Falling Behind

Wow! It's been almost a year since I last posted to this blog.  I have let life get in the way and have not been keeping up with things like I should.  So much has changed since last November.  We've welcomed our baby girl, Celie, into the family.  She's going to be 9 months this month!!!  And Micah is such a smart little boy.  He amazes me by how much he knows already.  We are in the midst of potty training and it has gone pretty much like everything else with him.  When he decided it was time to do it, he did.  He went almost immediately to "big boy" underwear and has very few accidents.  I'm so blessed.

Jerry Turns One

Micah and I decorated this smash cake for Jerry's birthday. Decorating a cake with an 18 month old makes for some memories.

Adding to the Family

We are very excited to announce we will be adding a new member to the family in February 2013!  We've known now for 4 1/2 weeks but just recently (3 days ago) shared the news with family and friends.  I really can't believe we were able to keep this secret for 4 weeks.  There were several times I wanted to say something so badly but kept myself from telling. 

For anyone who would like to receive regular updates and thoughts on this pregnancy you can follow our blog Our Journey - Baby #2.  While I will occasionally post updates to Facebook, I won't be doing it as much as I did with Micah.  I just know too many people who have hoped and prayed to be able to experience what we have and will experience again.  I want to be sensitive to them.  They shouldn't have to see something pregnancy related every time they open FB.  I am not sure I was very sensitive to those friends' feelings when I was pregnant with Micah.

Happiness

This makes me happy.

Daycare Breaks My Heart

Micah has been in daycare now for just over a month.  It is getting so hard to drop him off.  He's really attached to me and is in a clingy stage.  He's always cried when we drop him off at day care but it seems to be getting worse.  When we pull up the drive he knows where he is and that I am about to "abandon" him all day.  He is fussing before I ever get parked.  I thought as time went by it would be easier to drop him off and he'd start being excited to see his friends for the day.  That is not the case at all.  This morning after I dropped him off I cried almost the entire way to work.  It was so hard seeing him through the window trying to be consoled by someone else (and it not working).  I feel the same way he does.  I feel like I am abandoning him.  But what other option do I have?  It's just getting harder and harder on both of us.

Work, work, work

How I wish this pretending to work part were true.

Test post

Testing mobile blogger. I am hoping I will update better using this app.

Micah and Day Care

I've really loved being able to work from home (or take Micah to work with me) on the days that Scott works.  I love that I have gotten to spend so much extra time with him, love that I didn't have to worry about waking or getting him out early, having the added stress of packing a bag daily, love that he hasn't had to be exposed to sickness after sickness, and just love the experience of having him with me.  But as he gets older and Scott's schedule changes, I have to admit that working like that is getting harder.  Micah demands more of my attention and if I turn my head for one minute he may be standing on the arm of his chair, out of the room (haven't put up the baby gate I bought because the floors still aren't complete and it requires installation), or any of a hundred different things.  I've been debating child care for the days Scott and I both work.  I honestly don't want to put him in child care because I want him with me, but at this point it would simplify my life.  I don't want him catching things from other kids, getting bit or biting, learning bad behaviors, or the added expense.  His nap time will also be messed up since he has napped at the same time for almost a year now and I know that nap time will not work with any day care he might go to.  I also don't want him to feel like I am neglecting him.  I've seen that he is entering the clingy stage and turning into more of a Mommy's boy.  But, I know time away from me and interactions with other kids will do him good.  He surely gets bored at home when Mommy can't play with him (although he does usually play well by himself) and shows a huge interest in playing with other kids.  I've checked into a couple of daycare centers I would be comfortable with.  One is a Christian center owned by a friend and the other we have several friends and family working at.  I'm still on the fence.  My head says he needs to go the days Scott works.  My heart says he needs to be with Mommy.

Baby Season

It's baby season!  Two out of three of my close friends who were trying to conceive have conceived!!!  Praying for healthy pregnancies for them and continuing to pray for good news for others trying (including myself).

Friends and Families

I haven't thought much about who all around me is trying to conceive until today.  I know I have several friends who are trying and have been praying for them.  But I never really considered that so many people around me are trying to conceive.  Three of my closest friends are in that mix of people.  I think of and pray for them often.  I sincerely hope they conceive quickly and do not have to endure the hardships Scott and I (as well as some of our other friends) have had to endure.  Trying to conceive can be so stressful and can consume you if you allow it to.  Even knowing the length of time it took me to conceive Micah, I still have hopes that we will conceive quicker this time around.  Knowing that I can conceive makes me more optimistic.  Of course, if it does take a long time again it might be harder on me because of that knowledge.  The heartache of disappointment month after month after month is one I would not wish on anyone.  For those of you praying for a pregnancy soon, keep your heads up, enjoy the journey, and never give up hope for your little miracle.  I love you guys!

Birthday Fun

We are having fun in the office today.  It's Tina's birthday and for the milestone birthdays of our office staff we always go BIG and have fun!  Last year we overlooked her milestone birthday so we made up for it this year.  We decided to pretend she's turning 40 this year.  :-)  Friday afternoon we decorated her office after she left to go home.  She came in to find her door decorated.  Not sure if she suspected the inside would be decorated also but she didn't let on if she did.

 The office door looks tame enough.  The tape says "Warning: 40th Birthday. Party Under Way"

 When she opened her office, this is what she found.  Streamers everywhere, things hanging from the ceiling (don't know why they aren't in this picture) and 69 balloons on the floor.

 Party crime scene.

The birthday girl in her office.  It is so "busy" I walked by and seriously didn't see her at her desk already this morning!

Longing for Another

It's no secret that I have always wanted children (plural).  When we became pregnant with Micah it was literally the biggest shock of my life.  I was thrilled at our unexpected surprise!  Scott and I would have been glad to become pregnant right after having Micah, although I wanted to wait a couple of months to give my body time to get back in decent shape and to enjoy Micah for a while.  Well, Micah is now 9 months old and we are on the road to trying.  I miss being pregnant and really want to add a second child to the family.  I realize this may not be in God's plans for us, but I sure hope it is.  Maybe it won't take us ten years this time around.  I long for a second child as much as I longed for the first.  Hopefully a great second pregnancy is in our near future.  Keep it in your prayers for us.

Life with a 9 Month Old

It is hard to believe Micah is already 9 months old!  Seems like we were just bringing him home.  We had his 9 month check-up today.  He is 20 lbs, 1 oz (50th percentile) and 29 inches (75th percentile). Looks like he is going to be tall and skinny.  Before we know it he will be towering over both of us.

I need to do a better job of recording our life in our blogs.  Micah changes so much from one second to the next.  One minute he's not crawling, the next we can barely keep up.  He is so inquisitive and seems to be smart.  Of course, all moms probably think their baby is smart.  :-)  I seriously think he observes things until he knows he can do them and then BAM, it is full force.  Or maybe he practices while we aren't watching.  I look for him to be walking soon.  He is always on go.  I'll try to keep y'all updated and maybe I will go back and post about things I have missed posting about before long. 

Pinterest and Christmas pictures

I have always loved taking pictures but have never really been too good at it.  Really, I've always just been the point and shoot type of girl and took whatever quality pictures I got.  Thanks to Pinterest, I am in the very beginning stages of learning how to manipulate the settings on my camera.  The manual always seemed to confuse me but by finding and reading blogs about the settings things are beginning to make more sense.  I still have a VERY long way to go at become decent at photographing, but yesterday afternoon the three of us were all dressed up so I took advantage of the situation and got some Christmas photos.  They need some work but at least they aren't all washed out with a flash and you can actually see the Christmas lights on the tree. 

After we finished the family photos I played around and got several shots of Micah.  He had a blast playing around but it was so hard to get a decent shot of him.  With the settings I was trying to use he was little more than a blur a great deal of the time.  But I was able to get some cute shots.

I was even able to get some sleeping shots of Micah under the tree.  My favorite is the sepia toned one below.

Cooler Weather, Happy Times

I am really enjoying this cooler weather we have been having.  This past summer was so hot!  Now we are in the type of weather that I enjoy.  Too bad it won't last long before it is freezing outside!  When the air takes on a crispness to it I get a little more pep in my step.  Today I feel really exhilarated!

With cooler weather also comes a busy three - four months of holidays and family gatherings.  This past weekend I bought Micah's Halloween outfit.  It is an adorable monkey outfit.  He is going to be the cutest little monkey there is!  I don't plan to take him trick-or-treating this year.  I will dress him in his costume for the Trunk-or-Treat at the church and to answer the door with us for the little trick-or-treaters we have come to our house.  And, of course, I will dress him to get some cute pictures of his first Halloween.

After Halloween we focus on Thanksgiving.  This year we are getting together with my side of the family for Thanksgiving (my Dad's family).  It has been so many years since we have gotten together with them for Thanksgiving.  I honestly don't recall when the last time was.  I hope to keep the tradition going after restarting it this year.  This year, I have so much to be thankful for.

Then it's on to Christmas!  I am really excited about Christmas this year.  I know Micah is too small to really enjoy it and that he'll probably be more interested in the paper than anything.  I also know that it will be lots of work hauling him around to the different places we have to go.  But it will be so much fun!  And Scott is off this Christmas (BONUS!) so he can enjoy all of the festivities with us.

Let the celebrating begin!!!

Happy 11th Anniversary to Us

Has it really been eleven years?  Wow...it seems like only yesterday we were frantically rushing to get married.  And I (Mary) really was frantically rushing to the church and stressing because the cake was in the back of the car.  It is really hard to rush while trying not to destroy the cake.  Oh, the stress!  I remember it like it was yesterday.  To this day I still blame Scott for me being late and not having everything in place for the cake, along with my dad having to finish his cake.  Ha!  Yes, I was insane and made all cakes for my wedding.

Anywho...I'm just glad our marriage hasn't been as hectic and stressful as that day.  All in all, it was worth every bit of the stress.  This anniversary is definitely the best yet.  What do we have planned?  Nothing of significance.  Then what makes it the best, you might ask.  It is the best because not only do I get to celebrate eleven wonderful years with the best husband in the world, I get to celebrate eleven wonderful years with the best husband AND sweetest little boy in the world!  Only in my wildest dreams did I ever think that would be a possibility.  I am blessed beyond measure.

Oh how our little family has changed!

September 23, 2000

July 31, 2011

Food for Local Communities

One of my friends from high school days has raised her daughter to have a love for others.  She has rooted a true love for others in her daughter's heart and her daughter is running wide open trying to help others.  As a fourth grader, Miss. Claudia Cade puts her energy into her "crusade against hunger", collecting food for local food ministries.  You can help Miss. Cade in her crusade.  Curious how?  Follow the link Claudia-Cade-Lee-County's-Miss-Heart-of-America-Queen-of-Hearts, like the page, and you can help Miss. Cade in her journey to end hunger.

News for Ms. Claudia Cade:

http://wcbi.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1315854172&archive&start_from&ucat=2%2C41

and

11 Years Gone By

January 2000, at 20 years old, I met a crazy fella who made my world brighter.  He added laughter to every day and made me feel special.  I fell head-over-heels in love with this wonderful, crazy man.  To this day I can't really explain how he swept me off my feet so quickly.  All I know is that it was in God's plans for us to be together.  And how great those plans have turned out to be!

We've gone through a lot together.  Things haven't always be easy or gone our way, but I wouldn't change the life we have for anything.  As we struggled through things, specifically trying to extend our family, we often questioned why things didn't go our way.  One thing is for sure, our struggles have brought us closer together and made our marriage even stronger.  I love Scott more every day.

September 23, 2011, we will celebrate 11 wonderful years of marriage.  It makes it even sweeter that we will celebrate our 11 years of marriage as parents to a wonderful little blessing from God.  We are right where we want to be!

Money Matters

Money, money, money.  I've never been obsessed with money but since I have more responsibility than Scott and myself, I have been thinking of ways to do better with our money.  We waste so much on nothing.  I want to start a savings for Micah and for me and Scott.  I want to put money into each every month so I need to create a budget.  I think I will do that today.  Also, I am going to start couponing.  I tried to do my first coupon shopping trip this past weekend.  It wasn't very successful though.  I had Micah with me.  We had been shopping for a while once I finally made it to grocery shopping and he was getting very tired.  He fights his sleep during the day so I just bought what I had and left.  I had spent a good deal of time printing coupons, searching competitors' ads and creating a shopping list.  Guess I will have to get back to that today too.  I'm not going to go crazy or be too strict on my budget, but I do need to at least try.

On another note, a spending note, we are about to add on to the house.  I am so excited that we will have a little more room but I am even more excited that I will have a personal gym.  We are planning to enclose the carport.  The majority of it will be the living room, but a small portion will be a room for me.  Scott says anything I want it to be so it will be a home gym.  I already have several pieces of equipment that will do for now.  Since we have moved they have been sitting in pieces in our storage shed.  It will be great to get them back together.

Things I have learned as a mom

• Pampers work best on Micah.  All other diapers will leak more when he poops!
• Huggies wipes are the best!
• Poop from breastfed babies is so loose it can and will get everywhere.
• Days are meant for nursing and changing poopy diapers.
• There is no more sleeping late.
• Micah will sleep or not be hungry until it is time for me to do something.  :-)
• Olive oil really does get rid of cradle cap!
• Never say you won't do something because that is the one thing you'll end up doing!
• I love seeing Micah being spoiled by other family members and friends.  He is so loved.
• You have to make time for things somewhere between all the nursing and changing.
• Nothing is better than a sweet smile from my little man.