March 22, 2010 by jennifer
For the last month, I have been making baby food puree and freezing it. Almost a week ago, I gave my sweet baby boy his first bite of food. The same week, we moved him out of our bed and room and in to his own room. Even though he is now in his own room, I go into his room when he wakes in the middle of the night and snuggle up with him in the guest bed. I kiss his adorable bald head, smell his sweet smell, squeeze his chubby body and savor the moment. It is safe to say, while he is ready to graduate to these things, I am just not ready yet.
For the last few months, Breckin has noticed his friends have started losing their teeth. So, he has been coming to me occasionally saying his teeth are loose. I feel them and examine his mouth only to learn all of his teeth are 100% attached. Yesterday, Breckin walked up to me in the kitchen and said, “Mommy, I think my tooth is a little bit loose.” Expecting the usual, I inspected his mouth only to find that one tooth is practically falling out of his mouth and the one next to it is also very loose. I expect he will be losing those within a week. Then, upon further inspection, I noticed his adult teeth are already growing in right behind them. Taken by surprise, I scream with joy and excitement. This, of course, freaked Breckin out and then he didn’t want to open his mouth again. When the excitement wore off, I realized what a milestone this is for a child. Breckin seems to be embracing it so well. But, again, I find myself thinking, I am not quite ready yet.
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March 21, 2010 by jennifer
I
ADORE
THIS
GIRL!!
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March 16, 2010 by jennifer
The other day, I overheard Jeremiah asking Breckin what 3×3 is. Breckin did some counting and quickly said, “Nine!” He’s five. He is often telling me he loves me “15449″ then I will respond with, “I love you 1,435,627!” His response is often,very seriously and seeming disappointed with my numerical stupidity, “Mommy, that isn’t a real number.” With Breckin, everything has a definitive value. If he asks when we are going to the park and I say Thursday, it means nothing to him. But if I say in 2 days, he totally understands. He walked around the house the other day measuring things, you know, just for fun. A while ago, I said, “Arwyn I love you.” Arwyn said, “I love you too Mommy.” Breckin said, “Well, I love you 100.” I overheard he and a friend once having a discussion once that revolved around who could think of the biggest number. In short, there is nothing Breckin won’t try to give a numerical value. I would love for one day to be inside of his head.
I have always joked (sort of) that Breckin is a 5 year old version of Adrian Monk. I stand by that statement today. A very lovable character with a great deal of innocence. Very sweet. Very considerate. Very funny. VERY smart. Very cautious. Very much a rule follower. Very picky. Very OCD. Very much in his own little world most of the time. I love every aspect of his personality and cannot imagine raising a boy who doesn’t sit at the table doing simple addition, you know, just for fun. What I really love about Breckin is that, while he is all of those things, he loves the rough boy stuff too. He loves playing baseball. He LOVES videogames. He loves racing and has an awesome competitive spirit. And quite possibly his favorite thing to do…..talk! He once told me that he only stops talking when he goes to sleep, then, “I wake up and start talking again!” How true. How true. And that laugh of his. Oh my goodness, that laugh! He has the best laugh.
What I dream for Breckin is that he keeps that sweet innocence that makes him who he is. I hope that he never lets what other people say get in the way of who he is and wants to be. I hope that he continues to open up emotionally and be more positive as he grows older. I hope that his struggles with anxiety are healed someday and he can move on from them. I hope he uses his many gifts to serve the Lord with all of his heart and that crazy genius mind. I hope that he sees in Jeremiah the type of man he should aspire to be. And honestly, I hope he learns to play hockey someday because that would be super cool! 
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February 13, 2010 by jennifer
If someone were to ask me to describe Arwyn in a few words, there is just no way I could. She is my sweet girl, yet my girl who doesn’t take crap from anyone. She loves to dress up like a princess and Batman all the same. She can be hilarious and infuriating all in the same moment. In fact, she is often funny even when she is getting into trouble. She has the biggest imagination of any child I have ever met and a vocabulary to match it. She is an absolute riot and I love being around her.
She is always happy to share. She will put on a dress and twirl in front of Jeremiah so he will tell her how pretty she is. She laughs at people when they fall down. She will tell me stories she makes up on a daily basis. She loves Jesus and is often telling me that “little baby Jesus was born into her heart.” I have seen her playing with a friend one moment then shoving that same friend with all her might because that friend had hit her big brother. She is petite in stature and enormous in personality. She is a warrior and princess all in one package.
When I watch her I see so many thing about her that make me admire her and fear for her all at once. I admire her tenacity and fearlessness. I love that she stands up for the people she loves. I love her imagination. And I love that she makes friends so easily. My fear for her is mainly that of growing up in this world as a woman. At the age of three she has already refused to wear something because her friend told her she didn’t like it. It was then I asked her if SHE liked it. She cares very much what others think and that terrifies me. But I think it is something ingrained in many women, so dealing with it might be inevitable.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” While I don’t want Arwyn to be reckless and irresponsible, I do hope she doesn’t ever feel confined and required to follow what others expect of her. I want her to challenge expectations (and sometimes authority) and the norm all while having a passion for life and a love for the Lord. I have a strong feeling my sweet girl will not disappoint.
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February 12, 2010 by jennifer
Weight – 17lbs (75%)
Height – 26 inches (75%)
Head – Don’t remember but it was at the 99%
In summary, he is huge, especially for one of our babies.
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January 4, 2010 by jennifer
If you walked into my kitchen, there are a few things you would notice immediately. It is small, the floor needs mopped (desperately, but do I really want to mop when there are 8 inches of snow outside? Seems futile.), my oven is much more humble looking than my fridge, and the microwave is missing. That is right, I don’t own a microwave. Well, I actually do, but it has recently been demoted to the basement and is never really used except when my husband has a hankering for microwaved popcorn (I won’t even go into how bad that is for you…JERE). I removed the microwave for many reasons. Just do the research online….it is overwhelming. I will post a link or two at the bottom of this entry. Besides the research, I have my own personal reasons for letting it go.
I rarely use it unless I am reheating leftovers or melting butter for a recipe. Leftovers taste bad out of the microwave and I can melt butter on the stove. I have decided I will now reheat leftovers in the oven. They will taste better and every nutritional element in the meal will not be destroyed.
It takes up WAY too much countertop space for my kitchen. The use to countertop space ratio is about 1:10, so it is not worth it to me. I would rather have that space available for other appliances that don’t provide my family with unhealthy and potentially dangerous food.
Here are a few links:
Are microwave ovens bad for you?
Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking
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December 31, 2009 by jennifer
1. The Moby Wrap
I have no idea how I would have made it through the first months of Judah’s life without this. I can truly say it is the best baby item I have ever purchased. He rides in it and sleeps in it everyday. Amazing!
2. My new camera a Nikon D5000.
Okay, so I didn’t buy it. It was my Christmas present and I cannot get enough of the awesome pictures I have been able to take of my kids. I still have A LOT to learn and am so excited to capture precious moments with my new camera.
3. Plane tickets to Israel. Awesome experience, awesome trip, all around awesome!
4. Advair 500/50
This medication saved my sanity and my quality of life. I cry almost every time I think about how it saved me from such misery and fear.
5. Aden and Anais Swaddling Blankets
(the blanket Judah is laying on this photo)
These blankets are AMAZING swaddling blankets. I am an avid baby swaddler but have always been really disappointed with the blankets available. Then, I found these! They are large, light, stretchy, soft, and wrap that baby tight. When we are done swaddling Judah, we can use them as a perfect blanket for nighttime because they are breathable. Worth the cash for sure!
6. Baby Simply Saline
With the first two babies, I didn’t realize what a huge difference this stuff makes. It keeps congestion clear and also washes germs away to keep your baby from getting sick. Saline works miracles and I use it on Judah everyday and on the older two often. Even bought some for myself and notice I recover from illness much faster and it really helps me sleep at night when I have a cold.
7. Organizing bins for my house.
We moved in about 2 1/2 years ago and I am a little embarrassed to admit we had not really organized anything until I found out I was pregnant with Judah.
8. Paint for my house.
I painted 6 rooms in my house this summer. Now my house finally feels like home.
9. Tylenol PM.
I took this a lot during the asthma mayhem last spring to help me sleep. What a wonderful thing!
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December 30, 2009 by jennifer
Recently I began cloth diapering Judah. As a mom who is new to cloth diapering, it has been an adventure. For my first children I used disposables, but decided to switch to cloth with Judah for many reasons. First, cloth diapering is budget friendly. Using disposable wipes/diapers and diaper rash cream would cost me between $2,000-$2,500 by the time I potty trained Judah at 2 1/2 years. If it took him longer to potty train, it would cost more. My cloth diapers and detergent will cost me about $400-$500 total for the same amount of time. My water and electric bill increase is negligible compared to the amount I would spend on disposables. Second, my kids have sensitive skin. With disposables I have to use diaper rash cream with every diaper to keep the rash under control. With cloth, Judah hasn’t had a rash since the very first day I started using them and I haven’t use rash cream since changing. And third, of course, it is better for the environment. The idea that I won’t be adding more diapers to an enormous pile of trash is nice. Leaves the world in a slightly better state for future generations.
All of that being said, changing to cloth diapering has been a change in my thought processes and habits. Also, the first few weeks were full of leaks and frustration. However, the diapers weren’t to blame. My ignorance was. Now that I have figured out the perfect fit for Judah, I rarely have leaks. With cloth, you do have to change the diapers more often and have to wash them every 2-3 days with all natural detergent. It is less convenient than using disposables, but in so many ways much better.
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December 28, 2009 by jennifer
Twice a month, I attend a mom’s group called MOPS. I love MOPS. Not only do I get to bask in the joy of a kid-free morning, I also get to talk to other moms about pretty much everything. I have learned a lot at MOPS. It is a place where moms can gather and “talk shop.” It has become one of my favorite things to do. Even earlier today Jeremiah called me a “Mommy nerd” because I can’t seem to stop myself from researching things related to parenting. I do it all of the time and I am always open to pointers from my peers, especially those with a little more experience than I. Here are a few things I have learned from my friends over the last few years from either reading blogs or chatting…..from house cleaning, to practical, to keeping the relationship with the hubs fresh. I have attributed these to the appropriate girls (and they thought I wasn’t listening)
- If you mop your floor with a little bit of water and peppermint essential oil, it will keep ants away. — Liz
- Date night with the hubs is the most important thing you can do for your kids and your marriage. — Daneen
- Saline in the nose will do miracles for a kid’s congestion. — Tracy
- If your child has a nose-picking problem (EWW I know!), then make him/her wash his/her hands every single time you see the finger approaching the nose. After washing the hands about 50 times, they will begin to think twice about sticking that finger in their nose. — My Mom
- Put all of the kids’ dishes in a low cabinet so they can get their own drinks and plates/bowls at meal time. — Claire
- As far as kids go….if they can do it, then they do it. If they can’t do it, then I do it. — Claire (she is a wise one, that girl)
- When putting your child in time out by sending them to their room/the corner/the stairs, don’t “potato sack” them and physically place them there. Make them walk there themselves. — DeDe
- Completely and totally ignore whining/tantrums/tattling (unless someone is bleeding). — I can attribute this to many girls and what awesome advice it is!
- If your kid is ignoring you because he/she is playing with a toy and doesn’t want to stop long enough to listen….take the toy away. You should have their attention immediately. — Jill
- I am not the only one out there with a very strong willed child and it is okay to cry about it on occasion. — All of the women from my MOPS table last year.
- If you are traveling a long distance with kids, give them Benadryl or Tylenol. — Again, too many women to count! (I go with the Tylenol but only on trips that are 5+ hours and I haven’t had a trip like that in years)
- Have a small goal you know you can meet each day, write it down and only worry about accomplishing that (as opposed to accomplishing everything in one day) — Stacy
- Don’t expect your kids to act like little adults. They are kids. — Liz
- Pray for your kids daily. — Again, don’t remember, but priceless advice.
- Twice a day, do a 10 minute pick-up with the kids to keep your house from looking like a tornado hit it. — I think this one was Daneen too.
Thanks for all of the awesome advice girls! So glad we have one another to bounce ideas off of.
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December 19, 2009 by jennifer
Few things are more adorable than this.
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