Feeding Time

Jonathan LOVES his little sister. Tonight he wanted to hold her for a minute, so I told him to climb up in the chair and set her in his lap for a minute. Then I told him that it was time for mommy to feed her so I needed him to get down and let me sit in the chair. He replied "No, my feed her" and lifted up his shirt. Sorry bud, it just doesn't quite work that way.

Obsession

This is what we've been eating after the kids are in bed. First we microwave a Betty Crocker Warm Delights Mini, then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream (last night I used frozen yogurt to save a few calories), then Magic Shell on top. YUM!!!!

As promised

Here are the pictures I promised. The first two are Jonathan and Avery from earlier this week. Avery is growing like crazy! We went to the doctor last Monday and at 10 weeks she was weighing in at 12 lbs 3 oz, 85th percentile! She is smiling a lot and making tons of adorable baby noises. Jonathan still loves her like crazy and wants to kiss her, hold her, and be around her all the time.



These last 3 pictures are from camp a few weeks ago. We went to Showshoe in West Virginia. It was amazing! The last picture is the view from the balcony in our condo. We literally watched the sun go down behind the mountains in a matter of minutes. We were so thankful that my sister Amy was able to come with us. There were so many things for Jonathan to do. The waterslide in the pictures went into a pool that was a foot and a half deep. Perfect! There was also a big sandbox with lots of toys right outside the Starbucks. So Amy and I were able to sit and drink coffee while Jonathan played. Perfect again. Other things he did were jump in a bounce house, play on playgrounds by the lake, and ride paddleboats. It was hard to be really involved with the camp activities because of nap schedules and all that, but we were able to go to worship one night. Jonathan loved the music and clapped his little hands the whole time. His arms would get tired and he would rest his elbows on his knees, still clapping. It was a very special time for me to be in there with my family and our student ministry worshipping the Lord who has entrusted it all to us for this time. I sang "I surrender all" with trembling hands because I feel like I have been so blessed and have a lot to surrender. For several years now the Lord has convicted me about holding my blessings with an open hand. Everything in me wants to close the fists of my heart around the blessings He has given me and claim them for myself. But they really are all for Him, and I must remember that at all times. He has total rights to them, and I really have none. He gives, and He takes away, and I will bless Him either way. I hope this makes sense, it's a bit of what I've been thinking about a lot lately.
On a lighter note, the next night when we attempted to go to worship Jonathan kept saying "ready to go now" and "wake up now" to the people around us who were worshipping with their eyes closed. So much for Jonathan in the worship service.

A day of rest?

Since Ben has to be at church early on Sunday mornings it is my responsibility to get myself and the kids there by myself each week.
The goal is to be heading to the car at 8:30. In order to do this, I need to get up no later than 6:30.
Yesterday I first heard the alarm at 7.
But I didn't have to shave and had a dress I could wear without ironing, so no problem. I can do this. Things are going smoothly, I have Jonathan dressed and eating breakfast a little after 8. Avery is dressed, the bags are packed, and I am all ready except for my clothes when I sit down to feed her at about 8:15. All I have to do after this is throw on my dress, get her in the carseat, wash Jonathan's hands and face and get him down from the table, put Mazie in her crate, and we'll be on our way. This is a little later than I would like, but still doable. Really as long as we leave by 10 till 9 we will be fine.
8:25, about halfway done with feeding, has burped once, but let's try again for good measure. Then it happens. Spit up like I have never experienced. And I have experienced plenty, let me tell you. DRIPPING off of my freshly washed, freshly flat-ironed hair. Half of it. DRIPPING as I run across the living room to get her in the bouncy seat. And all over the back and seat of the chair. And all over her Sunday clothes.
So up the stairs I go, soak my hair with a wet wash cloth, pull out the hair dryer and turn back on the flat iron. Fix Fix Fix, Fast Fast Fast, put my dress, shoes, and jewelry on, grab a new outfit for Avery, back down stairs. Spray down the chair, change her clothes, put her in the car seat, wash Jonathan's hands and face and get him down from the table, here we go. Nope, Avery crying. Hard. She is hungry. After all, she just lost her breakfast. Tell Jonathan he has a few minutes to play with his new trains, make Avery a bottle, since now I am wearing a dress and nursing is pretty much impossible in a dress. Feed Avery. Listen to Jonathan whine for help with his new trains since he hasn't quite figured them out yet. Tell him I'm sorry I can't help right now but I know you can fix it. You can do it! Put Avery back in carseat. Pry Jonathan away from trains. Head to door.
Carrier in hand, diaper bag in hand, backpack in hand, bible in hand. Jonathan down the stairs to the back door. Me down a few of them.
Sniff sniff. Is that what I think it is? Yep, dirty diaper. Carrier down, diaper bag down, backpack down, Bible down.
Carry Jonathan up the stairs. Change diaper. Down the stairs.
Are you still reading this? Or have you quit? Because that's what I wanted to do at that point. We left at 9:47. Why didn't I quit? Why? Because the only thing I needed at this point was to drop my kids off at childcare and walk away. And that is just what I did.


In other news, the no paci thing has been going well at night, but Jonathan has yet to actually fall asleep during naptime without it. And today I told him I was going to the attic to get something and he asked "pacis?". So we're still getting there. But we're determined.

Angela, I will post pictures soon, I promise.

Milestone moment?

Our boy is crying in his bed right now. Tonight after dinner we got down his baby picture album and looked at the pictures, explaining to him how he was a tiny baby once and showing how he has grown. We told him how, as he would outgrow things, we would pack them up and put them in the attic. We packed up some clothes from his closet that he has outgrown, and then added his pacis. Now it is bedtime and he doesn't seem so excited about no paci for bed. I am nervous that it may be a long night, or few nights. We will see.
Avery is crying because the sun is going down, a nightly event for her. A lady at church told me that babies, the elderly, and people with brain injuries get upset when the sun is going down, and there is a medical term for it..."sundowning". I asked if she knew what to do about it, and she said no. Hmm. So we just wait it out every night and do what we can.
We went to camp last week and had an amazing time. There was so much for Jonathan to do! I will post pictures as soon as they become available to me.
Have a great day!