Preserving Memories

Little babies are so sweet...cuddly, cute as buttons, constantly learning new things.  I write in Will's baby book every month.  3 year old preciousness is a little harder to capture.  The funny things that she says, the sweet hugs, etc.  She is also constantly learning and processing.  It's the processing that is so wonderful to watch.  This is a little attempt from a mom to preserve some of Hope's learning and sweetness.

Here is a late night geography lesson with Dad.  He drew KY.  She made the dots and labels.  There is a green O for Owensboro, a blue dot for Lexington, an N for Northern Kentucky and some green mountains in Eastern Kentucky. 

Today we are home sick from church.  Hope loves Sunday School and really missed being able to go.  I happened to have a little story and activity sheet that the nursery was handing out so we made our own Sunday School.  We made the craft suggestion at the end which was a prayer journal.  I plan to save it, but just in case I wanted a picture of each page.

Each page has something she'd like to pray for that she has drawn.  First, is Hope.  She's like to pray for herself.

Next is Mom.  That line is the snot coming out of my nose. (well, I have had a cold lately...)

Here's dad.  The blob beside him is a dinosaur, but her prayer was that he would drive safely.  I suggested she draw a car, but she felt the dinosaur was more appropriate. ok...

And Will.  Not sure what the other purple blob is.

Finally was Luke.  By this time she caught on that I was writing the name of who she was drawing and she thought she'd just cut to the chase and spell the name rather than draw him.  Her prayer for him was that he would be safe on the school bus. I don't think he rides the school bus, but if he ever does, he'll be safe now.

4 months

Here are those picture updates I promised.   Will is 4 months old today.  He is rolling around (though not yet completely over) and laughing a lot.  He likes singing and eating, his bath time and still the floor gym.  We have gotten out the jumperoo but he still does not actually jump in it.  He has also started staying in the church nursery some and does great!  It has been a good month for Will!

 Grammy this picture is for you.  I tried so hard to get it with the drool like the photo of John you love but I never timed it right.

Still has those baby blues.

See those 2 fingers in the mouth?  I spend most of my day pulling those out and replacing them with a paci.

Hope still loves to help in the kitchen.  I may have posted this before but I can't remember.  Anyway... we have found that a great way to entertain her is to give her real dough.  After cutting out how many biscuits I think we will need , she can have the rest to play with.  It lasts through all of the rest of dinner preparation and clean up too!

I let her add dye to see what would happen... don't do that. I had a brain lapse.  Both of our hands were green.

Another random Hope picture:  While I was changing a dirty diaper she got out a reading blanket, her animals for an audience, plopped into the bumbo and put on her reading glasses (sunglasses) then began holding school.  Brings back so many memories!

Here's us at bedtime.  It's my favorite part of the day.  Not because it means the end of my "workday" but because it is such a cozy cuddly time.  Will doesn't always make it to story time but when he does, Hope is glad to have him join us.

Looking Back

If you are here for pictures...sorry to disappoint.  I'll put some up next time.  Usually I use this blog to talk about my kids to show pictures to our out of town family and friends....really and for in town family and friends, too!  But today, I just wanted to share some thoughts. 
It's been about a year since I found out that I was pregnant again.  What a year.  I've been sicker this year than probably the rest of my life combined. Even the sights and smells of Valentines and Easter are making me sick this year just remembering how sick I was last year. While others  have had struggles much harder than my quiet struggles I still want to share because I know that there are young mothers who read this and may feel they can relate. 
Besides just vomitting more this year than all my previous years (TMI?) I have also cried more and harder than ever before as well.  Along with the pregnancy nausea and fatigue came a depression.  While I was pregnant, I blamed it on hormones and honestly I'm quite sure that played a role in it all.  Near the end of my pregnancy and shortly after my delivery, it could be blamed on all my life changes:  We moved when Will was 3 weeks old into a new home.  But, it was in the same city and we had tons of help so please don't feel too sorry for us.  Plus, we love our new home and feel so blessed to have one with so much more space that we were able to afford on our 1 income budget. 
I've always been emotional and cry rather easily but this year was different.  I felt like I wanted to withdraw from responsiblities and I did.  I have always loved being a part of Bible Studies and helping at my church, but I lost all interest in that and felt that God just didn't or couldn't love me because I was too ordinary.  He should be concerned with the persecuted Church or the very poor and hungry, but not me and my silly worries over would my house sell or how would I care for 2 children when I didn't even have the energy to brush my own teeth that day. 
Throughout my pregnancy, I withdrew from relationships and interests and stopped caring for myself.  Pregnant ladies never sleep well, but my sleeping diminished to only and hour or so per night.  That left me totally exhausted by the time I delivered and began our transistion to 2 children and a new home.  Everyone knows how little sleep mothers of newborns get.  Add to that a couple of really bad infections/fevers during Will's first month and my facade of having it all together totally crumbled.  My lowest point was laying on the floor of my parents bathroom where my kids and I were staying while Woody packed up our old house, after having vomited and blacking out in the shower.  I prayed that God would just let me die.  I was so tired and saw no way out.  My infections were probably a blessing in disguise from the Lord.  He always will leave a way out for you.  I had gotten sick enough that my family had to take me in to see my doctor.  Thankfully, she recognized what kind of shape I was in...both physically and emotionally. 
I did not want to do anything that she wanted me to do, but I followed all of her instructions and now 3 months later, I can honestly say that I am better.  Praise God.  I was telling Woody last week that it seems like years ago that all of that happened.  That person feels like it wasn't even me.  I am still so tired and I need to shower more than every 3 days.  I also need to make sure my clothes match before I leave the house and vow not to wear my big fuzzy socks out in public at all...even if it is just to Kroger.  But, I no longer feel hopeless.  I am starting to enjoy friendships again and I am even helping to facilitate a Beth Moore study at  church.  Our life is setteling down some as well.  We are all moved in to our new home, Will is sleeping well at nights and is a joy, Hope is in her big girl bed, we even have our new car: okay it's a mini-van but I'm accepting that too and really I am very grateful for it. 
I owe many thanks to my parents for caring for me and my children while I was sick, to Woody for doing the lion's share of the work during the move and for understanding my feelings and being patient during the past year, to my friends who are still my friends despite my unfriendliness, to Dr. Dawson for her wisdom and care (she met me at the hospital one day when her office was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday just to make sure I was getting better) but most of all to God.  Thank you God that You don't just care for the orphans or those in poverty and severe persecution.  You also care for the ordinary mom of 2 who drives a mini van and goes to Kroger at 5:30 am wearing navy blue sweats, a UK pullover, green fuzzy socks and black shoes. 

Super Bowl

Woody literally gets more excited about the super bowl than his own birthday or even Christmas.  This year, we decided to host the get together. 

Hope woke up from her nap so excited about the party.  Will does not yet sense the excitement.

Hope gets her party bling.

We decorate the table.  *Note: actually the hard work was done by Woody.  It's an astro turf table cloth with electrical tape hash marks and yard lines.  This table was the Patriot's table.  Not pictured is the drink table which was the Giant's table.  We were sort of rooting Giants but a few guests were rooting Patriots so we had to be fair.  I'm not at all a party planner or decorator, but our table really did turn out cute!

Even branched out and tried some new things like football strawberries.  Much harder than it looks to make straight lines with white chocolate...especially when your piping utensil is a zip lock bag like I was using.

I have no pictures of the adults because this is where I camped out all night...the kids room.  This is what our playroom looked like after just the first quarter. Yikes, kids will be kids!  We had a good time though!  Maybe next year the Ravens will make it in! 

Every girl should be as blessed

We have an aunt Bobbi.  At her house there is a room that I've told you about before that is all art, all the time!  It's a little girl's dream.  Occasionally, Bobbi and her daughter Maggie clean out art supplies and send some home with us.  We hit the jackpot with this one.  2 canvas boards that came with acrylic paint and brushes.  This is a huge step up from the water colors that we are used to using.  WOW!  We have had so much fun with this!  Grammy made the art smock for Hope and it came just in time!