My Baby? You Decide.

The other day I was sorting through a few items in my daughter's baby book and found her birth certificate. I looked inside and notice that they had stamped her feet in it after she was born. Awww.

My baby book came with a special little "clean" stamp pad where you press the baby's foot onto the top of the pad, which is covered in plastic, and it makes the print on the paper below.

In looking at the prints I had made of my baby's feet, and the ones done in the hospital, I noticed something strange.

They are nothing alike.

Those footprints on my child's birth certificate? Not my child's feet.










See for yourself. They are not the same. Totally not the same. Not to mention the fact that the ones taken two weeks earlier are bigger. Huh.

Do I do or say something about it? The small print on the bottom of the page says that they are not a legal document and are a memento. Ok, sure, but not a memento of my kid.

Andy says that they did it right in the birthing room. Apparently, after they took the card away, they filled out some other kids' info on it.

Baby 5.5

(She is now five and a half months old. I kept missing and then putting off writing her five month post. Apparently, she was also neglected this month as she has very few pictures. But she's got lots of fun video. It just needs editing. A very time consuming project.)




This month you seemed to make so many changes! Not only are you getting bigger every day, (and always cuter) but you really seem to be learning new things. I still have a hard time distinguishing whether you are doing something intentionally or accidentally, but it is starting to move more often toward intention.





You love to grab. Anything and everything, but most especially people's faces. Noses, hair, eyes, lips. Your toys hold new interest for you and you can play with a toy for a lot longer now. You notice the textures and the movements and you are more concerned with all their different sounds.





It's possible that you've started teething as you can go through your whole pile of bibs in a day with your drool. The binkie seems to keep some of it in, but you can leak all over in mere moments. I have been making waterproof bibs so you don't have to change your clothes as many times.





You now love to stand up. You can only handle lying down or rolling around for so long before you want to stand. Sitting is only a means for you to be closer to standing. I think we may need to buy some more sticky-footed socks so you don't slide all over.

We still try to enforce tummy time as often during a day as possible, but you are not a fan at all. You will tolerate it, and our silly shenanigans for about five minutes until you have had enough. I have a bad feeling that you are going to be a walker long before you crawl.

Joining In: WFMW

I don't usually do a daily post or a "scheduled" topic, but today I was specifically thinking of a few things that worked for me today.

Craigslist. I don't know if you have a craigslist community near you, but you should definitely check into it. I sold a ton of great stuff yesterday and am steadily purging my house of things I don't need, hardly use, and am completely sick of. Plus, I am building up my home improvement fund for remodeling the attic & the basement this winter.

Paying my car insurance premium semi-annually instead of monthly. With our last car, we only had the minimum insurance coverage and the premium reflected this. I was easily able to pay it up front and didn't have to see regular bills. I have been saving up enough lately to pay the most recent one altogether and am looking forward to not having to pay it again until December! Why shouldn't I collect some interest and avoid the (albeit small) monthly fee? Plus, it just makes me feel much more on top of things to get this done.

What doesn't work for me on this beautiful, sunny Wednesday? The piles of laundry to put away, the dishes, the garden to clean and move, the luggage still sitting out, the odds and ends and junk around that needs to be returned to rightful places. All in due time, I suppose. Reading a book and being back in the cottage on the lake would work for me a whole lot better I think.

At the Lake

Growing up, we would go to the lake several times during the summer. My grandparents owned a small, cozy cottage on Lake Chautauqua in Western New York. We'd spend the day in the shallow, rocky water searching for mussels to try to pull apart or roll on the gentle waves in our inner tubes.

Fishing was a given. Gramma was an avid fisher who not only could fillet a mean perch, but could catch one just by winking at it. If you went to the cottage, you had to fish. It took me years to learn to string my own worms, but still never had the courage or ability to get the fish itself off of the hook.

I loved sitting and staring lazily at a red and white striped bobbin riding the waves. Waiting until it came in too far past the best fish spot and reeling it back in only to throw it out again immediately into deeper waters. It wasn't about how many or how big; it was just about the soothing, relaxing time of fishing with Gramma. She'd show you the best way to cast the line and where it was easiest to catch a fish. She knew when a shiny little minnow would catch a bigger fish and when the little worms were better.

Far too often Pop would have to get his waders on and walk into the water to dislodge my hook from the rocks in the shallows. He never complained, just chuckled that it was only fifteen minutes since the last time.

It wasn't really summer unless we had spent time at the cottage. Eating macaroni salad, chicken barbecue and chocolate chip cookies while sitting on the dock. Laying for hours on the green cloth hammock stretched tight on the poles while staring up at the clouds floating by. Laziness was a virtue at the cottage.

Last year they sold it to their long-time neighbors. Most of the family has moved far enough away that we didn't always make it up even once a summer. The new owners have renovated it beyond recognition of it's original style. Instead of dark paneling, piles of old magazines and the musty smell of a too-long-closed-up room we arrived this week to find a fresh, airy, light vacation getaway. You can still see the original walls, but that is about all that has survived the transition.

The deck which used to sit off the front and face the water is now completely enclosed and a new deck added. The kitchen, with its ancient appliances and cramped cupboards has become a bright new room with updated everything and a beautiful, chic stand-alone island. The whole place has a feel of sunshine, pale blue water and summertime instead of a dark, cold fishing cabin hiding in the woods.

I loved the old cottage. I loved the musty smell, the coziness, the familiar piles of old games, books and knick-knacks. I loved hearing the easy-listening channel on the radio all day. I loved sitting with a pair of binoculars and looking at the boats sailing or speeding by. I loved digging through the closet to see what random junk could be found for play. I loved meeting the whole family for a day of talking and laughing and eating, fishing and swimming. There were years of happy memories stored up in that cottage.

I also love the new cottage. We'll still only be able to come up here once a year, but it feels more like a vacation now with the added benefit of modern conveniences. Instead of musty, it smells like fresh water and just plain clean. Instead of fish heads nailed to the boards on the porch, there is framed artwork inside. We don't have to haul in a bucket of water to flush the toilet and the shower has continual hot water. We can watch movies on the HD flat screen and still listen to the waves crashing on the shore. We can cook and bake and grill and eat with brand new appliances.

We are the first customers this cottage has ever lived with. It seems fitting that we get to gently break it in and give it some new memories.

The old was good. It was very good. But the new is good too. Maybe the new is even great. See for yourself.


Cottage from Anne on Vimeo.

So, You Wanna Hear Something Really Gross?

This morning we were up early to listen to a friend who was on the radio. Ok, I'll be honest, I slept through half of it, but the baby finally made me get up at 7:30. Ugh, that is not my favorite time of the day.

After the radio show, hubby made a yummy pot of coffee and then we walked a couple houses down to meet some friends who were checking out a home for sale. It was interesting to say the least. The house has been vacant for over a year, the previous owners having vanished into thin air. (KIND OF LIKE THE ISLAND!)

Frankly, it wasn't nearly as horrible as I was expecting for the price at which it was listed. We wandered through imagining with them what it could be like and what could be done for improvements.

Baby happily looked at each new room and peered cautiously around every corner.

I happily sipped my hot coffee with foamed milk. Mmmm.

I noticed some had spilled onto my sleeve (sometimes I over fill my travel mugs) so I slurped it up. What? I didn't want to waste it!

Yeah. That was not foamed milk on my sleeve.

Stuff I've Done (Beacase It Makes me Feel Good to Make a List) (Also Because It's Nice Not to Have to Check Grammar)

I've kind of been a bit of a Suzy Homemaker the past couple of days. Daddy's gotten extra baby time as I occupy myself with various and sundry domestic tasks including, but not limited to:

Homemade:

salsa

tortilla chips

hummus

brownies

banana bread

spaghetti sauce

Cooking several actual dinners for my family

Weeding both flower & vegetable gardens and planting my front step planters. (Granted, I had an excessive amount of help weeding & planting from a friend. Even though she did it out of the goodness of her heart (Plus? She likes weeding!) I paid with dinner & DQ, but I am still indebted!)

Cleaned for and had a fantastic Memorial Day BBQ

Sewed:

bibs

aprons (hooray for a sale!)

diapers

binkie straps

I have another big sewing project I'm working on and will post pics after I'm done. It's something I've never made before so I'm really hoping it turns out well!

Just Like That

I realize that the following information is only momentous to me, but here goes anyway.

Baby decided to sleep through the night again. She took a few weeks off in order to eat several extra meals and grow a bit, but now she seems to be back to her regularly scheduled program.

At least she was last night. We'll see how tonight goes. My fingers are crossed.

Baby Goes to Bed

I'll warn you right now that this is over 6 minutes, so if you're not a relative you may not necessarily be enthralled for the whole time. However, if you do watch the whole thing, the end is humorous.


Baby Goes to Bed from Anne on Vimeo.

Time for Crunches

I often find that I fall so far short of my goals. Right now, life is good. Baby is healthy and happy and learning new things every day. Summer is around the corner and the world is fresh and green again. Andy & I are coming up on our 7 year anniversary while discovering our love to be stronger all the time.

In spite of all of the goodness around me, I am unsettled. My procrastination seems to be at an all-time high in a time when I have so much to do. Ever-growing mounds of laundry, dishes piling at every turn and my garden needing vast amounts of attention. Not only do I want to be successful at motherhood, I want to be a better housekeeper.

This spring I paid to go to exercise classes and every week something comes up to prevent me from attending as often as I should. The excuses are usually pretty weak. Last night I just wanted to spend time with my baby and this morning, well, I think it's just gotten to a point where I don't care any more. Sure, I should go. I'm even up early enough to have time to eat long enough before I go. But I don't.

Budgeting has also fallen by the wayside for me. I feel as though I have been pretty good about not buying extraneous items, but at the same time I am off the mark from where we need to be. Stupid mistakes that end up costing a lot of money. Stupid and so frustrating.

Worst of all is my spiritual life.

So here I am, highly frustrated with myself and throwing my vulnerability out into the world. They say you should only work on one new habit at a time, but I feel as though there are so many things in my life that need complete overhauls.

Debbie Downer signing off.

Sales

Last night hubby and I took a stroll with our bebe on our local walking/biking/running trail and chatted about the year to come. He's turning thirty in a month and I asked him what he was hoping and dreaming for this momentous year.

It was a beautiful evening for a walk. Birds were chirping, everything was green around us and the mosquitoes were just beginning to bite. Ok, so the mosquitoes weren't quite so beautiful. I did make the decision that we won't be going back on the trail until I purchase a baby bike trailer.

The bike trailer was part of our year-goal-chat last night. One of my goals is to sell more and buy less. Sell more products that I make as well as to start siphoning off a lot of extraneous items around the house. I keep listing (and relisting) things on craigslist in hopes of reducing my material goods. Not to mention the fact that I work less and therefore make less nowadays.

At the same time, there are a few things (bike trailer) that we want to buy in the upcoming year. Or week, as the case may be. Our tax refund was mailed to us yesterday (according to the official irs schedule) and I want to use the majority to pay off some debt, but also use a bit to purchase a little camcorder.

Baby girl just keeps getting sweeter and cuter and we would love to be able to record some of her cuteness on tape! Or on hard drive, in our case. We want to do our part to stimulate the economy anyway.

What are you using your refund for?

An Epic Tale

It was a dark and stormy night. The wind whipped each drop of rain fiercely so that they felt like needles against my skin. Eternity stretched before me as I took each staggering step forward into the inky blackness. Fearing what was behind me yet terrified of what was ahead, I could only move blindly toward what would later prove to be one of the greatest moments in my life.

Ok. That might be a bit of an overstatement. It wasn't night and it wasn't raining either. Aaaand I suppose I wasn't really scared about anything, nor was it quite that monumental.

The actual story just didn't have a whole lot of pizazz to it so I figured I should try to spice it up a bit. Ah well.


Today was baby's First Shot. I don't want to go with the regular immunization schedule for a lot of reasons, but for one, I'm just not comfortable giving such a tiny person so many shots all at once when she's so young. We're just taking it slow. What goes in can't come back out and I don't want any regrets. So she just got one today.



I gave her a bit of Tylenol before we left to go to the doctor's and hoped for the best. The visit was uneventful. I was mostly just nervous about whether they would be okay with my choice or if it would be a big deal. No worries needed. Everything went perfectly smoothly and I don't think she even noticed the poke. Frankly, I think she was more grumpy about how our arrival at the office interrupted her nap.

The cat seemed to be more needy and clingy today than the baby was. So they both got a little extra snuggling and everyone is happy.

Time for bed. Lately, Baby has been getting up earlier than usual. Earlier than I would prefer, if the truth be told. I should just be thankful that we have gotten as much sleep as we have up until now. I know it will only continue to get earlier, so remind me of my thankfulness in a few months, ok?

Momma's First

Mother's Day always causes one to think of their mother. Obviously. Yet, this year I get to think of myself as well. What kind of mom am I going to be?

Will I overprotect? Will I be too free? Will I be able to fall somewhere comfortably in between?


I remember my mom as having plenty of rules, yes, but loving my brother & I so much in spite of the rules. She made each of us our own stuffed animals. Even when we didn't have much money, she made sure we got presents we loved. I remember her sending me cards when I was at "camp," (Grandma's) and my brother got care packages all the time at college. She showed us her love with her gifts.

Will I be able to have enough rules that Randall will not feel claustrophobic yet she'll know we care enough to make the rules and stick with them? Will I be able to shower her with gifts, yet teach her their value and meaning? Will I be able to make her feel special yet not spoiled?

My mom loved to cook, to bake, to can food. She ate incredibly healthy herself, yet let us eat things we preferred while still getting our veggies in us. She showed us her love with her cooking.

Will I be hardworking? Will I put the effort into making healthy, sustaining food for my family? Will I put the time into working to be frugal and pinch pennies where I have to in order to insure we have enough?

Mom was always a hugger. She never shied away from hugging us and hugging others. She showed us her love with physical affection.

I don't have to ask myself if I will succeed at this. I know that I will want to hug and kiss my daughter even when she prefers I stay away.

Andy got me a pink rose plant, a sweet card and a huge cookie that said, "Mom." Frankly, the cookie is super corny, but it still made me tear right up. I gotta love the guy for his corny-ness. Today will involve church work this morning, prep for a party tonight, a party for my volunteers and then hopefully going to bed early!

I want to cherish my first day. I want to ponder what it means to be good at this job. I want to thank God for the reason I get to participate in this holiday. I want to enjoy being honored. And tomorrow I want to work all the harder to deserve it next year.

Month Four

This month has been full of all kinds of craziness! You met your namesake, your grandma, tons of great-aunts & uncles and even great-great aunts! Our trip to New York, while planned, ended up being completely different than we expected. Even though mama was stressed out the entire time, you took it all in stride and loved everyone you met.



You were spectacular on every flight and slept through the night like a champ. Granted, you refused to sleep in the pack & play we hauled around with us and chose your carseat instead, but we were just happy you slept!










This month you learned to roll from your back onto your belly and as soon as you found yourself there for too long, you let us know how unhappy you were about it! Rolling back and forth and all around was your favorite past-time for a few weeks and then you just stopped doing it. It was as if you had accomplished a task, checked it off of your list and moved on to something new.



We have started instituting "nekked time" every evening for about a half hour. There are few things that make you happier than rolling around and playing without your clothes or diaper on. I always make sure to keep a couple cloth diapers under you to protect the carpet, but so far there haven't been any squirting problems! You are so stinking much fun that I love to just watch you play and roll and smile you gummy little smile.



Bath time is still one of your favorite times of the day. You never seem to laugh or smile during your bath, but you are so quiet and content and enthralled with the whole process. We just bought you some new bath toys too...not that you can play with them yet, but you'll have fun with them when you are able.




It seems as though you will only take short naps during the day unless you are being held and snuggled, in which case, you'll sleep for hours. Sometimes it is frustrating as I want or need to get stuff done, but when I'm holding you and watching your sweet little face, I don't mind one bit. I don't think there can be anything better than snuggling with a sleeping baby.



We haven't heard it very often, but every now and then your laughs have come out as actual giggles. Usually, you will laugh at our silly faces and get so excited to "run" and "jump" and love being held up high and then float down to our laps. Yet it's rare that we hear a giggle come out...but this month we have heard a few. It's amazing the things we'll do to try to get you to laugh and smile. We must look like complete idiots, but you love it.






You keep getting bigger and sweeter every single day. I love to dress you up and show you off. I love to take you for a walk and let you look at everything around you. I love to kiss your little mouth and chubby belly. I love to hold your tiny hands and nibble your teeny toes.

This month we dedicated ourselves and you to God. Hopefully, we remember all that we promised and that we will do our very best for you.

Nursing News (aka: guys, please move along)

I don't know that there are a whole lot of guys that read this, but I have given fair warning that you need not read any further. Seriously.


That said, I am happy to announce that we have been silicone free for about a week now.

Medela has been my best friend since I first had Randall. They say that you should not give up nursing until you have tried it for at least six weeks, but after less than a week of fighting with my child for every single meal, we switched to my pumping and her receiving a bottle. For as much as I wanted to only breastfeed her, I also didn't want to spend every moment with her angry. She wasn't getting enough to eat and she was always mad. With bottle feeding my expressed milk, she was calm, full and happy. Pumping was simple and much faster as well. To me, this seemed like the best way to go.


Until I heard from a friend who had had similar nursing problems and solved them with the nipple shield. Now, the nurse in the hospital had mentioned this option to me when we were working on the latch there, but I didn't know what it was and when she asked if I wanted to try one, I just said (for the second time), "I don't know," and they didn't press the issue. I wish they had.

This little guy was magic. She latched onto it immediately and from then on all was well. Pumping was getting rather tedious for every feeding and was very difficult when I was home alone during the day or at work with the baby.

We did spend a couple days where I had to keep fighting with her to stay awake for a full feeding, but she quickly grew out of that as well.

While we were in New York last month, we had a very bad feeding incident. I had only brought one of my three shields with me (mistake #1) and the one I had I left behind (mistake # 2). The best place to keep it is tucked happily right in my bra, but had I put it there? No, I left it on the dresser instead.

The decision had been made to stop at my mom's for one last visit before flying home and when we arrived there and the baby was hungry I discovered my glaring error. She would not nurse without the shield and it then took another ten minutes to hunt down a cup & hot water to warm up the bottle that I had brought along in her cooler. All in all, it was not a pretty situation.

I knew I couldn't rush her to stop using the shield and that she would wean off of it in her own time. Frankly, I wasn't too concerned. Even if she ended up using it for the next six months, at least she was still eating well and happy and it was not that big of a deal on my part, so long as I don't lose them.

So here she was, approaching her four month mark and she just decided one day that she was done. Eating was a bit fussy one evening, so I popped the shield off and gave her a shot at silicone-freedom. She hasn't looked back since.

I tell you all this (quite personal) info not just so I can document it for myself, but because I don't think enough people know about this option. It saved our nursing and my sanity many a time. If you know of someone who just had a baby and is having a hard time nursing or teaching her baby to latch, let them know that this is a fabulous option to be able to nurse and not have to switch to formula or have to pump all the time!

Baby Dedication

Dear Randi-

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and cleverly and thoughtfully named as well. Randall Gabrielle F is a name with a strong family connection and one with a lot of history. We chose this because family is important to us as well as a sense of your heritage, but more than in a genealogical way. We believe that as children of God we are part of a lineage that traces back to the foundations of humanity itself. May your name remind you that you are part of something that is bigger than what we know and broader than what we can imagine.

You will grow up surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses; parents and grandparents and great grandparent s; sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles; generations of our family have chased after our Lord and Savior and we pray that our stories and examples would challenge you to do the same. Never forget that you are part of something Big. Our God has spent all of history building for himself a nation, a kingdom, a priesthood… a family who will be his light and blessing to a very beautiful yet broken world in need of redemption and restoration. But in this big story our prayer is that you would come to realize the unique and individual way that God has called and designed you to be His child in His world.

We loved the name Gabrielle and it reminds us of the angel Gabriel. In German, Randi means beautiful and you, our sweet daughter, are our Beautiful Angel. Every day you are more precious and more beautiful to us. We can’t stop looking at you and loving every moment of your life.

Everyone is always commenting on who you look like. Sometimes it’s Mama and sometimes it’s Daddy. We just know that you are going to be a part of us both and altogether yourself. You are becoming your own person more every day and it is going to be so much fun to see you grow up and discover who you are! May you rejoice in who God has made you and always strive to become the woman He designed you to be.

You will always be loved unconditionally. Even now, there is nothing that you could do or have done to make us love you more or less. God has specifically given you to us, and us to you and we love you for exactly who you are.

We hope you are fun and silly and can appreciate your Daddy’s sense of humor! We hope you will love art and music, animals and the beauty everywhere around you.

May you grow in wisdom and stature (but not too tall!). May you grow in favor with God and with man (but not with men until you are at least 30!). May you know the goodness of your Savior and show His love to everyone you meet. May your heart be soft yet strong, and your mind sharp and thoughtful. May you be pure and honest, full of grace and truth. We desire the very best for you and your life and will do everything in our power to teach you and raise you up in the way you should go. By the grace of God we give you back to him. Today we dedicate ourselves in His service to bring you up in His Word and with His love.

We love you our blessed daughter.

Love, Mama & Daddy

Cupcakes

I need to make some. Pictures and talk of cupcakes are all around me for some reason lately and I have been craving them.

Let's see, maybe they could be Springtime Celebration Cupcakes? Or Super Sunny Cupcakes? How about I Just Need Some Cupcakes?

Spring Ring

Last October I spent the better part of a day creating this lovely tree ring. The spring has arrived and I love the results! I wish it had been a bit sunnier today when I took this picture, but I love the profusion of flowers. The darker tulips haven't blossomed yet, but when they do, they'll stand out beautifully.

Unfortunately, I have noticed a few snips. Too clean of a cut to be from a squirrel, someone is cutting my flowers! That frustrates me to no end. Please enjoy my blooms, but leave them where they are so everyone can benefit. I've caught kids doing it before and asked them very nicely never to do it again. It drives me crazy. Does this happen to anyone else?

Comparison Photos

Next weeks she'll be four months. Even though she is sitting all scrunched up, you can see how much she has changed. It's hard to notice when I look at her all day long, but remembering how huge that outfit was on her and knowing it doesn't fit at all now makes it so obvious.

Signs It Might Be Spring

1. I have bug bites.

2. The weather keeps changing from 40 to 80 to 60 to 30. That's Michigan. It might snow next week.

3. The leaves are all sprouting out of their buds.

4. The spiders are all sprouting out of their buds.

5. I'm reading four books at the same time. How To Be Good by Nick Hornby, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, unChristian by David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons (I promise I'm almost done, Dan!) and Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld which I got for my birthday. Plus, the keeping up with my Your Baby's First Year week as well as various magazines.

6. I want to spend all of my time on the front porch and am itching to play in the dirt.

7. Did I mention the bug bites & spiders yet? Because my legs are itching and I keep looking at the ceilings.

8. We've gone for a walk almost every day. I'm not sure if the DQ & slushie stops are helping the benefits of exercise though. But they're goood.

9. Dairy Queen is open for business. Man, I would love an ice cream cake. Who here likes ice cream cake?

The Hubby

I haven't done one of these in forever and I always enjoy talking about my hubby...He's my favorite.

How long did you date? 2 years, but I "knew" after 2 months.

How old is he? Almost 30. I'm married to an old man! Yikes!

Who eats more? Right now it's a pretty close race...usually he finishes my food, but I've been packing it away lately.

Who said “I love you” first? I think I did, but he was right behind me. I didn't want to rush into it, but I knew it was true.

Who is taller? He is a foot and three inches taller.

Who sings better? No contest, him. I like to think I'm decent, but he has to do a lot more editing in the studio for me to sound great.

Who is smarter? This is probably a pretty close one, but I would have to say it depends on the subject matter. There are some things that he's always right on and things I have to correct him about.

Whose temper is worse? Him...it takes a lot to actually make me angry. I get frustrated easily, but that's about it. He mostly gets mad at inanimate objects like a board that won't be hammered into place or a car that keeps breaking down. Though, when I am angry, you had better watch out because it is not pretty!

Who does the laundry? I do most of it now that I am home more often, but he's always willing to help out when I need it.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does. I have to get up to feed the baby and my side is next to the door.

Who pays the bills? Me. Organization is not usually a musicians' strong suit. Of course, if you are talking about who brings home the money, it's definitely him. He not only works full time and makes more, but he also teaches lessons and records albums on the side to help pay the bills and pay off our debt. He is a very hard worker. Even though a lot of the time he's lucky enough to really love his work and it is a little bit like play!

Who cooks dinner? Typically me, but he usually handles the breakfasts and grilling. He makes a mean plate of French Toast. Yeah Toast!

Who drives when you are together? He always does now...the baby seat won't fit behind him so it has to stay on my side as he uses the car more often by himself. Plus, I freak him out when I drive.

Who is more stubborn? When we are in an argument, neither of us will let go of our side. Usually, we are both laid-back enough people that we'll concede the argument and just learn from it and move on rather than admit the other was right!

Who kissed who first? Well...he was actually a pretty shy fellow when it came to girls so I had to help him out at first, but it didn't really take all that much effort.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? He almost always does. When we have both cooled off, he'll apologize while I sit and think how right I am. I'm not very good at admitting my fault. Ugh. Even when I know it.

Whose parents do you see the most? His. They are great about coming to visit whenever they can.

Who proposed? He did. When I came home from Israel, he surprised me by picking me up at the airport and taking me out to a fancy dinner and proposed in the snow in Chicago.

Who is more sensitive? We are both moderately sensitive about stuff. Probably me more so than he is, but neither of us are really big cry-ers. Though his heart is soft and sweet.

Who has more friends? According to Facebook, he does. But most of his friends are mine as well so I call a tie.

Who has more siblings? We each have one sibling, who have each lived with us at one point or another.

Who wears the pants in the family? We share most of the decisions. I probably decide more than he does since I pay the bills but I don't think I'm "in charge." His pants are way bigger due to his excessive tallness, so we can say he does.


Ladies, if you need to talk about your hubby, please do! They deserve all our attention for putting up with us and providing for us. I have said more than once that I don't know how I got such a great guy, but I am so thankful that I did. Even when we don't agree, he still makes my day. He's a fabulous daddy and an amazing man. Love you, babe!

Surprised?

We were in New York with family most of this last week and Randall had to make do on where she slept. The pack & play was folded up and brought along on the plane so she'd have a cozy bed at night, but she was having none of that. The car seat ended up being the bed of choice for all naps and night time sleeping. She'd stay snuggled in there even after waking up and often we didn't know she was up.

Little alert eyes peeking out at the world. Waiting to come out and play.

Month Three

Apparently all you did this month was sleep as those are almost the only pictures we've taken. I need to get better at taking more pictures of you. You just keep getting cuter and sweeter every day. More than once I have found myself thinking that I just cannot stand how sweet you are.

You had your first Easter this month and lots of good time with your Grammy and Papa. You've been great at entertaining guests especially since you tend to cry whenever Mama leaves you alone.





You are still an exceptional little sleeper. Your nap times seem to be getting shorter, but your night times are just as long and lovely.

That's ok with me since you are happy to play on your play mat or sit in your swing or be carried in your baby pack whenever I need to do a little work around the house. You always let me know when you feel the least bit neglected and in need of some cuddling.





You also seem to poo less. That sure is better for diaper washing. Not to mention that you don't get as grouchy in a wet diaper anymore. While you're not a huge fan of being wet, you won't fuss the second you want to be changed.


Your new favorite game is running. You love for one of us to grab your legs and pump those little feet as fast and they can go. The silent giggles are overwhelming. You could run for hours.

Peekaboo is more fun when you hide than when we do. Here again, you are filled with smiles and giggles at finding us appear from behind your hands when we move them around.






No matter what the problem may be, Mama can always solve it. Quite often when no one else is able to do so. Last week you went from being the favorite, sweetest baby in the nursery to being the baby about whom they say, "Well, she sure is a screamer." They can hear you all the way down the hall and people wonder where you get that from. Daddy says you're going to start your baby rock band any day now. It's not just crying. No, it is a shrill, piercing screech when you are angry. Yikes.







You have forced me to start exercising more faithfully and eating more thoughtfully to work off this belly you made. I blame it all on you. And a little on your daddy. It's his fault too. Oh, the changes you have wrought in my life. No more thoughtlessly eating a whole pan of brownies or lazing on the couch for a week. Sigh. Mean ol' baby.



You, my sweet girl are growing up far too fast. It's only been three months, but it feels like we've had you forever. I can't wait to see where you take us next.

In Which I Eat Healthy And Freak Out

It's always a challenge to really eat well. More fresh food, fewer preservatives. Less sugar and more whole foods. I love a good fruit smoothie for breakfast so when I found a recipe that suggested adding kale or another green to the banana and strawberries, I thought I would give it a try. Kale has never been one of my favorites, but I keep finding more and more ways to sneak it into foods I cook since it's one of the best greens to eat.

In the smoothies it's fantastic. Why? Because I can't taste it. Likewise in spaghetti sauce or meatloaf. It's amazing all the good stuff you can sneak into food! I've heard about the Deceptively Delicious book and I really need to get one because I think it would be right up my alley. Good thing my birthday is coming up next week...

I also try to eat as many fresh fruits as possible. Grapes are always the easiest because I can snack on them while doing almost anything else. This morning I was happily washing a cluster when what pops onto my counter but a grody little spider! After I calm down, I grab a paper towel to squash him and then notice there was another dead one that fell out of the bunch! You'd better believe I washed those a little extra after that. I'm going to be jumpy for the rest of the day now...

Strolling

Today being another beautiful day here in West Michigan, we took a lovely long stroller walk. We live very close to a fabulous well-kept biking trail through the woods and over the river and it was a great day to listen to the birds and look for the first shoots of green everywhere. Ducks and geese swam along with their partner, dry leaves rustle and bikers ride by as we take in the beauty of the spring.







I spent much of the hour and a half that I walked (while baby slept happily) praising my Lord for His generosity and love. It can be overwhelming when you really stop and notice your blessings and the goodness of His gifts. As tiring and draining as winter can be spring is so energizing and encouraging.



Of course, for the next hour or so after I returned home, my hands were strangely tingly from all the vibrations up through the stroller handles!

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Week 1

I started a lot of new things this weekend. Ok, I started two things. It just feels like a lot since they are pretty huge things.

1. Running

Yesterday morning I was in the flower garden cleaning out last year's mums (a job that should have been done last fall) and morning runners were going down the street training for the big race in a couple weeks. It's a half marathon and a pretty big deal around here. Watching them made me want to put on my running shoes and pound some pavement.

So I did. All the way around the block. Maybe even around two blocks. Tomorrow I'll try it again, but on the treadmill. I can't very well leave the baby alone in the house while I run, now can I?

2. Seeds

Friday I started all of my spring seeds, a chore I love and look forward to every year. Getting out the seed trays. Filling each spot with dirt. Selecting which seeds need to be started now and which can wait a few more weeks. Poking little holes. Dropping in each tiny seed. And finally watering each tray and putting the plastic roofs on top.


Now I just wait for teeny green shoots to poke their heads up and make an appearance.

These things are huge because they aren't simply one-time events. The seeds need to be tended daily to ensure they get enough water but not too much. I need to run daily to lose the weight I need to and get back into some semblance of being in shape.

They're also huge because it will be easy to ignore them but they're both so important to pay attention to. If I ignore the seeds they'll either wither or rot. If I ignore my workout the numbers on the scale will just continue to creep upwards.

Here's to week one!

To Spa or Not to Spa

Like most girls, I love a good time at the salon. Whether it is a cut, color, wax or mani-pedi session, it is always something I look forward to with relish. So, when I heard that a salon in town was giving out a free service with a ticket stub from our local hockey team, I jumped on it.

Working at a church has so many random perks and this month we got four free hockey tickets. My in-laws provided childcare for the first game and a co-worker and her daughter sat for us during the second.

We don't usually watch sports at my house. We are aware that it was March Madness and that baseball season just started. We usually attend a Super Bowl party. However, if it weren't for outside influences we may never see a game on tv. Our basement is full of games with my brother's three tvs of sports going at any given time, but rarely do they venture to the main level.


A real live hockey game is something else altogether. The fighting, the checking, the announcer's goofy jokes, the ridiculously overpriced junk food. I have always loved going to a hockey game.

There's just something about the fast pace, the anger and agression that is somehow acceptable in that setting and the overall excitement permeating the arena. Being as we have a minor league team, the seats are not full, but it seems as though everyone who is there is a true fan. Guys shouting cheers at the players, pounding on the glass, proudly sporting their brightly colored jerseys.


The second game we went to was the kind that fans love most. Our home team won 6-1 and even scored on the other team's super power play. We loudly mocked the opponent's goalie and got up on our feet whenever we scored.

Apparently, the previous week when our team was on the Monster's (yep, we played the Monsters) home ice the players got into some serious arguments. Insults were hurled and punches were thrown. Thus, when they skated onto the rink a week later, the tempers were already flaring.

The fights, ahh, the fights. I'm one of those hockey fans in the seats yelling, "Fight, fight, fight!", at the top of my lungs. Two of the players even got thrown out of the game after getting several penalties.

But I thought this post was about going to the spa? Oh, right. The spa.

I had to use my free ticket stub to get a free service at the spa within two weeks, so I made my appointment right away for a manicure. The winter does harsh things to my cuticles. Hubby was home to snuggle with the baby and off I went.

It's a salon institute, which means that you are getting your work done by a student. Not that that is a bad thing, it's just a very different atmosphere. The salon is in a beautifully remodeled downtown building with old interior brick walls and new modern lighting. So a beautiful setting with perfectly created mood. I don't know about you, but when I was a young college student I wasn't necessarily very serious or professional.

Sitting in such a comfortable room getting a fabulous manicure is highly entertaining while listening to college chatter. The only downside for me was that it took forever. I told my husband I would be home within an hour or so and it was almost two before I made it back. My student was late taking me in and then the service just took a long time. Fortunately, we only live about five minutes away.

It's a great salon though and a bonus was getting to keep the bottle of polish after a very very nice manicure.

So here's the question. I have an appointment for next week to get my hair colored and another manicure...but I'm not sure whether to go or not...I don't want to leave poor hubby home in the evening with a (most likely) screaming baby. On the other hand, I really need to get my hair colored. The length of the grays is getting overwhelming, which is a whole other topic in and of itself.

In the comments (if you've read this far) give me your advice on if I should keep the appointment and make hubby stay home or skip it. The best two comments will receive a FREE ticket to be used for a salon appointment. (Nails, hair, facials, the works!) This also requires you live in town...so, non-Michigan folks, I'm sorry. You can still leave a witty comment. You just won't get a prize.