Sufficient Grace

Help a good cause! Go on over to MckMama's Blog and leave a comment on THIS POST. MckMama and her husband are going to donate one dollar for every comment they receive on this post; comments close and midnight, tonight! The cause they will be donating all of this money to is a ministry to help families who lose babies due to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death. Head over the Sufficient Grace to read more about what they do and make your own donation if you so wish. Being a Mom who has experienced four miscarriages, I think this all is pretty cool and was more than happy to simply leave a comment. Won't you too??

Thanks!

I promise, we haven't kicked her out

It has been raining a lot around here! Thursday, Jamie had the day off, so he offered to take Sophia out in the rain to play and jump in puddles. (seriously, isn't he a great Daddy?) Well, this was Sophia's reply: "WE'LL BE NAKED!" "No, Sophia, you and Daddy WILL NOT be naked." "Well, I will be naked." "Nooooo.... Sophia, you will need to wear clothes." "Okay." So, I know kids tend to model their behavior and speech after what they see and hear at home, but I promise that is NOT the case in this instance!!! :)

As Sophia was supposed to be falling asleep Thursday night, I was getting after her for still being awake. She goes,

"Mom, I never go to sleep this late."

"Yes you do, Sophia. It is way past your bedtime."

"No, I never go to sleep this late."

"Do you mean, this early?"

"Yes. I never go to sleep this early."

"YES YOU DO! EVERY NIGHT IN FACT!"

"No, Mom. I go to bed this early, but I never go to sleep this early."

"Oh. Well... you should!" The end.


This is the scene from this morning. Where do you think Sophia is eating her breakfast? By the way, she slept in this same spot, all night!

That's right! A kid-sized tent- set up right in our living room!

Jamie scored this awesome tent (which includes a sleeping bag, and a play, doll-sized tent and sleeping bag!) for like $20 at Home Depot, about 2 years ago. Anyways, Sophia has been begging to play in her tent, and that progressed yesterday to her getting to sleep there.


She actually slept here all night and did great! Jamie said it correctly this morning, "You know, she is going to want to spend the rest of her life in that tent now." Yeah, getting her back in her own bed... we'll see how that goes. :) But really, what is parenting, if it isn't to bring joy to your kiddos lives??

Full Circle

Today, around 2:16am, Riley turned nine months old! I was pregnant with him for roughly nine months, and now he's lived outside of my womb for nine months. Feels sort of like a full circle sort of thing. This last month of his life he's grown a lot, changed a lot, and gotten even cuter (if that's even possible!).

Here are some things that are new from his 8th month of life:
- He got his first haircut
- He is getting more exploratory with his crawling throughout the house
- He is finding out what "no" means and has even had to have his chubby little fingers flicked a few times. He LOVES playing with the wires around the TV/DVD player... no no no...
- He continues to be a Mama's boy, and thus far leaving him in the nursery at church has proved unsuccessful!
- He cut his third tooth!
- He started eating finger foods, and adores them!!! So far I've given him little pieces of banana, really soft, small pieces of cooked carrot and sweet potatos, cheerios, gold fish broken up, pretzals broken up, and just a few days ago started letting him eat shredded cheese. He always prefers to feed himself!
- He now prefers to have some water with his meals.
- He is a pretty good sleeper, taking two good naps a day and sleeping mostly through the night, from 7pm to 7am. (We are currently working really hard to get him to cut out his one randomly timed time each night when he'll wake up.)
- He loves his sister and always smiles and giggles for her!

I predict he'll be walking sometime during his ninth month, or in his tenth month, for sure! We'll see if I'm right.

Banana chunks...

Finger lickin'...


Good!!!

Love going up...

...and coming right back down!

The Great Problem Wall of Ashland

This would be what you call a normal, everyday, basement wall. Ugly, sure. But it doesn't really have any cracks and it's flat, straight, looking square...



And then there is this... full of cracks and bulging worse than my stomach after a spicy meal. So, this is the great problem wall.


And here is the main crack, which happens to run almost from end to end on the bulging wall...


So, after our waterproofer came by last night, we've pretty much determined, based on his assessment (which we agree with), that we need to rebuild the Great Problem Wall of Ashland. This will involve putting up support jacks to take the pressure off of the wall, then excavating outside, taking down the wall, and rebuilding it. As you might imagine... this doesn't come cheap. We'll find out by Friday what the actual estimate is. We have plans to finish our basement in the future, and have wanted to put in a window that one could escape out of, so, while we're rebuilding the wall we're just going to go ahead and put that type of window in.

Please pray that we don't get any more torrential rains before the work can be completed, as the wall might not hold up to that. (I don't even want to imagine what that would mean, cause, etc...)

Trusting God, since that's "all" any of us can do anyways, right?! Praising Him too, because I know that he is in fact trustworthy!

The Not so Great Flood

Last night Sophia asked me why God was allowing a flood when He'd promised never to do that again. I was able to take that moment and re-explain that His promise was to never destroy the whole earth with a flood again, but that He still allowed smaller floods. I also told her of His goodness and faithfulness through those smaller floods, that feel like they are destroying the whole earth, but are in fact, not.

Why all this flood talk? Last night we had torrential rains for almost an hour. Unbeknownest to us, our sump pump had gotten partially unplugged, so during the rains it wasn't running. So, the rains came down and the floods came up. Once Jamie started investigating and realized the sump pump wasn't running (as best he could tell, it must have gotten bumped, because the plug was half hanging out) he quickly remedied that. I don't think there's too much damage to our things due to the water that came in. The bigger problem lies in our one wall.

When we got our basement waterproofed (i.e. sump pump needs to be running for this to remain effective) we realized the one wall had a pretty big horizontal crack and that the wall was a bit bulged. The man waterproofing our basement said it looked solid for now, but to keep a close eye on the crack, to make sure it didn't grow bigger, and he also recommended bracing the wall if we ever decided to finish the basement. Well, during the rains last night, the crack grew in from about 1/8th of an inch to over 1/2 an inch. And the bulge is now HUGE!

So... we're not sure what we'll be facing with this. Our waterproofer is coming over tonight to take a look and to give us his advice. Just trying to trust the Lord today with all of this.

Thankfully the sun is currently shining.

Just doing my part to make you smile

Last week, Jamie's parents came to visit and we enjoyed a picnic dinner at this cool old estate and gardens type place. On our drive home, Sophia had to go, and she had to go bad. There were no restrooms close-by, but there was an old, run-down, closed-down drive-in movie theatre. So... Jamie pulls in there as Sophia looks puzzled. I help her out of the car and help her proceed to, well, you know... She looks up at me, with a mixture of "what are you having me do?," and "what a fun adventure!," and says, "Do people actually do this??"

The other day, as we were hanging out in the kitchen, Sophia proclaims, "We MUST get a gun!" I told Sophia that I didn't want a gun. "Not for you, Mom. For Dad!" I asked her why she wanted Daddy to have a gun... "So we can shoot a turkey!" Oh boy...

Today, while shopping at a craft store, we were looking at some dollhouse accessories. There was a set of little rifles, small enough for doll house type dolls. Sophia was ecstatic! "They make guns for dolls?!?!"

Where she gets this stuff... I'll never know. :)

How Does He Love Me?

Well, let's see... does watching "The Babysitter's Club" Movie, circa 1995, with me tonight on Netflix count?? :) It does in my book. :)

I used to read any "Babysitter's Club" book I could get my hands on. Ann M. Martin, the author, somehow churned these suckers out at a record rate! I stopped reading them sometime in junior high school, so by the time this movie came out I was "so over them!" HA! :) At any rate, I had no idea there was a movie based on these books. I came across it on Netflix the other night and tonight I half-jokingly told Jamie I wanted to watch it. We couldn't find anything else, so he said he was game. It just finished, and boy was it a gem. :) I think my favorite parts were the cheesy junior high romance plot lines and the fact that the mean girl that tempted Stephanie, on Full House, to disobey her Dad all the time, was the protagonist! Can you say type casted?

It sure took me back though, to a time in my life when I'd borrow tons of books from the library every Friday or Saturday and do nothing but read all weekend. I miss having the time to read books that much, and it was fun to watch this movie and remember all the characters I used to know so well.

Did you ever read books from "The Babysitter's Club" series?

We made it!

We were actually early to my eye doctor appt., so that was quite a feat! Sophia and Riley both did quite well. It was a bit challanging to hold a squirmy baby while getting my eyes checked out, but we managed. Sophia managed to spill her goldfish and pretzels, not once, but twice, all over the exam room. Thankfully the eye doctor is a wonderfully kind, Christian man, and his staff is great too! When Jamie went for his appointment later in the afternoon our eye dr. teased that it would be a $10.00 fee for all the extra clean-up they had to do while I was there with the kids! Hey! They are lucky I didn't leave Riley's horribly stinky diaper in the bathroom trashcan!!! :)

We were about 10 minutes late for Riley's appt, but we still got right in. My eyes were nice and dilated, so I was feeling a bit woozy and had a horrible headache. I also couldn't focus on anything close up. Fun times. :) Riley is a healthy boy of almost 9 months. He is weighing in at 19 lbs., 6 oz. and is 29 3/4 inches long. He got two shots, but was such a trooper! I was really proud of Sophia too. Trapping her in small exam rooms for a couple hours, well, I struggle with that enough, and I'm not an energetic 4 year old! She did great though.

We got to round out a gloriously warm and sunny day with some water fun in the backyard, then a dinner picnic with Jamie's parents. All in all, it was a successful day! Just the kind we like.

I wish...

...Riley's hands were detachable - sure would make clipping his nails a lot easier! (heck, while we're at it, let's make his feet detachable too, I never knew little feet could be so wiggly, making the toe-nail trimming nearly impossible!)

...Riley's teeth would all just pop out already. Poor boy is not liking sleeping, due to pieces of bone cutting through flesh, yeah, sounds painful doesn't it?!

...everyday was sunny and blueskied! Makes playing outside and doing yardwork so much more enjoyable. Though, while I'm wishing, I think I'll wish for the yardwork faires to do the work for me, cause I'd rather just play!

...I wish I had my daughter's endless energy - and her hair. Seriously, have you seen it?

...I had realized my eye dr. appt was at 9am when I scheduled Riley's 9 mos. check-up for 10 am... at least they are in the same building. Think I can do it? We will see!

...I wish the world operated more like this... to bed around midnight, up around 8 or 9. Now that is a routine I could get used too! (oh, wait, it basically is my routine, except for the sleeping till 8 or 9, maybe that's why I'm always so tired! HA! :))

...I could be sleeping now. Well, since that's a wish I can actually grant, off to bed I go (after I finish some laundry, take a shower, lay out clothes for everyone for tomorrow and pack the diaper bag, so I actually have a chance at getting out of the house at 8:30am, by myself, with both children, to go to our Doctor's Appointment extravaganza!)

Good night~

Not Me!

UPDATE: MckMama just posted her "Not Me" post and once that happens, all who join in are able to post links to their own "Not Me" posts on their blogs. Well, for the first time I've joined in. If you visit MckMama's Blog and scroll down you'll see where a bunch of others have posted links to their blogs. I'm #28!

Every Monday (or so), over at MckMama's blog , there is a bit of a free therapeutic session, courtesy of what she likes to call, Not Me Monday! Head on over and check it out. Here are some things I totally DID NOT do this week.

I definitely didn't just put a towel over the wet spot on Sophia's bed, when she had an accident in the middle of the night, and let her sleep on it till morning. What kind of mother would do that? Certainly NOT ME!

I also didn't find myself totally relieved (because this SO did not happen to me) the other day at the library, that I was wearing Riley in the sling - thus offering me some extra coverage... because I would NEVER inadvertently leave the house with both of my nursing "hatches," shall we say, down and not clipped up in place. What kind of embarrassing absentmindedness do you think I commit, anyways??

And lastly, I have this "friend," who was lamenting how out of shape and old she was feeling... her evidence?? Totally huffing and puffing her way through mowing the front lawn, going to sleep at 8:00 PM one night this week, and sleeping all the way through until 8:00 AM the next morning, and then, while swinging with her kiddos, getting totally motion-sick! What, you say? That sounds like a cloaked confession??? NO WAY! NOT ME! I would never do those things... I am, after-all, the picture of cardiovascular health, have amazing sleep habits (and would never need to go to bed right after the kids to catch up), and the thought of getting motion-sick from a simple swing ride? laughable! - especially when one realizes how much I love roller-coasters and adventure in general! So, you see, this was definitely all my "friend," and NOT ME!

or was it???

Baby Love, My Baby Love

I love me some baby!

Baby hands...

Baby bums (especially the extra padded cloth diapered variety)...

and baby heads!

It's whats for dinner

Around here, there is always something funny being said! With a four and a half year old in the house, and a smart, creative, imaginative, observant one at that, what do you expect?!

Yesterday Sophia was playing out in the front yard. She wanted to show me something. She had stuck a stick into a hole in one of our trees, where she explained, she would catch a robin, once it landed there. Why, might you ask, would she be trying to catch a robin? To have for dinner of course!

Oh, it gets better. Today, while Jamie was home for his lunch break, she began talking about catching a robin to eat again. We talked her out of it with some, "Oh, Robin's don't have much meat on them," and a little, "You wouldn't want to eat the Mama Robin, would you?" So, she decided we'd better raise the stakes and go for a turkey! She then says, "Oh, come on! We need to buy a gun."

After I finished rolling on the ground with laughter, I asked her where she learned about guns. She couldn't have been more matter-of-fact with her answer, "Little House on the Prairie." So, if you see any turkeys roaming in our neck of the woods, let us know, would you? We're trying to catch us some dinner.

***

Jamie and I had the opportunity to hang out with some other couples from our church last night. My parents babysat for us, and when we returned, quite late, I got into bed with Soph to give her some cuddles. She dreamily smiled at me and asked if I'd taken a bus to get to where I'd gone earlier. I told her, no, I'd taken the car. She replied, "Well, my dream told me you took a bus." :)

The Great Paci Caper

If you find yourself missing your paci, and Riley has been around... you might want to check his pockets! :) Last Saturday I was babysitting my friend's kiddos again and, well, the pictures speak for themselves! :)

Mathmatician???

Scene from yesterday -

Sophia: Mommy, what is 6 +6?

Me: 12

Sophia: Oh! That comes after 11. And, if you take away two that makes 10.

She is only 4 1/2. She is so enamored with numbers right now and seems to already have the ability to manipulate them. I wonder if she will love math like her Mama always did???

***

Over the past week or so, Riley has learned how to clap, and just adores doing it! It is one of the cutest things, especially when his face lights up at our encouraging responses. He continues to prefer being up on his feet, and if holding our hands will walk. He is also in the throughs of seperation anxiety. He does not like to be away from his Mama! I know it is mostly a normal phase, and though it might be frustrating at times to be the only one that can calm him... it does do wonders for my self-esteem! :)

***

And, in case you are wondering... they were pink, and accompanied by homemade heart-shaped pancakes and cheesy scrambled eggs. Delicious!

Mystery Color

Jamie got home for his lunch break a few minutes ago. He and Sophia are going to run "out" to get some things for me for Mother's Day. The three of us were in the kitchen eating some strawberries before they left. Sophia looks, around me, towards Jamie and says, "Dad, can I tell Mom about the roses, just not the color???" :) Jamie and I exchanged smiles and a chuckle. Sophia was oblivious to her oopsie. I guess I'll be getting roses tomorrow. The color though, that is still a mystery!

I want to wish a special Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, my Mother-in-Law, and my sister. They are three of the most fabulous and special moms that I have the privilage to know, love and be loved by.

Jamie is working tomorrow, so it'll be pretty much business as usual around here, but I don't doubt he and Sophia will spoil me greatly before we head to church.

I want to mention all of you women out there who may be reading this and are either single, and may be longing for marrige and children, or are married, but have yet to be blessed with children, and are maybe aching to become a mother. Happy Mother's Day to YOU too! I know it's not the exact same thing, and may sound cliche, though that is not my intent, I'm very sincere in what I'm trying to say... I believe God created all women to be nurturing, giving, loving, caring and in essence, mothers. If you are a woman, and have any inkling/desire to be a mother, than I guarantee you are a mother, to someone, somehow. I imangine you find creative and giving ways to get that mothering out of you to touch the lives of others around you - and for that, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Love to you all!

Some boy-ish cuteness!

And while we're talking about boys... I'd like to mention a very happy birthday to my dear brother-in-law, David!!! Enjoy you're day. Wish we could be with you today to help you celebrate. We love you!