'A' is for Adventure - 7 months!

Mr. Adventurous is his name!! This little, determined young fellow is already 7 months (almost 8 by the time I post this I'm sure!) He is keeping is on our toes! He is such a fun baby and into everything....

Here's some stats....
Weight - 19lbs 10oz

Height - 26in (poor thing is gonna be short like his mommy!)

-sits up by himself

-crawls everywhere!!

-pulls up on everything! 

-climbs over anything that's in his way of his toy ;)

-loves his jumpy

-loves playing outside in his walker with his brother

-loves his big brother!!! I mean HAS to be where Eli is at all times!!!

-starting to like more baby foods (apples, squash, and peas are favorites)

-has eaten a little toast and a few puffs 

-plays well independently

-gets into ALL of brother's toys!

-cat-napper

-nurses every 3-3 1/2 hours

-loves peek-a-boo

-big enough to bathe in the big tub with brother! It's an adventure!

This little one has added a lot of fun to our home (and a lot less sleep lol) he's a smiley baby and very loving! We are so blessed by him everyday!!! 

Baby Andrew is 5 months!!!

I'm really not sure where the last 5 months went! I thought time flew by when Eli was a baby but its 10x as fast now. I've already had to pack up newborn clothes, 3months and 6 months clothes....this kid is growing so fast!!
Here is a little bit about my baby boy....

5 months

17lbs 12oz - 75th percentile 

25in long - 25th percentile (sorry kid, you'll be short like mommy and daddy!)

Eats every 3 hours during the day and once or twice at night. Goes to bed at 9pm, usually wakes around 3am then is up at 8am. We have a few nights where he's up at 1 or 2 then again around 5....oh I don't even remember what it was like to sleep through the night....oh well!

Andrew loves to be talked to! He likes to be kissed and has the cutest laugh. He laughs the most when Eli is running around.

Andrew likes to watch Mickey Mouse with his brother and enjoys playing in the kitchen in his bouncy seat while mommy cooks or cleans.

Andrew loves looking at himself in the mirror and who can blame him he's so cute!

His new favorite toy is a big red newks cup. Red is obviously his favorite color which works out nicely for this Ole Miss fan and his daddy who's a big Ohio State Fan....pulling for the buckeyes in the playoffs :)

He's still a thumb sucker and not a long napper.

He really likes to be outside but its too cold so enjoys looking out the window. He's a big mommys boy but he also loves his Meme (my grandmother!)

He is wearing mostly 9month clothing which is crazy!!! I love my butterball!!!!!!

An update on all of us....

A little life update....

Steve - he's getting ready for our Christmas music, yes it's that time of year again! We had our kickoff about 3 weeks ago. We've got some great songs this year...I think everyone is really excited!

He's still teaching the college kids as well and we have a pumpkin carving contest this weekend...Steve's awesome so I get he wins!

Eli - wow! Where to begin! He is such a character, full of fun!! He turned 2 1/2 this month and I'm having a hard time thinking he's halfway to 3...time stand still!

He loves to sing and preach...it's adorable! He is potty training/potty trained! I'm so proud of him! The first week he only had 2 accidents and we've only had 2 others since then in the last month. He can count to twenty - kind of lol and he knows most of his colors. He loves going to church and playing on the stage after the service. He's obsessed with cars and would play hot wheels forever! He still loves being outside and would live out there if I let him. He still loves cuddling and I'm thankful for that :) he's so smart and sweet! However his favorite word is "no" so poor thing gets disciplined a good bit...train up a child....it's a never ending task! 

He loves Andrew and for that I am so so thankful! He's been so sweet to him and I pray they grow up to he best friends!

Andrew - he is growing so fast! He's almost 4 months, its hard to believe! He's such a happy baby and loves to talk and smile! But he hates sleep...seriously the kid hates it! Maybe one day soon he'll realize long naps are much better than these short ones! 

He is a nursing champ and quite the chunky fellow! He weighs over 16lbs now :) he's great at rolling from his tummy to his back and can almost roll back to belly! He likes to sit up although he can't do it by himself yet. He's also my little scooter...lay him on his belly and he scoots all over his play may...he may be an early crawler if he keeps that up.

He loves his bumbo chair, being outside, and watching his brother play. He smiles so big at Eli, it melts my heart!

Me - well I'm sorta getting the swing of having two boys but I'm no pro. The second time around some things are a lot easier and some are a lot harder because now you have two babies depending on you for their needs. I nurse Andrew every 3 hours and in the in between time I cook, play, and sometimes do cleaning...lets be honest my house looks "lived in" (that's what I call it)

I'm hoping to start working out soon but can't seem to find the time. I'm thankful nursing helps me lose most of my baby weight but still have about 7 to go and unfortunately its all in my belly. So maybe one day ill be committed to losing it. Steve and I talk a lot about getting back in shape, sadly our coca-cola addition rules that out most days ;)

I'm still loving being at home although I do missing teaching at times. But I don't miss it enough to leave my precious boys.

Currently I'm trying to get our Christmas shopping done...going to be a fun year with two little ones waiting on Santa...I am so excited!!! :) hopefully ill update again before then!

Andrew's Birth Story

As I sit here nursing my 4 weeks old and my 2 year old is asleep I thought this would e. a perfect time to write down all the details from my little Andrew's arrival....

Well after being in bedrest for 10 weeks for preterm labor and a short cervix I was released at 35 weeks. I just knew the minute I was off the couch our little boy would make his arrival but the days past and then the weeks....then this mommy got very impatient!

Eli was born at 38 weeks so when week 38 came I was a little disappointed. I was feeling huge and just ready to hold my little one in my arms. I'm pretty sure the thought crossed my mind that I was going to be pregnant forever. (Unrealistic maybe but what pregnant woman hasn't had that thought before, right?!)

I had very few contractions once I was off bedrest. I had some on Father's Day Sunday night and got real excited then they quickly left. So another week of waiting :/

At my 37 week appointment i was only 1cm dilated...not much progrss at all. But by my 38 week appointment I was 3cm and 60% effaced. I was so giddy....we were moving in the right direction!!

I planned to go back on Monday to have my membranes stripped which we were about 90% sure that would send me into labor. So we made plans for Monday to be little man's birthday.

Well the weekend came and I had a few contractions Saturday but nothing strong or consistent. My grandmother suggested I stay in on Sunday because my back was hurting so Eli and I didn't go to church. We had a pretty relaxing morning and then headed to my grandparents for lunch. Steve and I enjoyed a quiet Sunday afternoon while Eli napped and before Steve headed back for the evening service...I have to say my last Sunday with just Eli went pretty perfectly!! Not sure when we'll have another quiet Sunday afternoon. Maybe one day the boys will be on the same schedule but I'm not holding my breath yet :)

Around 4:15 Eli woke up from his nap. I had had maybe one or two contractions all day so I didn't think much about it. We headed back to my grandparents to have some yummy watermelon. Nothing like watermelon in the summertime (TMI warning: won't be having it for a while since I puked it up during labor! Not fun!)  around 5:00 I went outside with Eli and walked him around in his wagon. By this point I had had 2 contractions but nothing strong.

By 5:30 I had another contraction or two so I decided to start timing them. By 6:00pm they were around 8-10 minutes apart. By 6:15 I decided to text Steve who at church and my mom just to give them the heads up. I still wasn't confident this was the real deal but soon my contractions were 5-7 minutes apart and by 6:40 I was calling Steve to come home and starting to panic a little at how quickly this was going.

I think part of me knew I was in labor but since my water broke with Eli before contractions even started I had no experience with the beginning stages of labor so I still wasn't convinced it was the real deal. 

I could tell my contractions were getting a little stronger...I began trying to breath through them, I also swayed back and forth or walked. I was still trying to tend to Eli but thankfully my grandmother was there and took over taking care of him.

 By the time Steve got home I had called the doctor and my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. Trying to load the car was quite comical since we were in a very big hurry!! I wish we had had a video camera! Steve came running out carrying about 8 bags, half were Eli's and he had to take them back in. Then he couldn't get the birthing ball in...I was laughing hysterically!!

Once we started driving my contractions were about 1-2 minutes apart and very strong. They say once you can't talk through them to come in so we flew to the hospital. Although I did get out of the van at a red light because it was much better to sway during the contraction then have to sit in the van. The poor people behind us probably thought I was crazy!!

I had several friends I had planned to text to let them know I was going to the hospital but my contractions were so strong and coming very quickly I didn't get to tell anyone.

By the time we got to the hospital and checked in it was after 7:30. I was 6cm 100% effaced and I knew I was heading into transition...the hardest part of labor. I wasn't sure I could do it naturally as I had planned but my sweet husband was very encouraging and my nurse was amazing. We followed my birth plan almost perfectly.

They quickly got my IV hooked up for my antibiotics and they tried hooking up the mobile monitor so I could walk around as I had wanted but it wasn't working. honestly I was able to stay focused in the bed and bare through each contraction which were now lasting 90 seconds and about 30 seconds apart. My nurse applied counter pressure to my back and Steve continued this throughout the labor and it helped tremendously! Obviously labor is labor but it made it at least bearable (to some degree)

Around 8:00pm my nurse asked for the room to be set up for delivery. I thought she was joking. People came in and the room was set up by about 8:30 and  the nurse said now we were just waiting on the doctor. I still was thinking she was just trying to encourage me but she wasn't lying...we were very close!!

My doctor wasn't able to be there but the on call doctor was amazing!! She was just what I needed. She came in around 8:40 to meet me and said we'd have a baby soon. I still was in denial it was happening so fast. 

My contractions were now only 10 seconds apart...i remember i kept telling the nurse I needed a break...she kept reminding me Id have a break soon because the baby was coming. 

Once the doctor came in she broke the rest of my water and I got ready to push. I'm not exactly sure what time I started pushing because honestly it all went so fast. I think it was around 9:10 or so. My husband is the best motivator at this stage. I honestly only remember pushing a few times. Having a natural birth was an incredible experience as I could really feel myself bringing our little boy into the world. My doctor talked me through everything and in just a few pushes, sweet Andrew was crying and in my arms. The moment they lay him on your chest is the most amazing feeling in the world. I would do it a thousand times over!

Andrew Foster was born on June 29th at 9:25pm weighing 7lbs 10oz and 19 1/2 inches of perfection.

After a rough pregnancy Andrew's birth could not have gone any better. The Lord really answered all my prayers about delivery that I had been praying for the past 9 months.

We are so blessed and thankful that God has given Andrew to us. Another son to raise for His glory!

36 Weeks

Total weight gain: Over 31lbs  (I don't even wanna talk about it...I'm huge! That's what eating for two and bed rest will get you)

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? Not that I know of

Sleep: waking up some, potty breaks of course

Best moment this week: our baby shower at Hillcrest was so fun and hearing his heartbeat after a big scare last Wednesday!

Miss Anything? Just sleep (Ill be saying that for many months!)

Movement:  yes!!

Food cravings:  orange juice!!! And bbq fritos, Caesar salad, strawberries, bananas (seeing why I've gained so much more this time around haha!!)

Anything making you queasy or sick: 

Still have some morning sickness but its actually been a little better this week (finally)

Have you started to show yet: I look like I'm gonna pop any minute!

Labor Signs: After all the bedrest for contractions I haven't had any since being off bedrest

Wedding rings on or off? Took them off this week, the heat was too much

Happy or Moody most of the time: emotional!

Looking forward to: having my sweet boy in my arms! No more than 4 weeks!!!!!

32 Weeks....

32 weeks

May 10, 2014

Total weight gain: over 24lbs (don't know exactly)

Maternity clothes? Yes, other than tshirts and shorts

Stretch marks? Not that I know of

Sleep:, wake up to go to the bathroom and a few contractions, some nights I sleep better than others 

Best moment this week: Eli putting his play phone on my belly so "broder" could talk

Miss Anything? Not being on bed rest!! Freedom!

Movement:  yes!!

Food cravings:  Mexican food, orange juice, salads, cookies!

Anything making you queasy or sick: 

Still have morning sickness, talking about or thinking about BBQ

Have you started to show yet:  Of course

Labor Signs: Cramping

Wedding rings on or off? On but they get tighter on really hot days

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy but very emotional!

Looking forward to: getting off bed rest in 2-3 weeks :)

30 weeks...

30 weeks... (30w, 3d but who's counting!)

Total weight gain: over 20lbs

Maternity clothes? Mostly, other than tshirts and shorts

Stretch marks? Not that I know of

Sleep: cant complain too much, wake up to go to the bathroom, some contractions

Best moment this week: watching this baby wiggle and move all around 

Miss Anything? Not being on bed rest!! Freedom!

Movement:  yes!!

Food cravings:  Mexican food, chips and salsa, and ice cream (nothing healthy at all)

Anything making you queasy or sick: 

Still sick some mornings, the meds I'm on for contractions makes it worse

Have you started to show yet:  Of course

Labor Signs: Cramping

Wedding rings on or off? On but they get tighter on really hot days

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy but very emotional!

Looking forward to: holding this sweet baby boy in my arms...oh I can't wait for baby snuggles :) and getting off bedrest in 6 weeks!!!!! :)

Pregnancy updates....

Ive been meaning to post these for a while and just haven't but this last few weeks have put a new spin on craziness. On ethics day I woke up with a strong pain in my side. With Eli I called with every ache and pain but with this one I realized its just part of the gig. However this pain just wasn't going away. It started around 4am and by 11am it hadn't eased up so I gave in and called the doctor. Because it was constant they wanted me to come in. After an ultrasound I found out my cervix had started to shorten and I was put on medicine and strict bedrest. I've been having cramps a lot this pregnancy and after being told at almost every appointment that it was "normal" despite not having them with my first; they now say they are contractions. I've had follow up appointments each week to make sure I'm not dilating and these contractions don't turn into pre-term labor. Well God is good and since then my cervix looks better and I'm only on moderate bedrest. Now these meds I'm on to stop contractions aren't fun but ill do what I gotta do to keep this little boy cooking.
Needless to say our little beach getaway got cancelled which lets be honest, it sucked! But in perspective, yeah we missed out on our trip and lost our deposit but we are hoping to have a healthy baby and when he arrives it will totally and completely be worth it!
This pregnancy has been a tough one but I'm so thankful for it. With Eli I thought it very well could be my last pregnancy because you never know what God has in store and I feel the same this time (especially with all the complications) so I'm trying to enjoy the great things about pregnancy like watching this baby roll back and forth in my belly. He's such a wiggle worm and I LOVE it!!!!!

Here are some recaps....

27 weeks:

Total weight gain: 18lbs 

Maternity clothes? Mostly, other than tshirts and sweat pants

Stretch marks? Not that I know of

Sleep: wake up to go to the bathroom, some hip pain, some contractions

Best moment this week: Eli loving on my baby belly after seeing Steve do the same 

Miss Anything? Not being on modified bed rest

Movement:  yes!! All the time!!!

Food cravings:  Mexican, crackers, cereal, bananas, brownies 

Anything making you queasy or sick: 

Still sick some mornings

Have you started to show yet:  Yes!

Labor Signs: Cramping and contractions

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: very emotional!

Looking forward to: picking this boy's name 

24 weeks...

Total weight gain/loss: 15lbs just a couple pounds past my pre-pregnancy weight with Eli. This kid loves Taco Bell and sweets right now :)

Maternity clothes? Mostly other than tshirts and sweats 

Stretch marks? Not that I know of

Sleep: Just waking up to go to the bathroom and some hip pain

Best moment this week: Feeling baby move a lot!!

Miss Anything? Seeing my hip bones

Movement:  yes!! After almost every meal :)

Food cravings:  pizza, taco bell, ice cream, and crackers 

Anything making you queasy or sick: 

Still sick most mornings

Have you started to show yet:  Yes!

Labor Signs: Cramping

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: very emotional!

Looking forward to: picking this boy's name 

19 weeks...

Total weight gain/loss: Gained a lot, this kid loves pizza and pasta ;)

Maternity clothes? Some19 weeks...

Total weight gain/loss: Gained a lot, this kid loves pizza and pasta ;)

Maternity clothes? Some

Stretch marks? Nope!

Sleep: Is okay, but I wake up a lot through the night.

Best moment this week: Feeling baby move a lot

Miss Anything? Just sleep without having to get up to pee

Movement:  yes!! Almost every morning since 16 weeks :)

Food cravings:  pizza, pasta, cookies n cream ice cream

Anything making you queasy or sick: 

Still sometimes sick in the morning

Have you started to show yet:  Yes!

Labor Signs: No

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: very emotional!

Looking forward to: Finding out the baby's gender thi

Stretch marks? Nope!

Sleep: Is okay, but I wake up a lot through the night.

Best moment this week: Feeling baby move a lot

Miss Anything? Just sleep without having to get up to pee

Movement:  yes!! Almost every morning since 6 weeks :)

Food cravings:  pizza, pasta, cookies n cream ice cream

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Still sometimes sick in the morning

Have you started to show yet:  Yes!

Labor Signs: No

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: very emotional!

Looking forward to: Finding out the baby's gender this week :)

Busy Beavers....

Yes, that's us, the Busy Beavers. The next few weeks are about to get crazy busy at our house. Not only are we anticipating the arrival of sweet little brother in about 14 weeks (yes 14 or less most likely) but we also have another sweet little boy that will be turning 2 in just 3 weeks. We are celebrating with a cookout with the fam and lots of Mickey Mouse decorations. Eli loves "hot dog" as he calls him, and can spot him a mile away in a store. I'm so excited for our house to be covered in Mickey. Eli will love it!! Plus my little helper is obsessed with helping me in the kitchen so we found a kitchen for him at a consignment sale (cause I wasn't about to some over $100 on a toy kitchen). I can't wait to see his face when he sees it. I know he will beam from ear to ear! :)
In the meantime Steve has lots of stuff at church going on. He's had visitation every Monday night this month so we've been going over to visit NaeNae and Papa while she's been so sick. Nothing like a cuddly almost 2 hear old to cheer ya up. We also have our Easter program we are getting ready for. We have 2 extra practices this month and a dress rehearsal in April.

We planned a quick little get-a-way next week and I can't wait! It'll be nice to be out of our norm routine for a day or two. I'm just really hoping the morning sickness doesn't follow me but if it does we'll make the best of it. Looking forward to having time as a family of 3 before we become a family of 4!

I'm also helping with a wedding shower in a few weeks and we have 2 weddings to attend before baby comes (if he waits till his due date, we'll see.)
So those are the big events but of course we have our day to day task that need to be done and lots of baby prepping things! We are working on transitioning Eli to a big boy bed when we get back from our trip but we aren't holding our breath. Baby brother will sleep in our room for a while then the boys will share a new cute room I've got to finish (I mean start) decorating :) lots of baby clothes to wash and all our old equipment that needs to be cleaned. All this while battling my continuing morning nausea isn't so fun but gotta get things done. Lots to do but lots to look forward to!

On another note 2 of my best friends are pregnant at the same time as me and one just found out she's having a little boy too!! I'm pretty pumped they will be about 8 weeks apart. And we have another niece or nephew on the way. We're pulling for a nephew since they already have 3 girls but we will see :)

Well gotta go convince my sweet Eli to eat more than just the marshmallows out of his lucky charms :)

A much needed recap....

Just realized I haven't even blogged since I got pregnant...wow...guess pregnancy sickness/tiredness and keeping up with an almost 2 year old (dare I say that our loud) makes for little time to blog. 

So here's a quick recap because one day I want to look back and remember these days (hopefully ill block out all the morning sickness though)

**October -

 I found out I was pregnant and was thrilled about it! After being terribly sick with the stomach bug I thought all that could have thrown my cycles off but no, it was true, 3 pregnancy test later (cause I'm a doubter) I was sure. We had a couples retreat that weekend so I decided to wait and tell Steve then. Little did I know he would totally take the words right out of my mouth. He already had a hunch :) I'm thankful he's so in tune with me and we share each others thoughts (at least sometimes)

*We had a great fall...we picked pumpkins with Eli and he loved it! We didn't waste money on a pumpkin patch, we just went to our local fruit stand and Eli ran up and down the pumpkin aisles for a good 30 minutes. It was a blast! He was a fireman for Halloween and had a great time at our church's fall fest!!

*November brought about a yummy date night out for my birthday while NaeNae and Papa kept Eli. We really thought about telling them about the new grand any on this night but decided to wait. Little did I know morning sickness would hit me like a ton of bricks about a week later and I desperately needed my mom so I spilled the beans. She was holding Eli when I told her and almost dropped him out of shock :)

We told my grandparents soon after since they live right down the road, they've been a huge help!

Thanksgiving was fun being with my family for the first time in 4 years but I couldn't eat much :( which is pretty disappointing on Thanksgiving.

December brought Christmas music but I wasn't able to help as much unless I carried around a bucket. But Steve did amazing on the Christmas music. I was so so proud of him!

Christmas was an absolute blast this year!!!! Eli got so many great things and he loved it all! He really liked wearing his "ho,ho" Jammies and singing jingle bells. We were blessed that Adam, Amy, and Beth got to join us for Christmas this year, made it really special. We opened gifts, had a yummy breakfast and played games all afternoon. It was great!!! I love Christmas!

Eli's favorite toys included a microphone, drums, riding tractor, umbrella "umbo", bguitar, and Lego wagon.

January seems like ages ago! I was still very sick and the cold weather kept us stuck inside most days. Thank goodness Papaw and Meme would rescue us some days and come pick us up so Eli could "drive" in Papaw's truck. Seriously such a blessing to be down the road from them.

By February I was feeling a little better but still sick in the morning...true morning sickness. I figured by 14 weeks id be better like I was with Eli but not the case. Steve had several trips with the church so we got to spend time at my parents which is always nice. Eli loves being with them.  We also had a gender reveal party with my family. We had fun announcing Eli would be having a little brother. I pray they are best of friends!

Eli is such a little chatter box and full of personality. He loves to sing and preach...he gets his bible and shouts "amen" and "God" all the time...I love it! And he loves to pray!!! Now he will pray with his teddy bears and its absolutely precious!!!

March has arrived And a few days of warmer weather which has been so nice. Eli loves to be outside and I do too!! We've taken a trip to the zoo and park already; soaking in the spring weather when it makes an appearance. On the other days we color on cardboard boxes, Eli helps me do laundry (he's learning how to fold the bath clothes and always helps throw the clothes in the washer). He a little obsessed with watching "hot dog" aka Mickey Mouse and he still like Barney. We play in his toy car a lot (have I mentioned our neighbors were going to throw it away so we snagged it for free) its been a blessing. Eli loves to pretend he's going places. He'll go to the store and bring me some of my plastic fruit I have on a shelf. So stinkin cute! He's starting to assert his will more so discipline has had to be an almost everyday thing around here. We've had a few meltdowns but we are both learning what will and won't be tolerated. I'm hoping he'll learn quickly because its exhausting.

He's still so incredibly loving!!! He loves to give hugs, high fives, bumps, and blow kisses. He would snuggle with me every nap if I let him and occasionally I do ;) I love when he runs up to me to hug me and say "momma" in his sweetest little voice!!! Oh I just love him so much! 

We are prepping for baby #2 (who still has no name yet, praying The Lord gives us a name soon!!) I ordered bedding for him today and plan to update Eli's room since they will be sharing eventually. Steve has been a huge help starting to get things in order...we still have lots to do though...around 15 weeks and baby will be here!! I can't wait! :) 

Lots of changes...

Well, lots has changed since my last post (which actually wasn't even that long ago)...we are now residents in Mississippi (well I guess we can't technically be residence since we don't have our own place) but we are currently living in my good ole home state.  Lets do a quick recap.  Several months ago, Steve felt the Lord stirring a change in his heart.  He had been struggling with feeling his call to youth ministry was coming to a close.  We prayed through it and felt we would continue on until we received confirmation...well not a week or two later he was contacted by a Pastor from here in Byram, Mississippi.  Hillcrest was looking for a full time worship pastor. We continued to pray and ended up meeting with the pastor and his sweet, sweet wife.  It was a great time to get to know them both and hear their heartbeat for Hillcrest.  It seemed like such a God ordained thing and timing but truthfully I was not ready to say goodbye to our Calvary church family.  They are by far the sweetest congregation of people and so many have taken the time to pour into us and especially love on our little Eli. So with apprehensions we agreed to cut our family vacation a little short and make a detour in order to view one of their services.  It was a good time and we truly enjoyed meeting a select group of the congregation for lunch...we could feel the Holy Spirit drawing us to Hillcrest.  We continued to pray but felt moving forward was the right move.  From a personal (and probably not so spiritual side of things) I did not want to pack up my house, disrupt my Eli's routine and comforts to move 8 hours away from his first home.  We hadn't been at Calvary long and felt we were just started to really get settled and involved.  I was loving having time with the youth girls and time with the choir was always great. So when we went for view of a call I kinda sorta might have really questioned this whole thing.  On the way to the service that night (when the church would vote on us) I prayed and basically said if this was a God thing we would have at least 98% of the vote...then I took it back realazing I shouldn't put a number on God and just prayed he'd make it clear.  Well of course God did above and beyond what I asked or expected...100%...listen people, this rarely, and I mean rarely happens that a congregation vote 100% yes for someone, so yep its a God thing.  So we packed and packed and packed up our house and moved 8 hours south to Mississippi.  Tonight will be our first Wednesday at Hillcrest and I am anxious and excited for what is ahead of us.  Things haven't been super easy...we don't have a place to live so my parents and grandparents have opened up their home for which we are grateful, I got sick while we were packing with a terrible cough and sinus infection, plus Eli's been sick with a cough and ear infection then had a reaction to the antibiotic (that he's had 2 other times) he's been a terrible eater since we moved and bit more winey, but who can blame him, this is a lot for a 1 year old to adjust to, hey, its a lot for a 25 year old to adjust to.  So we are just praying through it and hoping we can find a place of our own soon, get healthy, and get settled back into our little routine.
On a happy note - my sweet baby boy just turned 17 months.  He favorite things right now are making motor sounds to everything...his car, the broom, his walker. He also LOVES the cozy coupe my uncle just bought for him....he's so cute in it.  He still loves to read and I am so grateful for that and he would literally live outside if we would let him.  He still loves music and dances away when NaeNae's phone rings.  He likes to brush his teeth and is obsessed with looking at all the pictures on the wall...yesterday when we would point to the picture of him on the wall he would then point to himself.  It was so sweet.  But my favorite thing he does is pray.  If we forget at lunch or dinner he put his hands together and looks at us like "hello, aren't we forgetting something".  We say our prayers at night too but lately he's been stalling bed time by asking for more prayers after we finish...he's got us there cause how do you say no to praying right?!? sneaky little man!  Of course we are still throwing fits when we dont' get our way (probably more so now since we are around grandparents that may tend to spoil him a little more than he's used to) but thats part of it.  He's still a little behind on his speech but we are working on it. His new words are: cold and yellow (his facial expression when he says cold is hilarious) Our schedule is still about the same: nap 10:45/11:00-12:20, nap 3:45/4:00-5:20ish bed at 8:30/8:45.  We are close to being down to 1 nap a day but for now we are sticking with two naps and I am not complaining! :) I am so thankful for my Eli and his sweet, loving nature.  He's such a gift from the Lord and keeps us all entertained!! :)

Just an update

Well summer is coming to an end (or so Facebook world tells me as the kids begin complaining of homework, and my teacher friends post pictures of their newly decorated classrooms, so neat and organized). I won't lie, I miss setting up my classroom and the excitement of meeting my new kindergarten babies but nothing beats being at home with my love bug! Actually, I'm getting a little taste of "back to school" as I prepare to start a MDO program at our church. I'm a little nervous about all the little ones and how they will do away from their mommies and I'm the most nervous about my little one and how he will do! Thankfully ill be right there to check in on him, possibly even teach his class but it will still be an adjustment for him to learn how to share mommy. (He doesn't like that idea too much I don't think) it's been hard to get much done for MDO. I have a good 2 1/2 hours of sleep time to clean this disastrous house, shower, and work on MDO stuff so really the cleaning and showering have not been a daily event around here :( at least I've kept up with the dishes and laundry but that's about it. I made homemade lasagna Monday night and homemade blueberry muffins of breakfast hoping to balance out the fact we picked up longhorn and ate at the church last night while I worked. (We love having a gift card to our favorite places). So these next 2 weeks will be crazy busy but I'm hoping they'll go smoothly.

On a happier (less stressful) note, Steve and I got to celebrate our 3rd anniversary about 2 weeks ago. We haven't been to the movies in forever so we opted out of a fancy dinner and went to a movie instead. The Barnard girls kept Eli. He loves them and they are great with him. Plus I feel good about having 2 of them here. We don't get to go out much since we don't have family near to keep Eli so Morgan and Emily have been life savors. I always come back to a clean house and a happy baby boy!
We went to see Grown Ups 2 because we really liked the first one but this one was terrible. I mean it wasn't awful just not what we were hoping for...thankfully we had a gift card to the movies so no money wasted. :) have I mentioned we love gift cards :) the movie ended in time for us to grab a quick bite to eat at my favorite Mexican place. We enjoyed just being out together...nothing fancy for me just quality time! Can't believe it's been 3 years since our wedding day. It was PERFECT! Sure low being married to my best friend! Makes life so much fun!

Now to Eli...he is walking and in to everything. He started walking July 3rd and has been on the move ever since. He's becoming independent which makes me so proud and sad all at the same time. But I love watching him figure out things on his own. He look so proud of himself when he does. He's really not scared to try and climb anything (which scares me!) He's still a sweetie and loves to give huge and kisses. He still loves to cuddle and rock and read books. But he's entered the phase of throwing fits. He's having to learn the hard way that they don't get you what you want. Thankfully he gets over them quickly and moves on (usually at least!)
His favorite things right now are:
**Barney - oh my word he's obsessed! As soon as the show comes on he starts dancing and clapping. He loves it. Sometimes he'll sit and watch it for over 10 minutes! He really loves music so this is the perfect show for him (other than mommy gets all the songs stuck on my head)
**Being Outside - he wants to be outside a lot! He loves playing in grass, going on walks, and climbing in and out of our little pool in the backyard. He also likes playing at the park. He's a people watcher though so if there's a lot of kids he's mesmerized
**Reading books - this is still a favorite and I am so grateful. He likes to read before naps and read on his own. He's a smart boy!
**His hammer - my sister-in-law Natalie and their family sent Eli a little tool set for his birthday. He loves playing with it but recently the hammer has been his BFF! He chews on it, carries it with him, and of course hammers everything he can.
**the kitchen - my child lives to be in the kitchen...pulling out his bowls and cups, saying "ha, ha" (hot, hot) when he sees steam on the stove, opening the fridge and clinging in the fridge and of course helping mommy with the dishes. Last week I learned the hard way that now he can lift the plates out of the dishwasher. Yikes!
**cars - well steering wheels actually. He likes to "drive" our cars and his steering wheel Granny and Grandpa gave him for Christmas. He little walker has a steering wheel on it so he even ask to get in that too. He now can say "veep, "veep" for beep, beep. So cute!
**favorite foods - hotdogs, pizza (toppings only, no wheat), blueberries, strawberries, grapes, raisins, chex, chips, and green beans! We are working on expanding our food choices but its been difficult with his allergies. I'm glad he likes his fruits and veggies though!

Just and update so I can remember this wonderful stage in his life! So thankful everyday that God continues to bless Eli with health. He is a undeserved gift from The Lord!!

Ill have to write about our family beach trip later! It was so much fun though! :)

Making Progress

My little man finally decided (at 14 months) that he would brave his first steps today. After weeks and weeks of trying to get him to walk I kinda came to the conclusion that he would do it when he was ready. Well today was the day! I sat him down while making lunch and saw him pick up his foot and place it back down. Steve was home (as he is so faithful and sweet to visit us during his lunch break) we were both surprised as balance hasn't been Eli's strong point up until this point. 

So after lunch I decided to see what a little bribeing would do (yeah I know parent of the year award right?) 

So I pulled out the raisins (I totally have him convinced they are candy) and what do you know, he took a step. Mind you a teeny-tiny baby step but none the less his first step. I don't think I could have been any prouder. Next raisin 2 steps. Of course I texted Steve and he asked for a video. So this mommy did her best to set up a hidden camera cause Lord knows once he sees the camera any tricks he even thought about doing are thrown out the window. And by God's grace I got4 little baby steps caught on video! :) my sweet boy is growing up!! Of course I had to reward him with several hugs, some raisins and some rest time while watching Barney. Yeah that's his new obsession. Now that FreshBeat Band is off netflix (or I cant find it) I've been looking for something that sings a lot. Sweet Eli takes after his daddy and loves music. Now if I ask him if he wants to watch Barney he looks straight at the tv or finds the changer for me (did I mention parent of the year award already? Because of course a good parent lets them watch tv right? the wait till after they're are 2 was not going to happen in our house)

So he braves his first steps and now apparently he'a a big boy. He's mastered crawling up the stairs, everyone with no help, he attempts to climb on and of his train (this is still in progress), he gets in and out or his little chair by himself and today he felt strong enough to climb on top of the dishwasher lid in the 2 second I had turned around to wash a bowl out. Never a dull moment and I LOVE it!! He's reached the point of letting us know what he wants, and by this I mean crying and a few fits. He also knows what "no" and "stop" mean and poor thing has a melt down if he hears these words. He's super sweet though so thankfully this isn't all the time but he has his moments. He'a starting to listen better but it's constantly training them and trying to be consistent. I think that's the hardest thing. I have to pray every day (really should be every moment) for wisdom cause this parenting thing is tough! But I wouldn't trade it for a second. I love my life! My sweet baby and my handsome husband!! So thankful for all God's blessings in my life!

Oh and since no one but my mom probably reads this I want to document his foods so I don't forget one day. Now that we don't do much wheat and no eggs, Eli thankfully is loving fruit. He's still a green bean fanatic and I can occasionally throw in some butter beans and purple hull peas but green bean are the go to around here. His new favs are grapes and strawberries with blueberries and raisins holding steady for the top winner. Turkey and chicken are his meats of choice and cheese and grilled cheese are always on the menu. He sometimes will eat rice noodles with cheese and often potato rounds but still trying to come up with more carb thing that don't contain much or any wheat. It's a work in progress but isn't everything! Baked ziti was on the menu last night and he devoured it! Messy faced cute baby!

A little scare...

This last week we had quite the scare at our house.  I decided to fix Eli some french toast and eggs for breakfast Thursday morning since last time I fed him eggs he only ate a few bites I figured I'd give it another shot.  While eating his breakfast, mind you it was only a few bites, he began to rub his eyes alot.  They seemed to be getting red so I decided to get him out of his high chair and wash his face because I thought he must have had something in his eyes.  By the time I got him to the sink, he started throwing up and gasping.  He looked like he was chocking some and became very lethargic.  I immediately called Steve (who praise the Lord had just left the house).  I'm not sure I even explained what was happening other than he had to get home fast.  He was only 3-4 minutes away so by the time he got home Eli was still rubbing his eyes but thankfully was not thowing up or lathargic. I called my mom because I thought he was probably haven't an allergic reaction but he had eaten eggs before.  She recommended benedryle so we hoped in the car and ran to Walmart to get some baby benedryle.  Thankfully (again) walmart is less than a mile from our house and I RAN in. People in walmart probably thought I was crazy but I didn't care....I had to take care of my baby.  Steve stayed with him in the car but he was fine even though his eyes were still red and a little puffy.  When we got home I called my friend Morgan who is a pharmasist.  Praise the Lord she answered right away The Lord must have spoken to her to answer her phone while she was at work, she immediately said hey and asked if everything was ok. She knows me well :) I told her what had happend and she looked up how much benedryl you can give a 1 year old.  As I went to give it to him, he started throwing up again.  Sorry for the TMI but it was A LOT of puke!! And it was all over him and Steve.  My husband wasn't even phased.  He held his baby tight while I cleaned him up. My hubby rocks!
We knew we needed to call the dr or go to the ER.  The dr had an opening right away - how great is our God!?!?!  By the time we got there Eli was feeling better and his eyes weren't nearly as red or puffy.  Our pediatrician wasn't there so we saw the doc on call.  He examined him and diagnosed him with an ear infection and respiratory infection.  What?? Yep thats right.  He recommended we stay away from eggs but he believed the reaction was due to the respiratory infection.  So we were given antibiotics and sent home.  He had NO signs of a infection.  He was a happy, healthy, no fever or sniffles baby.

Another God thing, when I called to make Eli's 1 year old check up they were booked straight for well visits for almost 7 weeks.  So his 1 year appointment was actually after he was 13 months old.  But it was the Monday after the egg episode.  I really had no intention of telling our pediatrician the whole scenario but in passing I said something about his throwing up.  He then had several questions and felt like it WAS an allergic reaction.  He recommened getting blood work done. 

So my poor Eli had his 1 year old shots then we headed that afternoon for his blood work.  It was the worse thing ever for a mommy's heart.  Let me just tell you....all I could think about were those moms who's sweet babies are in the hospital and pooked and proded every day :( Steve held him but as soon as the 2 lab workers got close to him he looked at me with the most fear in his eyes and helpless face that pleaded for me to rescue him.  Tears burst out of his sweet little eyes...and this was all before they even poked him.  They were just chosing what arm looked best.  I tried to tell him it was ok and mommy and daddy were right there but his heart was scared that these two strangers in white coats and gloves were holding his arms down.  My mommy-ness wanted to knock them to the floor and grab my baby up and kiss him but I had to let them do their job but you better believe the second they were done I pushed them out of the way to grab my baby.  Thankfully he won't remember this experience. I, on the other hand, will never forget that helpless look on his face. 
We opted for some leaf finding time outside before we headed home.  Eli loves to be outside and explore the grass and tress (and when I say explore I mean test-taste :) 

We are still waiting on the egg results but our doc said he tested postive for a wheat allergy.  I have given him things that have wheat in them everyday since he started eating food so this seems crazy to me.  He even had toast and cheerios this morning and has been fine.  I'm praying it isn't correct or that he will quickly out grow this allergy.  Please join with me in praying he will be allergy free!!  My boy is so healthy and if this is all that we will have to deal with in his life, we will just have to deal with it.  There are hundreds of babies dealing with things a thousand times worse and although I'd rather him not have any allergies I am trusting God to help us on this road and give us wisdom as we decifer through all his old favorite foods and pick new wheat-free favorites :)

1st Mother's Day, 2nd Mother's Day :)

It was funny to think back over Mother's Day Sunday night and compare it to last year (my first Mother's Day). Eli was almost 4 weeks old and it was his very first time to go to church plus it was Steve's birthday. So it was a special day. I remember trying to time everything out just right so Eli and I could make it to church on time and it not be in the middle of one of his feedings. He was nursing every 2 hours so our time span was pretty short.
It's funny how much time last year I spent picking out our clothes. I was starting to fit back into pre-pregnancy clothes except for my top-half (thanks to nursing) so trying to squuez those into my old small dresses was an interesting story. This year I had the opposite problem. Nursing has really helped me burn calories so I am under my pre-preggo weight so it's actually harder to find something to wear now then it was last year. But since I've started weaning Ive already gained a few pounds back so I'll have some clothes to wear soon.
I wasn't nearly as stressed about making it to Chirch as I was last year. Going out with a 1 month old as a first time mom you pretty much bring the whole house. I still have a big diaper bag but I keep it pretty ready so I throw in a sippy cup and a few goldfish and we're good to go! Of course getting a wiggly toddler ready might be a bit more trouble than a "all I can do is lay here" 1 month old :) last year I didn't take Eli to the nursery but there is no keeping this big boy still and quiet for a whole church service so into the nursery he goes. Recently he started crying when I dropped him off. For maybe 2 minutes max but there were no tears Sunday so maybe this little phase is over...we'll see.
Sunday afternoon was a typical enjoy lunch and playtime kinda day. Since we didnt have choir practice Eli got a long nap and we got some chill time. Last year my parents and grandparents came in town. It was really special having them here for my first mothers day. My mom hosted Mother's Day lunch at her new house and I misse being with everybody.
Last Year on Sunday night I stayed home with my parents. I was worn out from church ha! This year I taught our girls bible study and enjoyed having a little cake and ice cream with the youth as an early celebration of Steve's birthday!
Crazy to me how things change in a year but one thing won't ever change...my gratitude to be this sweet, loving, joyful little boys Mommy! I'm thankful everyday God gave me such a beautiful son!!

1 year

WOW - can Eli really be ONE already.  When I say this year has flown by that is an understatement!  I mean everyone knows the first month (or maybe 2) are a blur because you are completely sleep deprived. Thankfully Eli started sleeping much better around 6 weeks, although he still liked to eat every 2 hours during the day he could go 3-4 at night.  I'm pretty sure those days didn't seem to go as fast as the days go now.  I feel like there's not enough time in the day even though I'm home all day with him. 
Now how do I recap the most amazing year of my life, well its impossible, but here are just a few thoughts.
In the beginning...
Eli ate every 2 - 2 1/2 hours around the clock the first few weeks of his life.  He would nurse for at least 40 minutes so I was basically just a milkin' machine. :)  He hardly ever cried and we enjoyed every minute of looking at our beautful, healthy, little baby boy.  I remember when we left the hospital it was such a strange feeling that we were taking a baby home.  It took a few days for it to sink in that this was 'real life'.  I remember how amazed we were at every little thing he did.  I still feel the same way a year later.  Its unbelievable to watch your child grow.  The miracle of life continues every day!  I remember how worried I would be at night for Eli's safety - nothing has really changed there but I'm not quite as bad.  I read a quote the other day that said "I've yet to meet a worrier that had an awesome prayer life".  How true is that! Instead of worrying I just need to pray.  Still working on this!!
After the blur of sleep deprivation wore off I really begin to enjoy/remember every second of being with my sweet baby and finally got into a routine around 2-3 months which was awesome!! I loved rocking him, cuddling him, cooking, cleaning (ok maybe not the cleaning part) but I loved and still love every aspect of being a stay at home mom/wifey. Its simply amazing!!!  I'm blessed that right now God has provided JUST enough finacially for me to stay home this first year with Eli.  I don't know what this next year will hold but praying God continues to provide for us in allowing me to be home with Eli.  Its such a gift to spend my moments with him.  It seems like from about 3 months on till now time as just multiplied.  Someone said the days are long but the years are short but honestly the days are short too.  I want more time with Eli!  Of course there's always cleaning I don't get done but there are fun activities we don't get to during the day too. 
Seems like when Eli hit 3 months life got a billion times easier.  He was a better sleeper, faster eater, and I was able to get things accomplished around the house. He was in a great routine (thanks partially to BabyWise, even though we didn't follow it exactly) Plus he started growing and reaching milestones like crazy! By 4 months he was rolling over both ways and by 5 months he was sitting up by himself.  He sweet little personality really started showing once he got his laugh at 4 months.  The sound of his first laugh is by far one of my most treasured moments of mommyhood!! Nothing compares!!!
It seems like every month he'd do something new and sweet and Steve and I would say "this is my favorite stage". Then a month later we'd say the same thing. I mean you think when you bring that tiny baby home that you really couldn't love them anymore than you do right then. But it's crazy how your love grows. Every day!!!
By 6 months Eli's personality was in full swing...this kid loves attention!! His laugh and smile were, and still are, contagious!! He was still nursing around 4-5x a day and eating baby food.  I made most of his baby food myself which was quite fun.  Later down the road, I would only make certain things myself and started buying store bought.  Geeze we should have invested in Gerber!  He was still napping 3x a day which was awesome! Even though he's never been the best of nappers I loved our schedule and routine.  This little guys is predicable and this mommy loves it!
During Eli's 7th and 8th month we had lots of holiday activity but it was so fun having his first Thanskgiving and First Christmas. It was really special!! I remember being so excited for him to wake up on Chistmas morning! I can't imagine how much more fun it will be in the years to come when he actually knows what going on. :)
After Christmas in Mississippi Eli started crawling, well army crawling, but he could still get to what he wanted. He started finger foods and that was so precious! He seemed like such a big boy feeding himself with those chunky little fingers of his! By 9 months we dropped his evening catnap and were down to 2 naps a day.  It took a couple of days to adjust but he did good.  He was still a nursing machine but only 4x a day, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and before bed.  I think nursing him really helped keep him healthy.  His first year of life he was really only sick twice, only one of which he ran a fever.
These last 3 months have literally flown by.  Now Eli is crawling..EVERYWHERE! He's always been a talker since around 5 months and still jibber-jabbers.  He loves to read and I mean LOVES it!! I have a video of him reading to himself.  Something I will always treasure.  Just today I watched him read through his books and smile as he turned the pages.  He's suck a smart boy.  But he is ALL boy!! He loves turning his toys over and 'destorying' them. Just this week he pulled the drawer off of one of our kitchen cabinets....muscle man! I really can not turn my head for one second.  But he's a sweet boy.  He loves cuddling with his mommy before naps.  He's now down to 2 naps a day and yet again he's SO predicable.  10:30-12:00, 3:15-5:00, bed 8:30-7:00am.  Its funny that if I keep him  up for his nap longer than I should while we are reading his book, he will turn his head in to me to be rocked.  I will always treasure these moments.  Yeah, yeah you shouldn't rock him to sleep, but you know what, God gave me this precious boy despite some medical problems and if I want to rock him till he goes to college I will! :) ok I'm only partially kidding but I really do savor every cuddle I get from him.  He loves to give me kisses and loves to fake laugh and be tickeled.
His first birthday was fun! We had a family party at my parents.  I was a little nervous that he might be overwhelmed with everybody but he did awesome! He was, as always, the center of attention. So stinkin cute!! He didn't want his smash cake though but wanted to eat all the tissue paper and wrapping paper.  We were blessed with lots of friends and family that came to celelebrate his special day.  We also got to spend time with Steve's family a little for his birthday.  One of Steve's brother's (and fam) send him a big present in the mail which was so sweet and fun for Eli to open and his oldest brother (and fam) videoed our family get-together and took Eli to the zoo for the first time.  We really enjoyed seeing Eli interact with all this cousins. 
And now to today, I still get sad when I get the 'toddler weekly updates' instead of 'baby weekly updates'.  Thankfully he still loves his mommy! We've pretty much given up baby-food and are on almost all finger foods even though he's not a great eater.  I'm still nursing but have weaned him to just 3x a day.  Soon will be 2x.  I'm hoping he makes the transition well.
Although time is flying by I try to capture each moment in my heart.  I am so thankful for a healthy, joyful, baby boy!! He is precious and such a blessing to his daddy and
me!

Sweet little boy finally dove into a cupcake I made for him on his actual birthday! How can your heart not melt when you see those baby blues!! :)