Sermons in Stones

Who does that chubby girl on the elliptical machine think she's kidding?

2008-07-25T20:12:00.007-05:00

I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Sadly, it's not THE ultrasound appointment, but we will get to hear the heartbeat and there's also a lab test due. I have been feeling the baby move every so often for a couple of weeks now, I think. The early movements are a wonderful sensation, but by the end the kicks get kind of strong and the prolonged pushes (from the baby, that is) are less than comfy. Not complainin', just sayin.

Let's see, what else? I think it's worth mentioning that I went to the gym today. It's been a little while, to say the least. I was somewhat self-conscious because I went during the day (instead of at almost closing time) and actually saw a couple of girls I know. They both looked fabulous, even after working out, and I looked liked the people relegated to the back in those sweatin' to the oldies videos. Oh well, I got some good exercise anyway.

On a similar topic, I gained 40 pounds with each of my previous pregnancies, y'all. Those who have not seen me pregnant usually don't believe me, but those of you who have are thinking, "Yes you did, girlfrien'!" (in your best Robin Williams impersonation, or, heck, Richard Simmons for that matter.) With that in mind, during my last prenatal visit, I asked my doctor if my weight gain thus far was too rapid. I think I've gained anywhere from one to four pounds per month, and I thought that might be a little much. He said, and I (roughly) quote, "That's fine, I'm not at all concerned with your weight. Whatever you gain, you probably need, and you haven't had a problem with losing it in the past."

So-oooooo, pass the cool ranch doritos, people, 'cause this girl is eatin' for two, and I'm gonna love every minute of it!

Motherhood and stuff

2008-07-22T15:32:00.005-05:00

Cooper is just about as sweet as they come. Wellllll, except when he throws things--purposefully and with a flair for the dramatic. He even adds an emphatic "No!" in there occasionally, to really get his point across.

But he is the most wonderful little guy, in spite of his mad Randy Johnson skillz. He's charming and has set up shop smack dab in the middle of my heart.

I used to wonder what loving more than one child was like and how people managed to do it properly. Especially since I was in deep baby-love with Jackson and couldn't imagine trying to love another kid like I did him. But I think I get it now. There's the unconditional parts that come rather naturally (barring that you're not an unfeeling a-hole :), but I think there is a large part of the affection equation that directly correlates with the child's personality. I love my children differently because they are different little people in different stages of life, but the love I have toward them is equal in its intensity. It's what makes being a mom so cool. It really doesn't get old to get to know my children, and that's why I am so excited to meet baby #3.

There's a saying in the veterans' hospital circuit that "if you've been to one VA, you've been to . . . one VA." A play on the old "you've been to 'em all" joke. Because each one is an independent entity. I feel that way about children: if you've parented one child, you've parented one child. You are a bit more prepared with subsequent children, but each new parent-child relationship is incredibly special and unique and comes with its own set of new challenges. [Mini-rant: That's why I think we parents (especially moms) need to give each other some slack when it comes to our parenting choices. If something works for your child, and it is within reason, I say go for it. Who are we to judge from the outside? Who knows that child better than his parents?] I bet even the Duggars encounter new obstacles with their 17 kids every now and then.

p.s. Mrs. Duggar and I met when I was pregnant with Cooper. Not surprisingly, she noticed my belly right away and struck up a conversation with me about having babies. Also not surprisingly, she was pregnant at the time too. I had heard recently that she was expecting #18, and wouldn't you know that we are both due in January? I'm really not trying to keep pace with her. . .

Canine Quandary

2008-07-21T16:40:00.004-05:00

I've never had a long-haired dog before. One minute, he's perfectly clean, brushed, and presentable. And the next minute, he's dirty and matted. Is there anything I can do to get mats (I don't even know if I'm spelling that correctly, that's how inexperienced I am at this) out, without having to pull at them forever, cut them out, or run him to the groomers every five minutes?

I've never had a boy dog either. I definitely had my reservations. It hasn't been a big deal at all, but I am kinda puzzled by something. I've always known male dogs to hike their leg when they pee. But Freddie just kinda stands real still, and has a nearly imperceptible shimmy as he goes. It makes it hard to know if he's done his business or not. I guess I don't really have a question here, other than wondering if he's got company in the I'd-rather-not-hike-my-leg-when-I-pee club. And I really can't complain; at least he's not humping everything in site or whatever else boy dogs are notorious for doing.

What I do when I'm not here

2008-07-18T07:39:00.000-05:00

Come on over to the Prayer House blog. I've posted a couple of articles on prayer and would love your input.

I've been thinking a lot about Paul's charge in 1 Thess. 5:17 that we should "pray continually" and what that may look like in our busy lives.

And I've also been considering prayer's purpose, and more largely our purpose as God's people. I'm talking about worship, people! :)

The Little Girl

2008-07-17T15:36:00.007-05:00

An original story told by Jackson--

"Once upon a time there was a little girl.
(you see the little girl outside, Mommy?)
She was trying to run away.
Then her mommy caught her and gave her spankings.
Ouchy, ouchy, ouchy.
Then they saw some snakes.
(you see the snakes?)
The snakes came in the house,
and everybody was yelling 'Owie, owie, you're hurting my hand!'
The end."

J: "You like that story, Mom?"
Me: "Yes, very much."
J: "Ohhhhh-tayyyyuh." (very proud of himself)
J: "See, I tell the story and I didn't break your book." (I had asked him not to tear the pages)
Me: "Yes, Jackson, thank you. Time for your nap now."
J: "Otay, te ar-row ("te quiero"--spanish for i love you), I LUH you. No, don't come with me, I do it."
Me: "Alright, te quiero tambien, I love you too." (me staying in the bedroom and him running down the hall)

A few moments later, his door opens and shuts. Then quiet. Little brother still asleep.

Ahhhhh. Naptime for me too :).

A Rough Night

2008-07-17T13:27:00.006-05:00

Cooper, for the most part, is a dream baby. He is so happy, and social, and cute, and snuggly; he charms everyone he meets.

Usually.

Last night, he made some major withdrawals from the cute bank. He was fussy and inconsolable from some time after midnight all the way through until this morning. When he did sleep, it was fitful and interrupted. Neither Chris nor I managed to sleep ourselves much after 1 a.m. Jackson, on the other hand, was not affected by all the ruckus and managed to sleep in 'til almost 10 o'clock this morning. Ahhhh, the innocence of youth.

As Cooper fussed and squirmed, I offered walking, rocking, medicine, food, drink, diaper change, favorite TV show, and repeat through the night, with minimal to no success. At one point, I thought he might even do well to sleep next to his brother (since he wouldn't relax in our bed), so I put Jackson in the crib with him. I think he got at least an hour of rest that way.

At 5 a.m., I was thisclose to taking to the ER, but I figured he was certainly awake and alert enough and other than being in pain he was not in distress. So I tried to wait it out with him until the pediatrician's office opened. I'm pretty proud of myself because although I was frustrated with the situation but stayed on task enough to not be upset with Cooper. In the middle of the night, it's pretty easy for me to be cranky and blame the kid that is keeping me awake. But I just knew he was miserable, and I was more than a little worried that something serious was wrong.

Chris thought it was an ear infection, I thought it was his stomach. I imagined all sorts of terrible things were going on, namely intussusception. I get a little melodramatic when it comes to my kids, I guess. But to my defense, an ear infection has never elicited such a strong response from him.

Until now.

Chris was right, and he wanted me to be sure I mentioned that in this post. The diagnosis? Double ear infections. Apparently, Cooper's right eardrum had already ruptured and was mostly healed. That would explain the crusties in his ear and the blood on his sheets from more than a week ago. Oops! I really thought he'd just scratched his ear with his fingernails. And of course, he wasn't fussy because rupture is actually a relief from the pain and pressure.

Lesson learned.

Here's hoping that everyone will rest a little better tonight, after a round or two of antibiotics.

-------

Some funnies: I've realized that Jackson has a belief that medicine ("meh-sin") has magical healing powers, even after one dose. I had told him that Cooper was sick and that he needed to go to the doctor. Then as we were waiting for his prescriptions (plural because we get to do eardrops--yay.), I explained that we had to get medicine for him. When we got home, I gave CooCoo his first dose, which Jackson witnessed. He asked excitedly, "You give Cooper his meh-sin? He not sick anymore?" So sweet.

Also, I am on antibiotics myself, as of yesterday. From the moment I picked up the prescription, Jackson put himself in charge of medicine administration. I was pretty worn out after we got home and sat down on the couch to rest. Jackson came up to me and rubbed my back while he asked, "You sick? Where's your meh-sin?" I helped him get a pill out of the bottle for me. He grabbed it, and then handed it back to me, saying, "Here you go, Honey." pat. pat. pat. He even supervised me as I took it. Afterwards he said, "You feel better now?" I can't help but smile. My little nurse-in-training.

What's for Dinner?

2008-07-15T14:17:00.004-05:00

I try to encourage Jackson to talk to his daddy when he gets home from work. Because otherwise Jackson is too wrapped up in his play sometimes to do so. So, I tell him certain things to ask Daddy or to say that he loves him or have him talk about what we did that day. (truth be told, we also have him call each other silly names. for example: "Jackson, tell your daddy he's a pooty-head." and he dutifully parrots, "Daddy, you a pooty-head." quality entertainment, i tell ya :)

Recently, Chris went to the endocrinologist (in other words the diabetes doc) for his quarterly check-up, and the doctor essentially told him to start eating better immediately. Like, nothing-but-Healthy-Choice-and-Lean-Cuisine-for-dinner better. Chris was less than thrilled, as you might imagine.

Anyway, Jackson especially likes it when he feels like he's helping me. Last night, when Chris got home, I had Jackson ask Chris what he wanted for dinner. Which he did. To which Chris responded with a lengthy spouting off of how he didn't really want to but he guessed he would have "one of those frozen stupid dinners." Jackson turned to me, straight-faced, and said, "He wants uh fozen DOO-pid din-ner."

On a roll with this video thing

2008-07-15T07:38:00.002-05:00

Jackson and Cooper really enjoyed the Kinder Songs program at the Rogers Library last month. I couldn't capture too much of it on video because CooCoo kept running toward the sound equipment and had to be rescued.

But this is at least a taste of the fun they had.

After-dinner play

2008-07-14T13:17:00.002-05:00

Jackson's been working on his ABC's. While he knows the tune very well, if he gets off-track with the letters, he never quite gets back to the real song.

Anybody need a van?

2008-07-12T21:11:00.007-05:00

Chris' parents are needing to sell their mini-van. It is a 2004 gold Nissan Quest SL(looks a lot like our van). It has a little over 71,000 miles on it and is in great condition. Lots of features, including keyless entry and automatic sliding door. They just had it detailed and (routinely) serviced, so it's ready to go!

It is priced at $11,200 (which is the kelly blue book value) OBO. They live here in the Northwest Arkansas area, so if you are interested in a test drive, leave me a comment and I'll give you their contact information.

Thanks!

[UPDATE] I'll try to get a picture of their van so that I can post it here. In the mean time you can google image the phrase "2004 Nissan Quest SL gold" and see its likeness.

[UPDATE] Here's a picture, as promised :)

Thirteen weeks yesterday

2008-07-10T10:46:00.004-05:00

I am coming to the end of the first trimester of this pregnancy (though it still seems like it's been longer than that). Just like every other pregnant woman I've met, and like my previous pregnancies, I am anxiously awaiting the next milestones: feeling the baby move, finding out the gender, and then of course, holding our little child.

But I am also trying to relish every moment of this journey because it may be the final time I will go through all this. I am not saying that we are making any drastic changes (no snips for now), but it is probably worth mentioning that we feel done. And if we are, I am okay with that.

I remember that I didn't want to be done after two, and I hoped that God would grant us another child at some point. I am so thankful that He has. I am looking forward to seeing how this third little one completes our family and adds to our joy. And in the mean time, I am focusing my attention on loving our first two and trying to prepare them for their future sibling.

The results of impulse saving month

2008-07-09T14:28:00.004-05:00

Back in May, I decided to try a spending-reduction idea. I called it impulse saving month. I was to keep a log of items I resisted the urge to buy and tally my savings for the month.

In practice, I found it rather difficult to keep track of each item passed up, especially since I avoided shopping nearly altogether in order to reduce my exposure to temptation.

Since I didn't have that item log to gauge my efforts to reduce spending, I instead compared two months of receipts. I discovered that we spent $285.30 less in May, so I will therefore conclude that my little experiment was a relative success.

In addition, I found that I was more conscious of our spending habits in general during May, and I began researching some ways to shave from our monthly expenses. For example, by canceling some cable and TiVo services, we are now saving $30.95/month, or $371.40/year. And by increasing our home owner's insurance deductible from $500 to $1000, we are saving $150/year (I recommend having the amount needed to cover your deductible in an emergency fund, so that you don't have to feel like you are left to cross your fingers and hope nothing bad happens; you can also increase your auto insurance deductible in the same way, but I feel like we--read:I--make more claims on our vehicles than our home). That's $521.40/year right there!

Some other things that we are considering are automating our student loan to reduce the interest rate by 0.25%, reducing our anytime cell phone plan by 150 minutes which would save us $10/month, and canceling our gym membership and our XM satellite radio subscription, which would save another $44/month together (but our gym membership is paid through to next spring, and I'm a little partial to my XM :). And of course, we could further reduce our cable services, but we are pretty attached to our current channels for now.

I've also taken a very close look at our spending and found that we could be saving more than we are (in other words, we spend it if it's in the checking account), so I've increased our weekly automatic savings transfer by $50, which will save us an additional $2600 over the course of a year.

And finally, I decided to bite the bullet and diversify our IRAs from 100% fixed income to a relatively aggressive growth mix. I thought there would be charges to do this online so I had been dragging my feet, but as it turns out, the little "NTF" next to the funds that I had researched means that there are no transfer fees (duh!!). I am firmly in the camp of invest, diversify, and LEAVE IT ALONE. Being that we are relatively young, we can withstand some fluctuations for now. As we grow older and closer to retirement, we can gradually reduce our market exposure and risk accordingly.

None of these changes were very time-consuming and all were relatively painless. Be inspired! Start saving today!! A penny saved is far more than a penny earned. In fact with compound interest at 9%, that penny is worth 14 cents in 30 years. Not too shabby.

It's coming along

2008-07-08T15:15:00.003-05:00

I have been working on the website today, and I figured out how to add some menu buttons. You can now access the prayerhouse blog (which I will begin updating, now that it is "live"), send me an email, and of course you can still check out the message boards to post a prayer and/or read others' prayers.

So, come on by.

I shudder to think of the water bill we're racking up

2008-07-06T21:40:00.009-05:00

I gave four baths today. That's right, four. Two for each boy. But still under the family record of three showers in one day, which was set just yesterday by my husband. (There was a first-thing shower, an after-mowing-the-lawn shower, and a clean-up-to-go-to-a-wedding-reception shower. There might have even been a fourth after we got home last night, if it wasn't so late.)

Anyway, back to today's tale.

It all started with the boys getting to spend the night at my parents' house last night and only one of them waking up in time to go with me to church this morning. Can you guess who?

Yep. Coo Coo.

Mr. Rise-and-shine-at-7:15-no-matter-the-day (nor the night his parents had).

So Jackson slept in at the grandparents, and Cooper hung out in the toddler room (graduating from the infant room today) for two church services while I "served one, worshiped one". He did great, apparently, and was so snuggly that he is, and I quote, "welcome back any time."

After church, my newly-designated toddler and I made our way back to my parents' to pick up that sleepy-head son of mine. Mom tells me Jackson rolled out of bed at the crack of ten after ten. That's my kind of kid!

We stayed to play for a while, and everything was going well at first. Though I tend to be a little stressed when the boys play at other people's houses because I don't want them to get hurt NOR to break stuff, I began to relax enough to start in on a sandwich. Only then did I heard Jackson say, "uh oh."

Never a good thing when he utters those words. My heart sank, and I braced myself for the reason for the uh-oh.

Oh my! Let's just say, he made quite a poo-poo production in his pull-up and somehow ended up tagging the front of the couch with it. I felt terrible! I said, "Oh Mom, I'm so sorry." But she was awesomely unperturbed. "It's not a problem; we can clean that up."

She went about the task of tackling the couch while I set out to hose down my elder son.

First bath of the day.

He just kept saying, "I so sorry I made a mess, Mom." It was sweet. I tried to explain to him that it was okay and that it was an accident, but he only quit after I realized that he wanted me to forgive him, which I did.

After I finished getting Jackson cleaned up, I told Mom that I was puzzled by this incident because it's not a normal occurrence. In fact, I think I continued to make my point by saying something like, "this usually only happens when we're in the play place at McDonald's."

A little while later, we gathered our things and thanked the grandparents for taking care of our boys, and then went home to get some naps.

Everybody got in his respective bed, and soon after I crashed into mine. Chris tells me that the boys didn't sleep at all, but I can't say that I even noticed. Sleep came for me immediately. We were out until almost 2 a.m. last night (and I don't recover from that nearly as well as I did when in college, for example).

I woke from my heavy slumber a while later to the sound of Cooper crying. As I was dragging my feet before getting out of bed, Jackson came in our room to say, "Cooper's crying,Mom. He needs you."

I went to see what was up, and I found the little guy naked from the waist down. Besides his diaper, he had managed to get himself out of a pair of overalls too. That must have taken quite a bit of effort on his part. I do not exaggerate when I say that he was more than a little poopy.

Second bath of the day. And second time he's done that take-his-diaper-off-to-smear-poo-in-the-crib trick in the last five days. So. Much. Fun.

Later, we had a home-cooked meal (yay me!), which Chris chased with a Blue Bell popsicle (arguably the best on the market). Jackson asked him what it was, then promptly came to ask me for a "pop-sul." I grabbed one for Jackson and one for Cooper/me, and we headed out the front door.

'Cause you know carpet and popsicle don't mix, people.

We sat on the curb, enjoying the moment together. The weather was great, and the boys were lovin' the room to run around chasing each other. Outdoor play coupled with yummy, messy treats. The perfect summer activity, and a nice memory for me.

Bu-uutttt, they got filthy, as expected. So. . .

Third/Fourth baths of the day. Simultaneously.

And finally, bedtime for everyone. Needless to say, we've all earned it.

Stream of Consciousness Updates

2008-07-03T21:36:00.004-05:00

--some of my husband's co-workers blew up a washing machine last night. apparently the explosive of choice was a bundle of sparklers inside a piece of PVC pipe. the machine was completely obliterated, by all accounts, which makes the indiana-jones-surviving-a-nuclear-blast-in-an-lead-lined-fridge scene all the more unbelievable to me.

--cooper is nodding "yes" or shaking his head "no" in context these days. hilarious! he's VERY opinionated. if he doesn't like what's going on, he'll start throwing things or hitting you. it actually hurts most of the time, but it makes me smile because he's showing such personality.

--jackson was dry all night last thursday night, went to the potty all day friday without accidents (even enduring a two-hour car ride), and was dry all night friday night as well. he's been a little less consistent since then, but we are so close.

--i haven't cooked in almost two weeks, and it's been even longer since i've been to the grocery store for more than bread and milk. yikes! i just don't feel like preparing food these days, i guess. i did manage to make myself a loaded baked potato for lunch today, and it was heavenly.

--i'm reading anywhere from 4 to 6 books at present. no one book can keep my interest for some reason. i'm learning about building websites, christian ministry, dog-training, personal finance, and popular baby names of all things.

--my cravings have moved on from tortillas. i can't hardly even think about them right now without getting queasy. i'm not sure i've replaced them with anything else either. most of the time, nothing sounds good. i'm ready for this nausea to pass any day now.

A tisket a tasket. . .

2008-07-02T10:34:00.004-05:00

. . .some babies in a basket.

My little fire chiefs, sans pants.

Finding a balance

2008-07-02T09:37:00.003-05:00

It's turning out to be a very nice summer. We have enjoyed a lot of relatively inexpensive and/or free activities, and we've gotten to spend time with some good friends along the way. I was a little worried about keeping the boys occupied without the crutch of mother's day out, but that really hasn't been an issue at all. Actually, I've found that we have to pace ourselves because there is an abundance of things to do.

Of course, with all this activity and entertainment, I haven't been able to keep the house in order like I'd like to. I told Chris last night that I can only maintain either the laundry or the kitchen at any one time. Each morning I wake up telling myself that today is the day I'm going to get the house back in shape, only to be disappointed when my efforts fall short of that lofty goal. Then I don't feel like doing anything the next day because I can't seem to get ahead of the huge mess.

I've discovered that I need to set smaller goals.

And I think I have figured out at good system for balancing our fun with my need to be productive this summer, which has the potential to keep me from feeling guilty for not being able to get EVERYthing done. I'm trying to implement a "one project/one activity per day" plan. This way, the boys get to have some fun, and I get the satisfaction of completing something. It's measurable AND attainable! For example, yesterday we went to the pool, and then during the boys' extended nap afterward, I was able to pick up the living room. Last Friday, the boys had a playdate in the morning, and in the afternoon I finished packing for our weekend trip. And one day last week, I finally tackled the task of putting together the shoe rack that I purchased over a year ago, after after the kids and I spent the morning at the dollar movie.

For now, I think I'll go watch some Wonder Pets with Jackson while I plan our day. He's already asking for "the water" again (the pool). Perhaps I can entice him to settle for a romp through the crazy sprinkler in our backyard. . .

How do you spell exhaustion?

2008-07-01T15:45:00.003-05:00

C-I-T-Y P-O-O-L!

Whew! The boys and I just got back from the community pool, and I am officially spent. Cooper is dead to the world as I type. He didn't even fuss at me when I had to lay him down on the floor so that I could make his bed before putting him in it. I wouldn't have had to do that but for the digging in the diaper escapade that occurred during his morning nap today. YUCK! Jackson never did this, so this was my first experience of it, and I gotta tell ya: not. cool. Cooper won himself an extra bath this morning, and I got to do an unplanned load of laundry. YAY!! I left the making of the bed for later; when am I gonna learn to do it right away?

Anyway, my friend Amy and I and our six kids braved the crowds to take a dip. We figured that worst case scenario, we would have to leave right after getting there if it was too much for us. But Amy's step-kids are older and were a big help with the four younger ones (of which Jackson is the oldest!). Yeah, we're a little nuts, but I think everybody had a really good time, and it was only a dollar per kid and two dollars per adult to enter. We even brought our own snacks and drinks, and therefore saved on that as well. All-in-all, a nice afternoon. Who knows, we just might do it again next week. . .or maybe the one after that :).

Doctor visit

2008-06-30T12:50:00.008-05:00

I had a prenatal check-up this morning. It has been almost six weeks since my early ultrasound, and I've been getting pretty anxious about having confirmation that everything was still okay. I have been struggling with fear of miscarriage more acutely with this pregnancy than either of the previous two. Perhaps because I am not super-convinced that we can "handle" three kids or because I've not had any trouble thus far and therefore feel like I'm "due" for it--either way, I know it is silly to think this way. I have been praying that God would take my thoughts captive and grant me peace and comfort to know that He is in control no matter the outcome of this pregnancy.

For now, though, I am very relieved to know that the baby is doing quite well, despite my fears to the contrary. The very moment the doppler touched my tummy, the baby's heartbeat could be heard loud and clear. It's in the 150s, if you were curious.

My doctor thinks I should start feeling the baby move within the next 2-4 weeks (YAY!!!), and after that I'm sure my worries will calm considerably. But in the mean time, I will be trying to trust in Him before I have daily confirmation of the baby's health.

John 20:29 (NIV)
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Not that I think for a minute that putting my trust in God guarantees any specific outcome--God cannot be put in a box like that--but I'd rather walk with Him in either blessing or sadness than try to navigate this life on my own.

On the road again

2008-06-29T17:51:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the bloggy absence. I had nothing to report leading up to the weekend, though we were pretty busy, and then we were out of town starting on Friday and only just returned a few hours ago. No matter how nice the trip, it always feels so good to be home.

We had a good time with family in Branson and Springfield, and the boys seemed to love all the attention of the aunts, uncles, and cousins--and of course the grandparents too. There's more to share, but I'll save it for another time. I'm exhausted.

Oh, and Jackson and I did make it back in time to catch Go Diego Go! Live at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. I will write about our animal rescue experience in the next post as well. I will say that just about the time Jackson got really into it, the show was over. Isn't that always the way it goes? :)

Been meaning to do this for a while

2008-06-24T14:50:00.003-05:00

I am considering changing the address of this blog from wifenursemother.blogspot to sermonsinstones.blogspot. It just kind of makes sense.

Do any of you have strong objections to this? It would require refreshing some feeds and new bookmarks, but I can't imagine too much other trouble. I'm pretty sure the content would remain untouched, and from what I can tell, blogger makes it very easy to do this. Is there anything that might give me pause that I haven't mentioned here? Please share your thoughts on this with me.

Random updates part 43

2008-06-24T10:25:00.004-05:00

Jackson is wearing big boy underwear right now because he was able to tell me that he needed to potty on the toilet and then successfully did so. My plan is to encourage real undies as often as we're home, and reserve the pull-ups for sleep and outings.

Yesterday, Jackson went to the dentist a second time, and I was very proud of how well he did. He was scared, but he sat still for x-rays and bravely allowed them to polish his entire mouth! Cooper was a great little brother; he sat quietly in my lap next to Jackson, and once even patted him on the shoulder as if to say, "That's okay, you can do it." The dental hygenist was just wonderful! She let Jackson play with all the equipment and "help" her with some of his cleaning. If anyone is looking for a good dentist in the NWArk area, I highly recommend Drs. Ward and Massey in Fayetteville.

Cooper blows me away constantly with his grasp of the world around him. He's saying new things all the time. Last night, he said "oops" after he fell down, and this morning he told me that he "did it" after trying something new. He continues to be incredibly sweet and cuddly (which this momma loves!), and he charms everyone he meets. Without fail, everyone at the dentist's office went out of their way to tell me how cute he was!

I believe I am "showing" far earlier with this pregnancy. I've had a few strangers tell me that they thought I might be pregnant but didn't want to say anything until I brought it up. That's crazy to me, but I still can't help but think that I just look chubby. My mom assures me that the bump is too high for it to look like flab. Aren't moms the best?

Chris has a new toy as of Father's Day. In an afternoon of impulse and weakness ;), I did some pricing research and then went out to buy him a Wii. He was completely surprised!! I think it is my best gifting effort yet. He just kept smiling like a little boy as we set it up. I gotta tell ya, I've never been so sore in my life as I was after that first night of trying out Wii bowling, tennis, and boxing. Jackson is really figuring things out too, and he just might be better than me at golf. My three year old! The whole family is getting in on the action. Even little CooCoo knows to swing the Wii-mote back and forth when he gets ahold of it.

Freddie Mac, the cocker mix, is assimilating into our family quite nicely in the two and a half months since we brought him home. He is really good with the boys, is completely house-trained (finally), and has begun to pick up some simple commands--such as "sit" and "down". He still pulls too much on the leash, but he's weighs less than 14 pounds, so I think can handle that. I just love this little doggie!

Tomorrow and beyond

2008-06-18T16:44:00.010-05:00

Tomorrow I will be 10 weeks along in my pregnancy. Finally. Seems like I've been pregnant forever this time around. Of course, a lot of that has to do with thinking we were further along than we actually are. And the nausea tends to make time stand still as well.

Therefore, I have had a little time to ponder our family's future in these several weeks since we learned baby #3 is on the way.

What I know:
1. We own a two-bedroom duplex with no clear direction from the Lord that we should "upgrade." Needless to say, space will be tight with five people in our family.
2. Money will be tight too.
3. But, we are responsible for only 30% of our mortgage payment due to renting out the other unit. Suh-weet!
4. And, we have two vehicles that are completely paid for, one of which will more than accommodate our growing family (thanks again, Mom and Dad!)
5. Chris' job continues to be a blessing to us.
6. My job pays very well, too, yet it allows me to spend six days at home, which saves on daycare costs.
7. On top of all that, we have family nearby who have often shared our childcare burden with us thus far and will no-doubt continue to do so.

The circumstances are daunting, yet we are more than adequately blessed.

In prayer to God, and in reading His word, I have asked this question more than once, "What are we gonna do with a third baby?" And the answer is always the same.

Trust Me.

He has never proven to be anything less than completely trustworthy. So, we will have faith in Him. Still. Again. And the best part is that He even gives us the tools to do so. We'll not be afraid, for fear is not from God.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Cooper's New Word and Other Updates

2008-06-18T09:27:00.008-05:00

The latest word to come from my now 15 month old's (where has the time gone?) mouth is out.

As in, "Mother, I am awake, and I would greatly appreciate getting out of my crib, when you get a moment."

Or also used in this context: "I have finally had my fill of the many food offerings you've so kindly provided for my dinner, and I am ready to get out of my high chair in order that I might rejoin my brother in all-things-playful."

I mean, it IS just one word of course, but a mother can infer quite a lot of meaning from it, none the less.

Jackson's new things: every adult on the TV is a mommy or daddy (depending on their genders), especially when they are showing emotion. "The mommy's sad, Mommy." Such a perceptive little guy! When we finish a meal, Jackson asks us where the food went, and almost always says, "It's down in your toes?" then proceeds to trace a path with his finger from our tummies, along our legs, and finishing at our toes while saying, "down, down, down." Last night, for an extra laugh, he added a high-pitched "wheeee!" to the down-the-leg part. So funny! One of the things I'm most proud of, is that 80-90% of the time, he can tell me which is his right foot and which is his left. He's very keen on dressing himself these days, and while he picks out ensembles that I wouldn't personally choose for him (e.g. dressy, still-too-big-for-him brown shoes sans socks with jean shorts and a grey t-shirt), I do not dare squash this streak of independence in him. I don't care what kind of looks I get for not dressing my child "properly" because it's not really for anyone else anyway. Besides, that's one less "nakey butt" I am responsible for every now and then. And, THAT, my friends, is a beautiful thing!

To My Husband

2008-06-16T15:26:00.002-05:00

Thank you for being the rock of our family and for loving these boys like you do. You are a great dad! Happy Father's Day! (a day late, but it couldn't be helped). We love you!!!