Where to start? I feel like Cody has just taken off! Literally, he has. Cody started by sitting up. Within a couple of days he went from a one-handed push-up position to completely sitting himself up. A couple of days later he was pulling up on the couch, recliner, your knees, anything he could get a hold of! That same week he took off crawling. Cody pulls up and takes steps towards whatever he is holding on to. He attempts to let go but hasn't stood unassisted yet. He reaches for anything and everything he can get in to- cords, shoe laces, anything that lights up, etc. I had forgotten how to baby-proof!
He is amazing and so much fun. He is always smiling and has the best laugh! He is ticklish. Cody is taking about an 8 oz bottle 4-5 times a day and has at least two meals and a snack. He is also self feeding with puffs! Now I can put him in his highchair with a snack and get our dinner started while he feeds himself- fun times ;) He eats stage 1 and 2 baby food as well as trying some of the things that we eat. He had some yogurt, macaroni, mashed potatoes and a couple of bites of pancake. He loves to hold his sippy cup and seems so refreshed after some watered-down apple juice!
We had to make a family trip to the outlet malls because Cody has outgrown 95% of his clothes. We bought him size 12-18 months! Big boy! Emma and Cody both got new shoes at the Stride Rite store- Sissy is a size 1.5! What are we feeding these kids?
Sleep. What's that? Cody has been giving us a little bit of trouble for about 2-3 weeks now. He will go to bed and sleep for exactly one hour and then wake up. He doesn't want Mommy, he doesn't need a diaper change- he wants Daddy. He smiles and reaches for Daddy. David doesn't get home until about 7 so he only has about an hour (if that) with Cody before he falls asleep. Sometimes Cody fights harder than other nights, but eventually he goes back to bed. It could be worse, a lot worse.
Emma is still in love with her brother. She plays, talks and sings to him. Last Saturday she decided to go in to his room when she heard him waking up. She turned the light on and proceeded to put on a dance routine for him. David and I woke up to them giggling at each other. How sweet is that? Emma is literally Cody's favorite toy. Cody bangs his arm down, waves "hi" and "pats" things. If you pat your hand (on your knee for example) twice, he pats his hand twice.
I know I'm forgetting things so plan on this entry being edited.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Kindergarten!
On Wednesday, August 18th Emma had her first day of "Big Girl School" as she likes to call it. No tears for any of us! I kept wondering how I would feel because we're supposed to cry, right? They had a "Boo Hoo/Yahoo!" breakfast which I thought was a cute idea. I just know that this is where she is supposed to be right now and it feels so natural for all of us.
The morning routine is a little crazy, but I wouldn't know it any other way. David wasn't able to come to school with us because the Dept. sent him to a training class in East Austin. First stop was Cody's daycare which starts their day at 7:30. I was there at 7:31 because I only have 20 minutes to get him settled and drive Emma to school by 7:50. Emma's classroom seems large and is so adorable. They sit at tables of four (although there are only 3 at Emma's). She is sitting with Hannah and next to Colby- Mrs. Summers' grandson. Emma has lots of buddies in her class that she knew from preschool and her closest girlfriends are in the other two Kindergarten classes- probably a good thing since she inherited her Mama's gift of gab. At first I thought there were only 11 kids in her class, but each morning I count differently; I think there may be 13. LOVE THAT TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO!
Emma's weekly schedule includes Spanish, music, science, PE, cooking and lot's more. This week they have been working on B's. What happened to A? I'm not sure. I'm so proud of her. All of a sudden she seems more independent. I'm surprised she let me walk her into the classroom this morning! One of Emma's favorite teachers has been the science enrichment teacher who teaches them all about animals, bugs, plants etc. so Emma may join her gardening club! During the last week of school Emma brought home tons of plants and her little Oak Tree has been thriving!
Redeemer will definitely keep us busy. Leading up to the first day of school we had parent/teacher conferences, popcicles on the playground and new parent orientation. Soon we will have back to school night, school pictures and PTL meetings. At least I was prepared from previous experience.
It's so bizarre to have a baby and a 5 year old and realize how fast she has grown, our family has grown and all the adventures that lie ahead!
The morning routine is a little crazy, but I wouldn't know it any other way. David wasn't able to come to school with us because the Dept. sent him to a training class in East Austin. First stop was Cody's daycare which starts their day at 7:30. I was there at 7:31 because I only have 20 minutes to get him settled and drive Emma to school by 7:50. Emma's classroom seems large and is so adorable. They sit at tables of four (although there are only 3 at Emma's). She is sitting with Hannah and next to Colby- Mrs. Summers' grandson. Emma has lots of buddies in her class that she knew from preschool and her closest girlfriends are in the other two Kindergarten classes- probably a good thing since she inherited her Mama's gift of gab. At first I thought there were only 11 kids in her class, but each morning I count differently; I think there may be 13. LOVE THAT TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO!
Emma's weekly schedule includes Spanish, music, science, PE, cooking and lot's more. This week they have been working on B's. What happened to A? I'm not sure. I'm so proud of her. All of a sudden she seems more independent. I'm surprised she let me walk her into the classroom this morning! One of Emma's favorite teachers has been the science enrichment teacher who teaches them all about animals, bugs, plants etc. so Emma may join her gardening club! During the last week of school Emma brought home tons of plants and her little Oak Tree has been thriving!
Redeemer will definitely keep us busy. Leading up to the first day of school we had parent/teacher conferences, popcicles on the playground and new parent orientation. Soon we will have back to school night, school pictures and PTL meetings. At least I was prepared from previous experience.
It's so bizarre to have a baby and a 5 year old and realize how fast she has grown, our family has grown and all the adventures that lie ahead!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Father and Son, Baptized Together
Sunday, August 15th 2010 is a day I will never forget. When I met David I was surprised to hear that he had never been baptized. I not-so-secretly wanted him to be baptized before we were married, but in retrospect I know it wasn't the "right" time.
While I was pregnant I got the idea that Cody and David could be baptized together and David loved that idea. We started looking at dates and kept hitting road blocks. We had planned to be out of town on the 14th and 15th in Dennison for a concert with Roger Creager and Aaron Watson, but when we heard my BFF was having her engagement party that weekend, we canceled our plans so that we could be in town and decided it would be a great time to have the baptism before school started.
My brother, sister-in-law and nephew came in from Plano, and my grandfather and Aunt Cathy from Houston as well as my Aunt Lisa, Uncle David, and cousin Lily from Elgin and my Granny and Mom and Dad. Since David's family lives out of town (mostly out of state) and we only planned the baptism in a couple of weeks, they were not able to travel and be there; but we definitely felt their spirits with us and know they are thrilled for David and I. It was very special to do this at my home church, Gethsemane Lutheran. Pastor Gronberg baptized my brother and I, confirmed me, baptized Emma and married David and I. This congregation has watched me grow and it was very special to share this day there. Even though we will be moving our membership to Redeemer to support Emma and get involved as a family, Gethsemane will always be my "home church" and extremely important to my family and I.
When we met with Pastor to talk about this day, one of the things he asked us was who would be baptized first. I blurted out "DAVID!" I laughed by saying he is running out of time. :) I'm so proud of him. He amazes me all the time. He works so hard, is so honest and wears his heart on his sleeve. I love our conversations about God working in our lives. We weren't planning on getting pregnant when we did, but it was His plan for us. We weren't planning on Emma going to Redeemer this year, but He worked it out. We feel so blessed and know His presence and I am proud that David wants to raise our children in this ancient tradition.
The service was really beautiful. The family sat in the first 3-4 pews and early on we were called up. The family gathered around the baptismal font and the children of the congregation were called up to watch as well. My parents and David's sister Cristy are David and Cody's godparents or "sponsors" so my Mom lit candles and my Dad held cross necklaces during the baptism. When it was time, David passed Cody over to me and pastor had him lean over while he prayed over David. He then poured water over his forehead, made the sign of the cross, held his face and he was baptized! David was teary-eyed and it was all I could do to not cry! Pastor Gronberg had my Dad place one of the cross necklaces around David's neck and then gave him a big hug. Then it was Cody's turn.
I handed Cody back to David who leaned him backwards near the baptismal font and pastor did the same thing with him. Once again my father placed the remaining necklace on Cody. Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of the day that my children would be baptized. My Pastor does something very special after a baptism. He takes the baby and presents them to the congregation. He holds them above his head and walks down the center aisle. Gethsemane has the most beautiful stained glass sanctuary that I've ever seen and I love the look on the faces of children as they catch sight of the beautiful colors as light shines through them. Cody did amazing- my sweet, sweet baby. This day was ever more special because David was side-by-side our son.
The rest of the service was beautiful. I requested that we sing "I was there to hear your borning cry" just like the day that Emma was baptized. Afterwards the family joined us for lunch at Red Lobster and opened a few gifts. Thanks to all who came or were thinking about us and always praying for us! We are so blessed!
While I was pregnant I got the idea that Cody and David could be baptized together and David loved that idea. We started looking at dates and kept hitting road blocks. We had planned to be out of town on the 14th and 15th in Dennison for a concert with Roger Creager and Aaron Watson, but when we heard my BFF was having her engagement party that weekend, we canceled our plans so that we could be in town and decided it would be a great time to have the baptism before school started.
My brother, sister-in-law and nephew came in from Plano, and my grandfather and Aunt Cathy from Houston as well as my Aunt Lisa, Uncle David, and cousin Lily from Elgin and my Granny and Mom and Dad. Since David's family lives out of town (mostly out of state) and we only planned the baptism in a couple of weeks, they were not able to travel and be there; but we definitely felt their spirits with us and know they are thrilled for David and I. It was very special to do this at my home church, Gethsemane Lutheran. Pastor Gronberg baptized my brother and I, confirmed me, baptized Emma and married David and I. This congregation has watched me grow and it was very special to share this day there. Even though we will be moving our membership to Redeemer to support Emma and get involved as a family, Gethsemane will always be my "home church" and extremely important to my family and I.
When we met with Pastor to talk about this day, one of the things he asked us was who would be baptized first. I blurted out "DAVID!" I laughed by saying he is running out of time. :) I'm so proud of him. He amazes me all the time. He works so hard, is so honest and wears his heart on his sleeve. I love our conversations about God working in our lives. We weren't planning on getting pregnant when we did, but it was His plan for us. We weren't planning on Emma going to Redeemer this year, but He worked it out. We feel so blessed and know His presence and I am proud that David wants to raise our children in this ancient tradition.
The service was really beautiful. The family sat in the first 3-4 pews and early on we were called up. The family gathered around the baptismal font and the children of the congregation were called up to watch as well. My parents and David's sister Cristy are David and Cody's godparents or "sponsors" so my Mom lit candles and my Dad held cross necklaces during the baptism. When it was time, David passed Cody over to me and pastor had him lean over while he prayed over David. He then poured water over his forehead, made the sign of the cross, held his face and he was baptized! David was teary-eyed and it was all I could do to not cry! Pastor Gronberg had my Dad place one of the cross necklaces around David's neck and then gave him a big hug. Then it was Cody's turn.
I handed Cody back to David who leaned him backwards near the baptismal font and pastor did the same thing with him. Once again my father placed the remaining necklace on Cody. Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of the day that my children would be baptized. My Pastor does something very special after a baptism. He takes the baby and presents them to the congregation. He holds them above his head and walks down the center aisle. Gethsemane has the most beautiful stained glass sanctuary that I've ever seen and I love the look on the faces of children as they catch sight of the beautiful colors as light shines through them. Cody did amazing- my sweet, sweet baby. This day was ever more special because David was side-by-side our son.
The rest of the service was beautiful. I requested that we sing "I was there to hear your borning cry" just like the day that Emma was baptized. Afterwards the family joined us for lunch at Red Lobster and opened a few gifts. Thanks to all who came or were thinking about us and always praying for us! We are so blessed!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Date Night
Mommy and Daddy have spent a lot of time working and taking care of Cody and Emma and as often as possible, we sneak out for some time alone. We are so lucky to have Grammy and Paw Paw close by and willing to watch the kiddos so that we are able to go out. Generally we just grab a movie or go out for dinner but this time would be a little different.
David and I went to Luckenbach/Fredericksburg to see Roger Creager with some of our friends last September when I was about 16weeks pregnant. We were celebrating Tom's birthday and had a great weekend! Before that I cannot remember the last concert we went to. This is significant to me because that's how David and I met (honky tonkin' if you will) and something we love to do together.
It is an amazing thing to live in central Texas. Especially if you like to listen to great live music, dance, drink beer and even enjoy the great outdoors! One of the great land marks that David and I neither one had been to was Nutty Brown right here in Austin! It was a beautiful night; there was a most excellent breeze and seriously, it was one of the best concerts I've been to. I know it sounds we don't go to many, and we haven't in the last two years, but we used to! Anyway, the margaritas and beer were flowing and Bruce Robison and RRB rocked it. I did not particularly care for the smoking, but Matt "politely" suggested to this girl in front of us that if she blew out in our faces one more time, that she would not like his response. :) Then two guys dropped their (How you say...?) "bud" in front of David. Probably not smart to dump your pot in front of two cops, but luckily we were all there to have a good time. And my hubby and I were having a great time. I loved feeling so relaxed and knowing that David was too. It was so refreshing to hang out with people who like you for you and don't bring drama.
Since we were going to be out a little later than usual, and my parents were babysitting my nephew Drew, we asked our friend Natalie if the kids could hang out with she and her son. So Saturday evening after we dropped them off, David and I met a few friends at Chuy's (mmm!) and then headed to NB. It was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again!
David and I went to Luckenbach/Fredericksburg to see Roger Creager with some of our friends last September when I was about 16weeks pregnant. We were celebrating Tom's birthday and had a great weekend! Before that I cannot remember the last concert we went to. This is significant to me because that's how David and I met (honky tonkin' if you will) and something we love to do together.
It is an amazing thing to live in central Texas. Especially if you like to listen to great live music, dance, drink beer and even enjoy the great outdoors! One of the great land marks that David and I neither one had been to was Nutty Brown right here in Austin! It was a beautiful night; there was a most excellent breeze and seriously, it was one of the best concerts I've been to. I know it sounds we don't go to many, and we haven't in the last two years, but we used to! Anyway, the margaritas and beer were flowing and Bruce Robison and RRB rocked it. I did not particularly care for the smoking, but Matt "politely" suggested to this girl in front of us that if she blew out in our faces one more time, that she would not like his response. :) Then two guys dropped their (How you say...?) "bud" in front of David. Probably not smart to dump your pot in front of two cops, but luckily we were all there to have a good time. And my hubby and I were having a great time. I loved feeling so relaxed and knowing that David was too. It was so refreshing to hang out with people who like you for you and don't bring drama.
Since we were going to be out a little later than usual, and my parents were babysitting my nephew Drew, we asked our friend Natalie if the kids could hang out with she and her son. So Saturday evening after we dropped them off, David and I met a few friends at Chuy's (mmm!) and then headed to NB. It was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Cody: 5-6 months
Lots of changes! After one month of cereal we introduced solids and Cody is a champion eater. At his 6 month check-up he weighed 16lbs. Just as exciting was the fact that he didn't have to go to the Dr. for an entire month (a first since he's been born)! At his 4 month check up he weighed 14lbs. 2oz.
I have made one attempt at baby food "meat" but Cody kept gagging in disgust and I don't blame him! His favorites are fruit and cereal and is still gassy with carrots, green beans and peas. Sweet potatoes are ok. We explained to the pediatrician that he still REALLY throws up a lot for hours after he's had a bottle and now she tells us he's got reflux. He's never showed signs of discomfort or pain so she just suggested that we add cereal to his bottle. It is working beautifully! He is still spitting up during/just after his bottle but in a much more bearable, "normal" amount. David and I are great with this concept and thankful we don't have to medicate him!
Mobility here we come. Cody gets up on all fours, sometimes into a "push-up" position. Otherwise he'll be on his hands and knees and start to rock back and forth. He is scooting sideways and backwards. Basically he goes everywhere BUT the blanket/pallet we lay down for him to play on. He will even get into a one-handed push-up position and is this close to pushing himself up to sit. He sits with support, but not for long; he is too impatient to stay still. He still loves his saucer and frequented his swing at daycare. Speaking of daycare, Cody and Emma are no longer at Stepping Stones, last Friday was their final day there. When I told Cody's afternoon teacher a couple of weeks earlier, she just about cried. We got stopped by 3/4 of the staff on our way out for last minute Cody kisses. I'm thankful for the kind hearts who took care of our kiddos.
Cody is taking between 4-5 7.5oz bottles with food/cereal 1-2 times a day. It's time to increase his food intake and we've purchased his first sippy-cup to try juice! He sleeps about 11 hours normally but has only recently been waking up once during the night for a diaper change/bottle. He is a complete joy and the apple of our eye. So far Emma is still completely enamored with him and I catch her doing things like combing his hair w/her barbie brushes and the other day she actually sang him to sleep in the car. He STARES at her on our ride home from school.
I cannot believe it has been 6 months. I still remember the EXACT pain I was in and the look on David's face when we locked eyes after Cody came out. I've been back to the OB...it seems David has been right all these years, I am imbalanced, lol. Things aren't leveling out like they should be and I was reminded last week how much of a miracle it was that I was able to get pregnant. I thank God for my blessings!
I have made one attempt at baby food "meat" but Cody kept gagging in disgust and I don't blame him! His favorites are fruit and cereal and is still gassy with carrots, green beans and peas. Sweet potatoes are ok. We explained to the pediatrician that he still REALLY throws up a lot for hours after he's had a bottle and now she tells us he's got reflux. He's never showed signs of discomfort or pain so she just suggested that we add cereal to his bottle. It is working beautifully! He is still spitting up during/just after his bottle but in a much more bearable, "normal" amount. David and I are great with this concept and thankful we don't have to medicate him!
Mobility here we come. Cody gets up on all fours, sometimes into a "push-up" position. Otherwise he'll be on his hands and knees and start to rock back and forth. He is scooting sideways and backwards. Basically he goes everywhere BUT the blanket/pallet we lay down for him to play on. He will even get into a one-handed push-up position and is this close to pushing himself up to sit. He sits with support, but not for long; he is too impatient to stay still. He still loves his saucer and frequented his swing at daycare. Speaking of daycare, Cody and Emma are no longer at Stepping Stones, last Friday was their final day there. When I told Cody's afternoon teacher a couple of weeks earlier, she just about cried. We got stopped by 3/4 of the staff on our way out for last minute Cody kisses. I'm thankful for the kind hearts who took care of our kiddos.
Cody is taking between 4-5 7.5oz bottles with food/cereal 1-2 times a day. It's time to increase his food intake and we've purchased his first sippy-cup to try juice! He sleeps about 11 hours normally but has only recently been waking up once during the night for a diaper change/bottle. He is a complete joy and the apple of our eye. So far Emma is still completely enamored with him and I catch her doing things like combing his hair w/her barbie brushes and the other day she actually sang him to sleep in the car. He STARES at her on our ride home from school.
I cannot believe it has been 6 months. I still remember the EXACT pain I was in and the look on David's face when we locked eyes after Cody came out. I've been back to the OB...it seems David has been right all these years, I am imbalanced, lol. Things aren't leveling out like they should be and I was reminded last week how much of a miracle it was that I was able to get pregnant. I thank God for my blessings!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Adventures in Baby Food!
Cody had his first 'solid' on July 3rd, 2010 just a few days after he turned 5 months old. Up first was green beans. Then sweet potatoes, bananas, carrots, squash, pears, peas and finally apples. He's tried all of the stage one foods except prunes. (blech.)
The only reaction he had was when we tried to introduce oatmeal instead of cereal. His face started turning red and splotchy so we immediately stopped feeding him the oatmeal, watched him closely and it went away almost instantly. Other than that, he is gassy with carrots and peas so we are steering clear of those right now. His favorite is bananas! He will eat any of his baby food warm or cold but no longer likes his cereal unless it is mixed with something.
I started out by giving him half of one jar of food and then some cereal. He is only having bottles during the day and "food" for dinner. When we first introduced cereal at 4 months, he fell asleep after eating and didn't take a bedtime bottle for at least two weeks. Then gradually he added back in the bottle and takes most of his 7oz bottle in addition to the baby food and cereal. On the weekends he has fruit for "breakfast" in addition to his bottle but since we are about to change daycares, I haven't added it to his daytime routine.
In the beginning Cody LOVED to take the spoon away, and get a death-grip on it with two hands! Mommy and Daddy have to use two hands to get it away from him. If we weren't feeding him fast enough, he'd grab the bowl himself. Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. Cody loooooves to eat.
"What am I doing up here, Mom?"
Death grip on spoon. He likes it!
All done. Not too bad for the first time.
Day three of green beans.
Kissable
Spoon being ransomed for more food.
The only reaction he had was when we tried to introduce oatmeal instead of cereal. His face started turning red and splotchy so we immediately stopped feeding him the oatmeal, watched him closely and it went away almost instantly. Other than that, he is gassy with carrots and peas so we are steering clear of those right now. His favorite is bananas! He will eat any of his baby food warm or cold but no longer likes his cereal unless it is mixed with something.
I started out by giving him half of one jar of food and then some cereal. He is only having bottles during the day and "food" for dinner. When we first introduced cereal at 4 months, he fell asleep after eating and didn't take a bedtime bottle for at least two weeks. Then gradually he added back in the bottle and takes most of his 7oz bottle in addition to the baby food and cereal. On the weekends he has fruit for "breakfast" in addition to his bottle but since we are about to change daycares, I haven't added it to his daytime routine.
In the beginning Cody LOVED to take the spoon away, and get a death-grip on it with two hands! Mommy and Daddy have to use two hands to get it away from him. If we weren't feeding him fast enough, he'd grab the bowl himself. Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. Cody loooooves to eat.
"What am I doing up here, Mom?"
Death grip on spoon. He likes it!
All done. Not too bad for the first time.
Day three of green beans.
Kissable
Spoon being ransomed for more food.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Weekend
What a busy weekend! Saturday morning Emma went to have breakfast with her grandparents so I helped her get ready and she left about 8AM. I went in to check on Cody and he was waking up so I changed him and together we woke up Daddy. I was hungry so we went to Kerby Lane for breakfast. Two eggs, two bacon and half of their half-size blueberry pancakes later I was full! Daddy got the same thing except he got pecan pancakes. Yummy! When Emma got home we went to get her haircut and then back home to get ready for her friend's birthday party. It was awesome- rainbow theme everywhere! This was one of her bff's 5th birthday who she went to daycare with as an infant through 3 years old and for the last year they have been in dance class together.
We had a little down time before it was time to take the kids to Grammy and Paw Paw's house. One of our friends is moving to Dallas so we were all getting together at Red's Porch in S. Austin as a little going-away party. We took 360 to get there and it was nice to have a sunset drive w/my hubby. Then we drank beer and ate chicken-fried steak! That's romance for 'ya! :) It was great to visit with so many of our friends at one time. That never happens!
Sunday morning we went to church at Redeemer. Emma enjoyed Sunday school and I know it was nice for her that four of her friends from preschool were there. It was Cody's first time to go to the nursery! They have a pager-system and everything a baby could want to play with or need! He did great and we got to enjoy church. My parents joined us and it was nice to worship together.
The sermon was about being servants in continuation of their series on Relationship Principles of Jesus. "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 7:11-12 One of the things that Redeemer does is an interactive bulletin where you can fill in the important message of the day. This is a new thing for me but I enjoyed that reiteration of 'the point'.
For this Sunday these lines were:
"Humility means depending on God."
"Humility Handles our need for notice."
Everything they do is for men to see... Matthew 23:5
"Exalt yourself: You need other's notice."
"Humble yourself: You notice other's needs."
"Don't waste time worrying about honor! Live your life for an audience of One!
"Humility comes from our relationship to God."
"Humility is the true mark of greatness."
It was a wonderful service. We've mainly gone during the traditional service but this time enjoyed the blended service. I very much enjoyed the more modern songs that I know! But love hymnals and singing from the song book so I will have to get my fix of that too!
After church we had brunch w/my parents at Trudy's and went home briefly before taking the family to see Despicable Me! Hilarious movie and fun times! I love weekends w/the ones I love!
We had a little down time before it was time to take the kids to Grammy and Paw Paw's house. One of our friends is moving to Dallas so we were all getting together at Red's Porch in S. Austin as a little going-away party. We took 360 to get there and it was nice to have a sunset drive w/my hubby. Then we drank beer and ate chicken-fried steak! That's romance for 'ya! :) It was great to visit with so many of our friends at one time. That never happens!
Sunday morning we went to church at Redeemer. Emma enjoyed Sunday school and I know it was nice for her that four of her friends from preschool were there. It was Cody's first time to go to the nursery! They have a pager-system and everything a baby could want to play with or need! He did great and we got to enjoy church. My parents joined us and it was nice to worship together.
The sermon was about being servants in continuation of their series on Relationship Principles of Jesus. "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 7:11-12 One of the things that Redeemer does is an interactive bulletin where you can fill in the important message of the day. This is a new thing for me but I enjoyed that reiteration of 'the point'.
For this Sunday these lines were:
"Humility means depending on God."
"Humility Handles our need for notice."
Everything they do is for men to see... Matthew 23:5
"Exalt yourself: You need other's notice."
"Humble yourself: You notice other's needs."
"Don't waste time worrying about honor! Live your life for an audience of One!
"Humility comes from our relationship to God."
"Humility is the true mark of greatness."
It was a wonderful service. We've mainly gone during the traditional service but this time enjoyed the blended service. I very much enjoyed the more modern songs that I know! But love hymnals and singing from the song book so I will have to get my fix of that too!
After church we had brunch w/my parents at Trudy's and went home briefly before taking the family to see Despicable Me! Hilarious movie and fun times! I love weekends w/the ones I love!
Monday, July 12, 2010
A Really Good Thing
I would imagine that every parent, especially Mommies, dread Pre-K graduation to some degree. Call it a degree of separation if you will, because it means Kindergarten is coming! It was positively depressing to think about Emma getting older, turning 6 this year and the introduction of 'big kids school' as she calls it.
David and I (and Emma) have been in our duplex for three years now and are planning and praying to not make it four! But, one of the things we looked at when we were moving was the school district just in case we were still around when it came time for Emma to go to school. We are routed to Live Oak Elementary and I have heard nothing but good things and seen only positives about the school, its' staff and student body when doing research, like any type-A, slightly obsessive mother will do!
We chose to leave Redeemer preschool for the summer after Emma "graduated" for a couple of reasons. #1- she could go to Stepping Stones w/Cody which would be not only convenient but save us a little money to have them at one place. #2- if she had stayed at Redeemer she would've been in the same class with the same teacher as last summer with 4-year old's which makes no sense. However, I kept feeling some attachment to the school like I was waiting for a sign. After speaking with a few of the preschool staff members and then ultimately the school principal, he suggested that we fill out the financial aid packet and just see if we qualified for anything for the school year. I knew some of our friends there had qualified, people I never would have imagined, so that encouraged me to go for it.
It was a lot like the FAFSA when going to college- boy was it thorough! I knew that it was a long shot but knew I would always wonder 'what if' if we didn't send it in. Sure enough about a month later we heard back that we did indeed qualify for a small percentage of financial aid. With that, Emma's tuition was definitely closer to a range we could afford, but we still have daycare for Cody to think about. Once again I visited with the director and other staff member friends at the preschool who would share w/me the name of a small daycare where their children attend. It is more affordable and I know Cody will be happy, well cared for and in great hands! So I got the 'sign' I was waiting for and David and I know that this is the path God planned for us.
Amber (the preschool director) told me that doors were being opened and my questions were being answered and all that remained was taking the leap of faith. I'm so glad we did. Not only will Emma get an excellent education, she will be with friends, continue her faith-journey and grow with the Redeemer community. And I guess I could mention that Mommy appreciates the familiarity.
Stepping Stones has been very eye-opening. It is definitely the most diverse daycare setting Emma has been in and the first non-Christian daycare she has attended. It broke my heart that there is no Bible study, prayer time etc. Overall though, Emma and Cody have received excellent care- the staff is really excellent and I would recommend it to anyone. At some point, we will be in public school. That has always be the plan and always will be. I just pray that a solid foundation of faith and belief in Jesus Christ will stay with our kids in every aspect of their childhood and beyond and that David and I can lead by example in that endeavor.
David and I (and Emma) have been in our duplex for three years now and are planning and praying to not make it four! But, one of the things we looked at when we were moving was the school district just in case we were still around when it came time for Emma to go to school. We are routed to Live Oak Elementary and I have heard nothing but good things and seen only positives about the school, its' staff and student body when doing research, like any type-A, slightly obsessive mother will do!
We chose to leave Redeemer preschool for the summer after Emma "graduated" for a couple of reasons. #1- she could go to Stepping Stones w/Cody which would be not only convenient but save us a little money to have them at one place. #2- if she had stayed at Redeemer she would've been in the same class with the same teacher as last summer with 4-year old's which makes no sense. However, I kept feeling some attachment to the school like I was waiting for a sign. After speaking with a few of the preschool staff members and then ultimately the school principal, he suggested that we fill out the financial aid packet and just see if we qualified for anything for the school year. I knew some of our friends there had qualified, people I never would have imagined, so that encouraged me to go for it.
It was a lot like the FAFSA when going to college- boy was it thorough! I knew that it was a long shot but knew I would always wonder 'what if' if we didn't send it in. Sure enough about a month later we heard back that we did indeed qualify for a small percentage of financial aid. With that, Emma's tuition was definitely closer to a range we could afford, but we still have daycare for Cody to think about. Once again I visited with the director and other staff member friends at the preschool who would share w/me the name of a small daycare where their children attend. It is more affordable and I know Cody will be happy, well cared for and in great hands! So I got the 'sign' I was waiting for and David and I know that this is the path God planned for us.
Amber (the preschool director) told me that doors were being opened and my questions were being answered and all that remained was taking the leap of faith. I'm so glad we did. Not only will Emma get an excellent education, she will be with friends, continue her faith-journey and grow with the Redeemer community. And I guess I could mention that Mommy appreciates the familiarity.
Stepping Stones has been very eye-opening. It is definitely the most diverse daycare setting Emma has been in and the first non-Christian daycare she has attended. It broke my heart that there is no Bible study, prayer time etc. Overall though, Emma and Cody have received excellent care- the staff is really excellent and I would recommend it to anyone. At some point, we will be in public school. That has always be the plan and always will be. I just pray that a solid foundation of faith and belief in Jesus Christ will stay with our kids in every aspect of their childhood and beyond and that David and I can lead by example in that endeavor.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Another Day, Another Dollar
I'm feeling like I want to blog, but don't know what to write about so I'll just write about this weekend.
David had to work this weekend. Emma spent Saturday morning with her grandparents and Cody and I headed to my parent's house. Two weeks ago exactly their A/C stopped working at 4AM. During these last couple of weeks my Mom spent the night with us 3-4 times since their house was getting so warm. Since Cody's room was our guest room, she stayed in Emma's room and Emma had a palette on the floor. My Mom works just a couple of blocks from my office so she just rode in with me in the mornings. My Dad was doing better at home than she was but they joined us for dinner a lot also. I'm glad that we live close by and were able to offer some support. Thankfully their new A/C system was installed Friday!
~back to Saturday~
After lunch at McAlisters and Hobby Lobby with my parents, Cody and I stopped by to pick up Emma on our way home. Daddy got home about 6:30 and took us to dinner at the Olive Garden. After a short wait, one of the managers was assisting the hostess in seating us. They proceeded to tell us that all of the carseat slings were in use and asked if we could just flip over a high-chair. I explained for the third time that our carseat does not fit that way...he argued and david interjected because he could tell I was losing my cool. David explained that we've tried at restaurants all over town and ours seems to be the only style that does not work that way. The manager then decided to take a closer look at our carseat and looked at me like we were crazy. After his inspection he pushed further by suggesting that Cody could sit in a highchair. "HE'S NOT SITTING YET!" The whole time I was thinking, "Is he seriously arguing with us?" Instead of offering a suggestion or just listening to what I was saying, he argued. I said three times that his carseat could just sit on the table or in a regular chair and eventually one of the hostesses heard me and seated us. The nerve of that guy!
Cody is such a champ. He sat patiently in his carseat all through dinner. When we got home Daddy fed him bananas and cereal and rocked him to sleep. At 9PM David and I couldn't stay awake any longer so we both went to bed. On Monday David started on 'days' and his 4AM alarm is really getting to me :( That plus a day of non-stop Cody-duty had me pretty tuckered out.
Today I woke up in excruciating pain. My back was hurting before bed yesterday and I took three ibuprofen before bed. It was worse when I woke up so before I made Cody's bottle I set up the heating pad on the couch where I'd be sitting to feed him. That, paired with more ibuprofen seemed to help but it was only a matter of time before I was in tears (back hurting again). When it was time for Cody's first nap of the day, he fought hard! He screamed for about 15minutes before finally giving in. We both wanted Daddy I suppose!
My parents came over about 11am and I gave Cody a bottle when he woke up and then we were off for brunch at Waterloo Ice House. I wanted to do something remotely fun for Emma so my parents joined us for some shopping at Toys R Us where I bought Emma her backpack and lunch box for Kindergarten (or "big kid school" as she calls it.) Fun stuff!
David had to work this weekend. Emma spent Saturday morning with her grandparents and Cody and I headed to my parent's house. Two weeks ago exactly their A/C stopped working at 4AM. During these last couple of weeks my Mom spent the night with us 3-4 times since their house was getting so warm. Since Cody's room was our guest room, she stayed in Emma's room and Emma had a palette on the floor. My Mom works just a couple of blocks from my office so she just rode in with me in the mornings. My Dad was doing better at home than she was but they joined us for dinner a lot also. I'm glad that we live close by and were able to offer some support. Thankfully their new A/C system was installed Friday!
~back to Saturday~
After lunch at McAlisters and Hobby Lobby with my parents, Cody and I stopped by to pick up Emma on our way home. Daddy got home about 6:30 and took us to dinner at the Olive Garden. After a short wait, one of the managers was assisting the hostess in seating us. They proceeded to tell us that all of the carseat slings were in use and asked if we could just flip over a high-chair. I explained for the third time that our carseat does not fit that way...he argued and david interjected because he could tell I was losing my cool. David explained that we've tried at restaurants all over town and ours seems to be the only style that does not work that way. The manager then decided to take a closer look at our carseat and looked at me like we were crazy. After his inspection he pushed further by suggesting that Cody could sit in a highchair. "HE'S NOT SITTING YET!" The whole time I was thinking, "Is he seriously arguing with us?" Instead of offering a suggestion or just listening to what I was saying, he argued. I said three times that his carseat could just sit on the table or in a regular chair and eventually one of the hostesses heard me and seated us. The nerve of that guy!
Cody is such a champ. He sat patiently in his carseat all through dinner. When we got home Daddy fed him bananas and cereal and rocked him to sleep. At 9PM David and I couldn't stay awake any longer so we both went to bed. On Monday David started on 'days' and his 4AM alarm is really getting to me :( That plus a day of non-stop Cody-duty had me pretty tuckered out.
Today I woke up in excruciating pain. My back was hurting before bed yesterday and I took three ibuprofen before bed. It was worse when I woke up so before I made Cody's bottle I set up the heating pad on the couch where I'd be sitting to feed him. That, paired with more ibuprofen seemed to help but it was only a matter of time before I was in tears (back hurting again). When it was time for Cody's first nap of the day, he fought hard! He screamed for about 15minutes before finally giving in. We both wanted Daddy I suppose!
My parents came over about 11am and I gave Cody a bottle when he woke up and then we were off for brunch at Waterloo Ice House. I wanted to do something remotely fun for Emma so my parents joined us for some shopping at Toys R Us where I bought Emma her backpack and lunch box for Kindergarten (or "big kid school" as she calls it.) Fun stuff!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Rondezvous with Resale
These last few months have been financially stressful. We are paying about $1,500 per month for Cody and Emma to be in daycare. This is why we had planned to start trying to get pregnant in October 2009 so that a baby wouldn't be due until Emma had started Kindergarten thus only one child needing to be in full time care. I don't know how, but we've been coming up with an extra $850 a month for Cody's daycare. That of course does not include, diapers, formula, clothes etc. I digress...
So in order for me to afford "extras" like new clothes, eating out, hair cuts, etc etc. I've had to think outside the box. I am an old pro (in my humble opinion) at eBay. But the shipping and wait time for auctions to end is an inconvenience. I decided to give the world of resale and consignment a shot. There is one resale store, Pumpkin Patch, near my office and about half a dozen more near our house. So over the course of one week I sold a HUGE tub full of clothes of Emma's that she has outgrown. I think the first round was about $70 worth (between three resale stores) and a ton is currently up for consignment.
It felt so good to get rid of (and find good homes for) those things that I decided to take a stab at selling my maternity clothes. For this I turned to eBay to have the best chance at getting back most of my investment. I didn't have to buy a lot of clothes this last go 'round thanks to all that my Aunt Lisa let me borrow! But I still have everything left from my first pregnancy and also the new shorts and tops I purchased, and paid a pretty penny for, while I was pregnant with Cody. On eBay alone I have sold over $150 in the last month, this includes other items besides maternity clothes. There were a few things that the resale/consignment stores chose not to purchase/sell for me so I have listed them on eBay as well and anything left will be given to friends or donated!
Before I began selling these clothes I had been holding on to (for what, I am not sure) I started selling baby items that we are not using. I had saved all of the Avent bottles, breastfeeding paraphernalia that I used when Emma was a baby and sold those on Craigslist; I think that sale totaled about $60. Now that I'm typing all of this out, I'm wondering where the heck this money went? Anyway, it's definitely been helping so we have some semblance of spending money! I sure was tired of bringing my lunch everyday, but now I know it can be done and it sure does help.
I don't know what Kindergarten will bring yet. At this point Redeemer is an option that we are seriously considering. So August might not be as much of a financial sigh of relief that we've been waiting for. Just praying for answers and waiting for God's plan to present itself!
So in order for me to afford "extras" like new clothes, eating out, hair cuts, etc etc. I've had to think outside the box. I am an old pro (in my humble opinion) at eBay. But the shipping and wait time for auctions to end is an inconvenience. I decided to give the world of resale and consignment a shot. There is one resale store, Pumpkin Patch, near my office and about half a dozen more near our house. So over the course of one week I sold a HUGE tub full of clothes of Emma's that she has outgrown. I think the first round was about $70 worth (between three resale stores) and a ton is currently up for consignment.
It felt so good to get rid of (and find good homes for) those things that I decided to take a stab at selling my maternity clothes. For this I turned to eBay to have the best chance at getting back most of my investment. I didn't have to buy a lot of clothes this last go 'round thanks to all that my Aunt Lisa let me borrow! But I still have everything left from my first pregnancy and also the new shorts and tops I purchased, and paid a pretty penny for, while I was pregnant with Cody. On eBay alone I have sold over $150 in the last month, this includes other items besides maternity clothes. There were a few things that the resale/consignment stores chose not to purchase/sell for me so I have listed them on eBay as well and anything left will be given to friends or donated!
Before I began selling these clothes I had been holding on to (for what, I am not sure) I started selling baby items that we are not using. I had saved all of the Avent bottles, breastfeeding paraphernalia that I used when Emma was a baby and sold those on Craigslist; I think that sale totaled about $60. Now that I'm typing all of this out, I'm wondering where the heck this money went? Anyway, it's definitely been helping so we have some semblance of spending money! I sure was tired of bringing my lunch everyday, but now I know it can be done and it sure does help.
I don't know what Kindergarten will bring yet. At this point Redeemer is an option that we are seriously considering. So August might not be as much of a financial sigh of relief that we've been waiting for. Just praying for answers and waiting for God's plan to present itself!
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