a lot of fun and I was excited to receive some things for the nursery. So... Luke and I have been working on turning his little jungle room into a cowboy/cowgirl themed room.

The idea for the room began forming in my mind when I came across two cool old cowboy pictures that I picked up at a yard sale a few months ago. I love them, Luke loves them, and they were only a $1 for the pair.

Part of putting together the nursery included moving Luke to a true big boy twin sized bed (so I could have the crib mattress again. Nathan has the wood for the bed frame, but for now, Luke is learning to sleep on his new mattress alone. It is much softer than his crib mattress and he loves it.
We also repainted and repositioned Luke's name:
Here is the crib transformed by pink. I haven't painted letters for our little girl yet because we are still wavering about a name. I am now pretty sure that I have settled on what I would like it to be, but Nathan is not sure. :)

6 and 1/2 Months

2011-04-16T08:58:00.002-05:00

Working For It

2011-04-15T16:43:00.004-05:00

I decided to make Luke work for his snack today:

Also, here are a couple of pictures of my spring garden. Apparently tomatoes do grow in Houston:

Do-a-dot Art by Luke

2011-04-12T17:14:00.003-05:00

This is the BEST product that I have found for little boys who do not like to sit and draw- making pictures with a Do-a-dot art set.

Strawberry Picking

2011-04-07T20:18:00.003-05:00

Maybe I have mentioned it before, but one of the joys of living in Houston is our proximity to local berry farms. March-May is strawberry picking season, May-July brings blackberries and blueberries. Today, Bethany and I took the kids to pick strawberries. They all had a great time!

Luke picking berries- he was actually quite good at only picking the ripe ones and not squeezing them too hard.
Mommy pointing out a good one to pick:
All three kids together in the little park area. They are together, that's all we could do. No perfect pictures, but three happy kids.
Luke and Clara up in the jungle gym. I've seen both of these expressions a lot lately. :)
Luke in his thoughtful spot. It was such a nice day to just be outside enjoying Spring.

Lil' Cowboy

2011-03-24T18:42:00.002-05:00

Playing with Daddy some night this week:

Trip to Blue Bell

2011-03-23T08:31:00.003-05:00

On Monday, we went to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory in Brenham, TX. For those not familiar with Blue Bell, it is the best ice cream around! We enjoyed the tour and got a scoop of ice cream each at the end. Luke has a book that talks about a bear who likes chocolate ice cream, so when we asked what kind he wanted, he replied, "choc-o-wate!" Here are some pictures:

Luke with the Blue Bell Ice cream delivery truck:
With the cow and the milking girl. While on the tour Luke asked where all the cows were. Not at the factory. :)
Posing in front of the display that showed all the flavors Blue bell makes (55)!
Grandpa and Luke eating their ice cream:

Gardening

2011-03-16T16:28:00.004-05:00

So, this is kind of a news and weather post.

Spring is really beautiful in Houston. The weather is great and the trees and flowers are in bloom. I never really paid that much attention tot he seasons because after living in Southern CA for so long, I almost forgot that everyday was not just a variation on Spring or Fall (though there is something very nice about that).

Anyways, this year I really wanted to get a garden started and redo some of the front and backyard space. I never realized how much there was to keeping up a yard, let alone trying to grow anything extra. Our house was VERY lush when we moved in and had lots of landscaping. Also, our neighborhood looks nice and our neighbors really do keep up their lawns (at least in front), so we want to make sure that ours looks nice too. I don't mean to sound like I am complaining about all the yard work. Actually, I love it and wish I had more time to devote to taking care of the outdoors. All I mean to say is that it is just a bit shocking when you move from a little apartment to a house int he South with a large lot.

Last year I started my garden in May, kind of as an afterthought. Um, that was not a good idea. Starting out so late, my plants were just too immature to handle the intense Houston heat and humidity. I worked with my plants all summer and ended up with one tomato and one small shriveled bell pepper.

This year, I began as soon as I could and planted: 5 pots with tomatoes, one strawberry plant, a rosemary bush, 4 rose bushes (to replace some ugly or dead plants), and 12 big bulbs (also to replace dead/ugly plants).

My azalea:
My little patio garden. The big garden is on hold due to the practical limitations of being increasingly pregnant and eventually having baby #2.

I have also done a lot of trimming and cutting back of some of the plants that we already have growing. Today, for example, I lopped off all the crepe myrtles. I realized only recently that this is something that you are supposed to do every year. :) Maybe I'll have our whole yard figured out by the time we leave this house, whenever that may be.

The crepe myrtles:

Give me a Sinner

2011-03-10T17:32:00.004-06:00

Last Sunday, we celebrated the beginning of Lent with Forgiveness Vespers. Nathan was still out of town, so I braved 2 church services is one day with Luke. :)

At the end of the service, everyone (priests, lay people alike), go around the perimeter of the church in a line asking forgiveness of one another, and respond reminding that God forgives. While we may not know everyone very well or feel that we personally have done something to offend the other person, we ask their forgiveness. The Orthodox believe that all sin is damaging in some way and sometimes we do something that offends without even realizing it. Forgiveness Vespers is kind of a way to cover all the bases and begin Lent with the right heart. Personally, I love this service. Looking into the teary eyes of the older women who have been faithful for decades, having them ask your forgiveness, is powerful and humbling and beautiful beyond words.

Anyways, Luke was the youngest participant this year. He went around giving people hugs as we said, "Forgive me, a sinner," and replied "God forgives!" After hearing a few people ask his forgiveness, he began saying "Forgive me, a sinner," as well. This morphed into a shortened version- "Give me a sinner." One teenager remarked, "Luke, I dare you to go into any store and ask the people to give you a sinner. We all laughed. He kept saying the phrase long after the service was over.

On a more serious note, I want to say that this was a great reminder to me of how much we need all sorts of people in church together, especially children. In the past, I have been in churches where babies to high school children are excluded because they are "distractions." Well, if church were merely a course of lectures every Sunday, then yes, that would be very true. But its not! It is much more than that. We all are in this world together and we need each other. Each of us has a role to play.

Luke is a "distraction" sometimes as he mutters to himself or has the occasional outburst during services (and yes, I DO take him out when he gets too crazy- everyone has their limit!), but I saw last Sunday how much of a blessing children in the church are. Luke asking forgiveness made everyone realize again what we were saying to one another in a way that only can come "out of the mouthes of babes."

Bellies and the Week Without Daddy

2011-03-07T17:58:00.004-06:00

This past week, Nathan was in CA on business and to be a groomsman in a good friend's wedding. While he was gone, Luke and I kept the home fires burning so to speak. Acutally, we were not home much at all. Thanks to the kindness of friends and family, we only ate dinner by ourselves 3 of the 7 nights Nathan was away. Thanks to everyone for the help- especially Aunt Bethany!

Last week was tough on Luke emotionally. I didn't realize how much he missed Nathan until we got him back again. Last night he was bubbly and happy and sooo excited to talk to and hug him.
It was tough on me as well, being pregnant. I took a nap everyday and was still really spent by the end of the day. I also felt faint at least a couple of times each day and was a little worried about that.
Today, I had a Dr.'s appt. The Dr. visit went really well and Luke was still in such good spirits that he was a very good boy all the way through the hour or so at the office. Whew! I am now seeing each of the midwives (there are 4) for a second time. I just keep thinking how lucky I am to have them.

Everything checked out as normal and the baby's heartbeat was nice and strong. About the feeling faint, they said that it was relatively normal, especially with extra work at home and encouraged me to keep resting and eating well. Today I felt strong all day.

Here are some pictures from today at 23 and 1/2 weeks along:

Luke wanted you all to see his belly too:

At the Rodeo!

2011-03-02T19:29:00.004-06:00

The Houston Rodeo is amazing! This morning, we (Luke, Gina, and I) spent almost 4 hours walking around looking at the incredible livestock. Look at this Longhorn!

There were also several great opportunities to pretend to be a farmer, pet animals, and even see animals being born. One exhibit has chicks that were in the process of hatching. It was fascinating to watch them try and break through the egg. Here he is petting a rabbit. The rabbit exhibit was Luke's favorite animal exhibit:

The petting zoo was fun too, here is a big, old, pig:
I think that Luke's favorite thing about the Rodeo was the John Deere tractors. There were several on display and two that the kids could ride in. He did NOT want to get out. But, a real (big) cowboy who was helping run the exhibit told him to get out and Luke obeyed. Now I know how to get Luke to obey- I just need to become a very large cowboy. :)
Anyways, there is much more to tell, but I have a terrible headache from doing so much, so I'll be off to bed shortly.

Little Bunny Foo Foo

2011-02-25T10:52:00.004-06:00

Luke loves his bunny hat. We made it at library hour a few weeks ago, and now it is nearly impossible to remove it from his head. :) He also really likes it if I sing Little Bunny Foo Foo so that he can hop around and pretend to be a bunny.

Here is a picture and a video:

7 Days and Only ONE Accident! and other news

2011-02-24T19:14:00.005-06:00

First, I must admit that I am pretty proud of my little man. Today is the seventh day of wearing big boy underwear! In all this time, he has only once had an accident. That means that I haven't had to change a diaper in a long time. :)

In other news, baby #2 continues to be nice and active. We are still at a loss for names, though we still have time. I like a few names, but am not in love with anything yet.

Today, I registered at Baby's R Us, mostly because they have a promotion where they give you a gift card just for registering. I kept thinking how GLAD I was that we don't have to buy everything all over again! And I am thankful that I have a few great consignment shops here in Houston. I kind of think that having a baby has become much like getting married- it keeps overpriced stores/vendors in business.

Luke turns two-and-a-half today. Today was also probably one of the most difficult days I have experienced as a mom. Between tantrums, hitting, kicking, and generally being exhausted from disciplining said behaviors, I am totally spent. I also have the constant nagging question about if I could have handled things better. Probably.

But, at the end of the day, good, bad, or otherwise, I am very glad to have Luke. When he is sweet, I am blessed to share those moments with him and look upon his shining little face with joy. When he is silly, he teaches me to keep a light heart. When he is a terror, I am blessed because he teaches me to be better. He teaches me to have patience and show mercy.

Here his is with his bug hat :)

Changes, Changes

2011-02-18T19:48:00.004-06:00

We have some exciting news! No, its not another baby related announcement. Today's post is all about LUKE!

Big news #1: Last weekend Luke began sleeping in a toddler bed. Yes, this is a bed that he can get out of if he so chooses (scary!). He was a little sad at first and missed his crib, but once he found out how nice it was to get in and out all by himself, he enjoyed it more. He has been great at staying in the bed so far and as a bonus, the transition has motivated him to try to do lots of new things for himself.

Big news #2: We have officially begun potty training in earnest! Luke has been trained on #2 for about two weeks now, and now we are working on #1. Yesterday he kept his new undies dry all day long, even including two trips out. (By the way, any tips on how to help a child use the potty in a store restroom? Costco's seats are very big!)

We have used 2 jelly belly's and big boy underwear as a reward. I was fortunate to find some really great undies on clearance at Gymboree around Christmastime that have cars, Jeeps, planes, and all other sorts of things that go on them.

These two things (new bed and potty training) are what I was most determined to get done before baby #2. I think with continued vigilance, the potty training will be done soon. Luke is really taking to it.

Well, a little update on baby #2- she is still kicking away and is definitely showing now. I am now unable to wear most regular clothes and officially pulled out the maternity gear. I'll post a progress picture next week (5 months!).

From...

2011-02-13T15:15:00.003-06:00

Luke likes me to tell him where we got different things in our house. He always points out that his Richard Scarry books are from Clara and Grammy, that his blue chair used to be Auntie and Uncle's, etc... This makes the things that we have more special to him. I think it is great!

Today we were sitting at breakfast and Luke wanted to know who gave him the washcloth that he was using to wipe his hands. I told him that his Aunt Susie had crocheted it for him. To this he replied, "Oh. She came in and said, 'Hi guys!' and gave me the washcloth." Well, something like that Luke. :)

Drum Roll Please....

2011-02-07T21:35:00.003-06:00

Its a girl! We are delighted.

Gina (who is staying upstairs at our house), bought me beautiful pink roses. I dropped off some of our extra toys/clothes at the local consignment shop and actually picked up a few little things for the new little one.

I will post pictures of the sonogram later (when my headache goes away).

Pregnancy Pictures: Week 18

2011-01-30T17:57:00.002-06:00

Well, since there is a little bump showing now, I thought I'd add some pictures. Here they are:

In other pregnancy news, I am still struggling with morning sickness int he evening and any time I have anything remotely spicy. Ugh. One nice thing is that I can feel the baby moving around. It makes the discomfort more worth it. This baby is so strong that I have already felt the kicks from the outside. Nathan has felt the baby too. I am afraid that it is a big baby or Hercules (maybe both?) This is a bit amazing to me since I didn't fell Luke until about Week 20, and Nathan didn't feel him until at least 22. Oh boy (or girl!)

Oh, and my sonogram is next Monday, February 7th. I'll keep you all posted on what we find out!

Haystack

2011-01-21T16:31:00.003-06:00

Why Luke needed a haircut:

Here he is trying to get his hair to stay down. Good luck kiddo!Well, I forgot to take any after pictures, but I assure you all that he looks much more civilized now. :) These were so funny, I thought I had to post.

Pout Pout Fish & Doe a Deer

2011-01-15T13:03:00.005-06:00

Luke's new favorite is a colorful book called The Pout-Pout Fish. It's a story about a fish with a bad attitude. All his friends try to help him, but he just can't stop his "blub, bluuub, bluuuub". That is, until a pretty girl fish comes along and gives him a smooch!

If the embedded version doesn't work for you, click on this direct link.

Luke's following in the footsteps of his cousin Clara with loving this song. He'll sing it 10 times in a row if you let him...

If the embedded version doesn't work for you, click on this direct link.

15 + weeks and Richard Scarry

2011-01-10T21:22:00.003-06:00

I do seem to write a lot of dual purpose posts don't I?

Part 1:
Today I had an appointment with the midwives. I got to see midwife 3/4 (only one unknown now), and I have loved every visit so far. Today was pretty routine, get weighed, run a simple lab, hear the heartbeat, and chat a little. Everything looks good so far and I am grateful for that. It is always a joy to hear the heartbeat too. My "big" ultrasound is 4 weeks from today. Any bets about boy or girl?

Personally, I have a feeling that it is a girl. Nathan thinks it is a boy, a brawny, manly-type boy due to my unusual cravings. (for example, earlier this week he asked me if I would like a steak and I said yes. Usually, it is not my thing.) I really don't care what it is, but I am leaning toward wanting a boy so that Luke has a brother close in age.

I would post a picture too, but not much has changed. Sometimes, late in the evening when I am full, the belly shows a little, but it is gone again by morning. My regular clothes still fit fine too.

Part 2:
In other news, Luke is very happy to be home. Not that he didn't enjoy seeing all of his grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, etc... He just is becoming more of a homebody. I have to have a really good excuse to go out nowadays or he fights it. Good excuses include: going to Clara's house, the library, Costco or HEB, the park, or church on occasion.

When we do leave the house, we must not leave one very important thing behind. Can you guess? No, it is not a stuffed animal or blanket or favorite toy. He must have this book. Yes, Richard Scarry is Luke's new hero (and mine!). He read his book on the kitchen floor this afternoon while I made a very good dinner and dessert. Usually, I have a whiny, clingy boy at that time of day. Today, he was happy and occupied, reciting nearly every vehicle listed on the 60+ page book. :) Will I have a reader? I hope so- I was!

That Which Was Lost is Found!

2010-12-31T11:16:00.002-06:00

Celebrate the finding of our gold coin, er, luggage with Katie's laptop. We were sweating it for the last couple of days because they told us they don't cover lost electronics (yikes!), but it turns out it didn't even leave San Diego. We already got a $50 voucher and Katie's dad will pick it up and get another for him--win win!

It sounds strange, but I'm more comforted by the fact that someone in TSA or part of Southwest's staff didn't steal it. Losing a laptop is better than losing faith in others that are screening our Christmas luggage...

By the way, while I'm thinking about it, some people complain about TSA. I'll admit I'm leery about the "nudie scanners", but I've only had good experiences with the TSA personnel. Especially when traveling with children, they've always been understanding and helpful--helping unload and clear empty scanner bins, passing along a kind word, etc. I've been through a number of airports and they've all been the same.

Anyhow, happy New Year, everyone!

Two Turdle Dubs

2010-12-27T10:47:00.019-06:00

I captured Luke singing a classic Christmas carol. Between Grammy, Papa, and Mama reading him the book about ten times, he had the whole song down.

He loves the song, but he doesn't have too much patience for how long it is--it starts to come off the rails at about 5:15--"oopsy daisy".

If the embedded version doesn't work for you, click on this direct link.

Holly Jolly Christmas on the Couch

2010-12-20T21:41:00.000-06:00

A bit of tonight's activities:

A Holy Ho Ho

2010-12-19T17:30:00.002-06:00

About a week ago, Luke heard Burl Ives sing, "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas," on the radio. Since then, he has been rather obsessed with the song. I will try to get a video of it- when he sings "Ho, ho, the mistletoe, hung where you can see. Somebody waits for you- kiss her once for me!" it is absolutely adorable.

Today, we were at church. During a part of the liturgy, we sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy." Luke heard this and said to himself, "Holy, holy, ho...ho, ho, the mistletoe." Then he launched into a full round of Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas and we made a swift exit. :)

Grammy and the Budding Musician

2010-12-16T13:28:00.002-06:00

When it gets quiet, Grammy whispers to Luke to stop playing, since it is the end of the song. Then he waits until they begin again. He calls the song that they are singing the "Angel Song." Doesn't Grammy have a nice voice?

Little Peanut

2010-12-09T16:17:00.002-06:00

Here is our second little peanut, all almost 11 weeks of him/her.The baby wiggled and kicked and wiggled and kicked, had a very strong heartbeat, and everything looked normal so far. I have to admit that it was nice to hear that there was only one little peanut in there. I am showing a little bit more this time than last time, and I thought it might be two.

The midwives are excellent. I am SOOO happy to have found their practice. I love having a midwife because the midwife stays with you while you are at the hospital, generally as much as you want, start to finish. They add such a human touch to things too.

Thank be to God for a good report.

Decorating the Tree

2010-12-07T20:02:00.004-06:00

Sorry for the blurry pictures- the iPhone 4 let us down. We listened to classic Christmas carols and hymns and put up our tree. I love having a house where we can display the tree in front of our living room window. It is so fun to come home and see it lighting the night. Luke thinks that the Christmas Tree is the most beautiful thing ever.

Lights!

2010-12-05T19:38:00.003-06:00

Last night we drove to a really nice area of town and looked at lights with Luke. He LOVED it and yelled "Christmas lights, real Christmas lights!" Which made me wonder what fake Christmas lights might look like.

Here are some pictures taken by an iPhone in a moving vehicle. They don't hold a candle to the real thing!

Announcement and Thanksgiving Weekend in Pictures

2010-11-29T07:49:00.005-06:00

For those of you who haven't heard, we are having another baby! He/she/they are due around the end of June/ first of July. We are very excited!

This is pretty much why it has been a while since I updated our blog. Usually, when Luke naps, I have a little time to do things. Usually, after he goes to sleep for the evening, I also have some time. Right now, most of my extra time is going to sleeping or just laying down. Morning sickness hit with a vengeance at week 6, but has been improving a little each week since then.

I am very grateful that this time I am at home. With Luke I was working 10-12 hour days for much of the pregnancy. Now, I get to control my day a bit more.

So, now onto Thanksgiving. We went to Nathan's sister's house and had a few other families Join us for a lovely meal. The turkey was smoked again this year and was quite tasty:

I brought this (the toasted almond, cranberry, citrus spinach salad and the fall M&M's):

And this:

Nothing that required too much cooking this year. :) Finally, my rolls turned out well. I nixed the use of whole wheat this year. No more dense rolls. My favorite was definitely the mashed potatoes. They were fluffy and buttery.

The kids all enjoyed playing with one another inside and outside and all around. Luke definitely loved spending soo much time with his cousin! This year, Luke was able to say Happy Thanksgiving in a way that we could understand.

On Friday, Bethany and I took baby Jane shopping (briefly and later in the day), while Nathan and Evan took the older kids to lunch and to play in the back yard. We all had a great time and pretty much finished up Christmas shopping.

Last night, Nathan, Luke and I all helped putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it. I wanted to wait a while, because we are really in the Advent season, but since we are leaving for CA in less than 2 weeks, I thought it would be ok this year. We do have our advent wreath out too. We turned on some beautiful Christmas music and got to work. Luke ran around saying "Christmas tree! Christmas tree!" and tried to pull all of the bells off of the tree. I was afraid that he was going to pull the tree down on himself- he doesn't know his own strength!

Luke has also been saying "Baby Jesus is born!" It is really a gift to watch him this year. He doesn't know anything about all the presents and hype of the Christmas season yet. he loves the simple things, the manger, the tree with lights, listening to Christmas songs with mommy and daddy. I want to preserve this as much as we can. Being a grown-up, I know how hard it is to keep the real meaning of Christmas alive when the world at large pushes glitz and gifts.

An add for a local store came in this week with an ad that said, "Bring the Joy home!" How about that? For just $19.99 plus tax you can bring joy to your own house. Not that giving gifts is bad. Really, it is one way that I can tell people that I love then the best. But the love that comes with the gift is the real gift, just as God's great gift to us was given in love.

Enough of my soap box. As I end this post, I will give you a glimpse of this year's photo Christmas card. This was one of the photos in the running, and is not cropped (note the boxes on the shelf in the background):

San Antonio

2010-11-12T07:53:00.004-06:00

Last weekend, we went to San Antonio to celebrate our brother-in-law Evan's 4oth birthday. Here are some pictures of the good times that we shared:

1. On the River Boat cruise:

2. The birthday boy:
3. How we got around with 3 kids in tow. Yes, this was not the happiest of pictures, but overall, Luke and his cousin Clara enjoyed their time together. They were both sad when the weekend ended and we went our separate ways.
4. Luke on the cruise.
5. Me holding a sleeping Jane (we wore her out!) and listening to the cruise conductor (who was excellent!).

Cowboy Luke and Thumbelina

2010-11-01T13:47:00.004-05:00

Bethany and I took Clara and Luke to the All Saints party at our church last night and we all had a great time. Clara was Thumbelina and designed her costume all by herself. Luke was a cowboy- and a very cute one I might add. :) They played games and decorated cookies and danced to the music.
We stayed at the carnival for about an hour and then took them out in the neighborhood for about one block. The kids enjoyed trick-or-treating, and Bethany and I kept our eyes out to make sure that we only went to the friendly looking houses(!).

Hope you all enjoyed Halloween!

Workin' on da Rail!

2010-10-23T13:01:00.002-05:00

Lately, Luke has been singing, "I've been working on the railroad," as he plays with his toys. Here he is in the play room.

This song is still hard to understand when he sings it. :)

Jane's Baptism

2010-10-23T12:58:00.003-05:00

Bethany takes beautiful pictures!

Aunt Katie with the freshly baptized baby:

Escape!

2010-10-19T19:08:00.002-05:00

Sunday night, we were at the Getz's. Bethany and I were watching the kids and cleaning up after Clara's grand birthday party.

At one point, near the end of the evening, I looked over at Luke and noticed that he was playing with a full diaper. Where did that come from?

I checked Luke over and found that he had been the diaper's owner. Oh no. No more diaper and I didn't think I had another change for him. I went out to tell Nathan that Luke had no diaper and that we should go.

While I was outside, Bethany asked Luke what had happened. He told her, "I am a boy.. escape!" and smiled. So I guess he found out how to "escape" from his diaper. Hopefully he decides soon to escape to the toilet!

Luke says

2010-10-10T21:15:00.003-05:00

Some treasures that we hear from our dear little boy:

"Buna buna bo!" - this is what Luke says whenever grown ups are using words that he doesn't understand. Whenever I give him the phone to say, "hi" to someone, this is what he says.

"Moonana" - Lukes word for banana. He know how to say banana, but prefers moonana. Bananas are shaped like moons and are generally a similar color in most children's books.

"Thank you, thank you, dinosaur." - From a book that we read often. One day while I was talking out loud to myself, I said, "Thank you Lord." Luke looked at me sternly and said, "No, thank you dinosaur." I laughed. :)

"Lukey tukey." - How Luke refers to himself right now.

Other favorite phrases: "Der it is!" "Dat's better!" "Clara beara." "Owen has a fuzzy blanket!"

I'll try to write more sayings down as I remember them. :)

Flowers

2010-10-09T20:21:00.002-05:00

Fresh flowers for my birthday:

Orange

2010-10-01T17:12:00.002-05:00

I recently made Luke a pair of flannel pajama pants and bought him a top to match since it is beginning to get cold at night (yay!). Luke LOVES the pants. They have construction equipment and trucks on them. He wants to wear them all day. Last night he actually asked to go to sleep. All for love of wearing the pj's. Luke doesn't know how gratifying this is to his mother. :)

Here he is:

Licking the Spoon

2010-09-23T08:43:00.002-05:00

2nd Post of the Day

2010-09-19T20:53:00.002-05:00

I am on a roll! Sorry for the slow posting these past few months. Here is another in our series of Luke videos.

This time we caught him being a monster on camera. I was folding laundry and he decided to put a green changing pad cover over his head and try to walk around the living room growling. He called himself the "Lukey Monster." Then he began wandering around calling out for the "Mommy Monster." This name comes from a morning game we play where Luke hides under the sheets and I come in and growl and tickle him through the sheets. He calls me the "Mommy Monster," and laughs deliriously.

Mommy's flip flops

2010-09-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

2010-09-11T20:11:00.002-05:00

This one is a little different since Mommy and Daddy sing different verses at the same time and cause confusion to Luke. Do you know all the verses to Mary had a Little Lamb? It is Luke's new favorite.

Mary had a little lamb:

Itsy Bitsy Spider

2010-09-03T14:46:00.003-05:00

Here is Luke's interpretation:

Two, and confirmation that we are are growing a St. Bernard

2010-08-26T21:01:00.004-05:00

Two... Luke is definitely a two-year-old. So far, I definitely have a love/hate relationship with the twos.

I'll list what I appreciate about the twos first:

-At church on Sunday, we were singing, "Let us now lay aside all earthly cares." Luke, who likes to sing for most of the liturgy (and at the top of his lungs, bless his little heart :) ) sang "...now applesauce.." I never realized how much "lay aside" and "applesauce" sounded that much alike before.

-Today, when I told Luke that we were going to visit the Doctor, he replied' "Dr. Seuss?" Oh yes, I wish that we WERE visiting Dr. Seuss. This visit was for a check up and shots instead.

- Luke says "I lub you" and gives snuggles at bed time.

- Luke sings spontaneously and often- usually it's "Twinkle, twinkle," or a Wiggles Song.

- Luke can pretend things and plays on his own sometimes

Now, my not so favorite things:

-tantrums. period. Today there were tooooooo many!

- Luke says, "I don't want it" to many things that he may not want, but needs. He also tells us, "That's enough" when he doesn't want us to sing or talk or do anything he doesn't want us to do.

- Luke pushes other kids- a lot. I've tried many things to dissuade this behavior, but nothing seems to stick. I just want to stay home some days.

The twos are terrible and wonderful at the same time- it seems that I can't have one with out the other.

Oh, and at the Dr. appt. today, We found out that Luke is 36" tall and 34lbs. That put him in the 95-100% for both categories.....

I love you Luke! Happy two!

Birthday Party in Pictures

2010-08-22T21:26:00.001-05:00

Together

2010-08-20T13:01:00.002-05:00

Luke really loves when we do things together. He loves when Nathan and I kiss him on either cheek after saying prayers in the evening. With a huge grin he remarks, "All together."

Today I was doing laundry and asked him to help. He smiled and said, "Working together, Luke, Mommy!"

He really likes for everyone to sit down when we eat so that we are "all together." It brings him great joy to run around saying, "Dinner ready!"

I think he will like his birthday party on Sunday!

Twinkle Winkle...

2010-08-15T12:15:00.003-05:00

... little star

Wun, Too, Free...

2010-08-06T15:31:00.005-05:00

When Katie and Luke are gone, I go through our videos. Here's a great one from a few days ago.

Boerne Day 1

2010-08-05T21:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Christi and I, with all of the kids in tow, headed for her parents home in Boerne. It was an amazingly good drive considering that we were in the car for about 4 hrs!

Here are some our our activities:

1. Out in the pool!

2. Eating a muffin at the local bakery

3. Ducks by the river.

4. Sitting on a bench with Annalise

5. Feeding the ducks by the river.

On Our Own

2010-07-27T18:57:00.002-05:00

So yesterday was a sad day. We took Nathan to the airport first thing in the morning and off he went. Luke took it all in stride and mostly focused on how cool the planes were. Good for him. :)

We had a good first day together, read lots of books, baked, organized drawers, and generally had a good time. We got to talk with Nathan last night and it was very fun. I was putting laundry away with Luke and he kept putting articles of clothing up to the phone for Nathan to see. So cute. :)

Today, I was playing with Luke outside at a friends house. It was really hot, so the kids wanted to go in the little swimming pool. We were having a great time in the water when I stepped on a small branch and punctured my right foot. It went in almost an inch I believe and cut through muscle. So, now I am limping.

I called my mom and Nathan's mom so I now have some great advice on how to deal with it. It still hurts, but what can I expect. Luke was very helpful this evening as I redressed the wound. He brought me a box of bandages and tried to bring me a towel. He is very interested in "owies." It seems like most kids are- at least the ones I know. :)

Of How We Almost Came to CA...

2010-07-23T13:09:00.002-05:00

... and then didn't.

Yesterday, Nathan informed me that he had to make a last minute business trip out to CA. A couple of things crossed my mind right then- 1. I will be alone with Luke all week, and 2. California? I want to go too!

I have really been missing everyone and missing the nice summer weather and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use up a free Southwest ticket that I had. Seemed is the important word. I often think that things seem perfect and act on them before I really sit down and think it through. In this case, I even booked my ticket.

For the rest of the day, I felt like something was wrong. It might have been because I began to realize the stress of the journey alone, the costs involved, the extra pressure it put on Nathan, the possible tropical depression coming through (yikes!), the fact that I already had several obligations to fulfill here in Texas next week, and so on.....

At 11pm, Nathan I were talking and not quite ready for bed. We discussed my trip and how much fun it would be to see everyone. We also discussed logistics and some forseable problems. In the end, it seemed that it was not the right time. So, at about 11:30pm, I cancelled my flight. I felt at peace again.

Well, we still hope to come closer to the holidays. And, if the blogger website will cooperate (!!!), I will get a video up soon.

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

2010-07-15T12:41:00.002-05:00

Soon I hope to post a video of Nathan or I reading a book to Luke. Right now, Luke's favorite book is a toss up between Dr. Seuss's ABC book and Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (the classic Dutch lullaby in book form). I like W,B and N the best because the illustrations are gorgeous and because of how Luke smiles and says "binkin, nod," throughout. :)

Reading to Luke is such a joy- probably my favorite thing to do with him. He picks up new words each time and even picks out letters. These are he letters that he can recognize: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, M, O, P, U, Z. He is working on I, K, L, S, and Y. I can't believe what a little sponge he is right now!

In the Kitchen

2010-07-14T18:13:00.001-05:00

What Luke was doing while I made dinner tonight:

Yep, that is one whole kitchen drawer arranged on the counter top. :)

Our Loss, California's gain...

2010-07-13T12:22:00.003-05:00

Today is a sad day. This morning we said goodbye to the Getz's (for one month), and this afternoon, we will say goodbye to Grandpa (probably for longer). For those of you in CA, you are lucky to have 5 great people coming today.

As I was driving home after taking the Getz's to the airport, I was reflecting on what it means to live somewhere. I live in Houston. I come from CA, and most of my family still lives there. Do I miss the golden state? Is it better to be in Houston? Really, it is pretty easy to answer these questions from a practical perspective. But, it is hard some days to think about being out here when so many that we love dearly are far away.... really hard...

Well, I will be grateful today for my wonderful husband and my beautiful little boy. That is an awful lot to be thankful for! And...I will begin looking at Southwest again to see how good the air fares are for my dad, and begin planning a great welcome home party for the Getz's.

Swimming with Grandpa!

2010-07-10T12:07:00.002-05:00

Luke has never been in the water without someone holding onto him, until now...

Imaginative Play

2010-07-07T17:21:00.002-05:00

Luke is beginning to use his imagination when he plays. It has been interesting to see what subject matter he uses for this play and shows me why psychologists use "play therapy" for their youngest clients. It is amazing to see how much their play is influenced by what is happening in their lives.

I wrote earlier about how he liked to say that large items were mommies and daddies, and their smaller counterparts were babies (i.e. Mommy sun (big sun) and Baby sun (small sun). Here are some other recent examples:

1. When we all spend time together in the morning in our bed, Luke makes the blankets into a tent and pretends to hand us food. He especially likes to give us beans, rice, berries, and ice cream "beans, wice, bewwies, and i scream). Then, it is our job to eat it and say "yum, yum!" Luke really likes all of these foods and he likes to eat.

2. Last night, Luke was playing with some plastic balls and began taking them to his time-out chair to give them time-outs. He would pick a ball up, look sternly at it, and take it to time-out. If the ball rolled out of position, he would yell "no, no," and take it back to the spot he put it down. The twos are hitting with a vengeance right now and Luke has had lots of time-outs as of late. Sometimes, I think half the day is spent disciplining for something or other. Time-outs are our primary method of discipline right now, so I guess he is getting the message- at least in part. Now, he knows what time-outs are, and how to give them himself.... if only he would stop the behavior that we were trying to stave off by using time-outs. Well, I guess he has plenty of time for that- he isn't even two yet. :)

Please, all right.

2010-07-05T08:09:00.002-05:00

Luke has discovered that "please" is a magic word. He has been saying please and thank you for many months now, but lately he has begun to believe that if he says please, he will automatically get what he is asking for. His new phase is: "please...all right!" It sounds more like: "please, awl wight!" So cute.

Pictures

2010-06-26T19:58:00.003-05:00

Here are pictures from this past month:

1. With Grammy and Clara, reading a book!

2. At dinner while on the Brenham anniversary trip:

3. Getting ready for a swim!
4. More at dinner in Brenham. He just drank some very cold water.5. With a new friend- Mr. Bear. Luke also enjoys the company of Bunny Baby.

22 months!

2010-06-24T21:02:00.002-05:00

Well, the second birthday is fast approaching!

This last month has been such a joy with Luke. He is acquiring new words and making short sentences everyday. It is so amazing to see how much he can pick up in such a short time!

Luke is loving letters and colors right now. He points out objects and tells us what color they are. Tonight at dinner for example, Nathan asked Luke what color his spoon was. He answered, "Geen!" Green it was. Then he pointed to my shirt and said, "pink!" He went around thr room naming several other colors.

The longest word that I have heard from him is "bumblebee," said just like it should be. He saw the bumblebee in his Magic "scoo bus" (School Bus) book that he adores.

His favorite book has been Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. He almost has it memorized. I read on page to him and he says the next page to me. I am so amazed!

Since it is summer time, we have been outside in the pool a lot! Luke loves going in the "wader." We swim in our pool, in friends pools, or at the local splash parks. They are all fun.

I am planning on taking Luke to an allergy specialist soon. He has had another bout of stomach issues this week. I am not sure what is causing it exactly, but my hunch is that it is milk. He seems to be able to process other dairy products like cheese and yogurt, etc... (thanks be to God), but not milk. I can hardly digest milk myself.

This whole month, we have been blessed to have Grammy in town. Luke has enjoyed her immensely, and it was sad to say goodbye yesterday. He still doesn't really understand goodbyes, but we will hopefully see Grammy again in August.

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to get some pictures up later. I am so tired- it has been a busy month!

Hello, Hello?

2010-06-15T10:10:00.002-05:00