Better late than never

Christmas 2010

We spent Christmas morning at my moms house with the whole clan of siblings,cousins, parents,grandparents and great grandparents. The kids did pretty well with sharing and taking turns and it was a joy to be able to spend Christmas with my lovely family and grandparents(this is the first time we have all spent Christmas together in the same house).
Not sure what Owen is doing with his face here but it was the best of the photos of him...



my sweet grams

Oh and the dogs and cats were there too...they all watched a movie after lunch together. such sweet littles.(Owen has his shirt off all the time these days...if he can swing it the shirt and as many other articles of clothes as possible are off)
Happy Holidays!!

Rat

We have a rat...its not a pet. We have a trap that we put peanut butter on every night in different ways to try and catch him...he eats it every night with out being caught...I can see why these animals were domesticated...they are smart! I want him and his potential germs out from behind my oven. Any suggestions?

Party Time

This is a semi annual event...the kiddo party for Owens birthday...we plan it every year but some years he has been too sick to have a party. This year I was a little too sick to throw him one but powered through anyway because he didn't get one last year and no party two years in a row just seemed sad to me.

We always decorate sugar cookies and everyone gets there own frosting and knifes...less germs spread this way.

Owen-and pretty much every other kid-ate lots of frosting straight from the little cups and then did a couple cookies then decided playing was a better use of there time...wonder if they will learn to like this more or less over time?? I suppose we could try a different party theme next year...one that doesn't involve hours of prep time on my behalf...this always just seems so fun and festive tho... I am sure Owen will have something to say about it at some point and we will adjust as needed.

For now he is always more than content to go along with I think is fun...I am sure that will change too. I just hope not too soon.

4 Years old

Dear Owen,
Today you turned 4! I cannot believe how fast the time has flown by. I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday and since you love to hear me tell the story...

Here it is...On the night you were born there was a huge storm. There was thunder and lightning and rain and wind. Trees fell down on power lines and people everywhere had no power.There was floods in the streets and in our basement. The wind and rain were so fierce that they shook the windows in the hospital. You arrived 4.5 weeks early and were delivered by surgery from my tummy. Right after they took you out of my tummy the power actually went out in the hospital(even the generators were out) and some one in the operating room yelled GET THE FLASH LIGHTS!! Then they said to me "don't worry everything will be fine"...and it was. You were safe and healthy and mine.

You love to here the part about the flash lights most of all and ask me to repeat that part...you love flashlights. I couldn't believe how precious and perfect you were when you were placed in my arms. I thought I would burst from joy and pride. I look at you today blowing out 4 candles on your cupcake and feel exactly the same way.I cannot even express in words how much I love being your mama.

Tonight we asked if you would like anything special for dinner...not sure what we expected you to say... you asked for cottage cheese, bananas and hummus and chips and said "that's a really special dinner" your Papa and I just laughed and said "sure why not"... you eat those foods on at least an every other day basis.

I love you kid and I am so happy God gave you to us.

Love Mama

Bronchitis

Went to the Dr. today because the sickness wasn't letting up...I have bronchitis. And she could not tell that I was pregnant...really!!!???

32 Weeks

I cannot tell you how quickly this pregnancy has gone by. It feels all so sudden that I am now really pregnant. It seems like time has just flown by...and I am nowhere near ready. me at 32 weeks

Honestly I don't know what I expected but I guess I thought that because this is the second time around that I would feel ready for what was to come this time. I mean I know what to expect so I should feel ready...right? Not so much.
What I do feel is nervous about unknowns. I have never really been in labour before... I had Owen a little over a month early and he was delivered by C-section when the induction process failed. I am trying it a whole new way this time...as I was not satisfied with the process last time(end result of Owen=awesome but the process...not a fan). I am not using an OBGYN I am using midwives at a birthing center(not a hospital) and I am going to-if all goes according to plan-have a vaginal birth. So all that is new and I have no clue what to expect from that. I find myself wondering how its all going to come together...reading books and researching the heck out of it just to find my self back to square one...no clue what lies ahead.

I also know that having another child in my charge day in and day out will have challenges and obstacles that I am still unaware of. I know its going to be amazing alot of the time but also hard and different. I am not even a professional at mothering the one I have yet so I am unsure of how I will manage two. Point in case: this week Owen drew with crayon(the hardest thing to get out)all over my living room walls-all 4 of them-and fire place. He toilet papered his room and the hall, and he pored watter(inches of it) all over the hard wood floors. He doesn't do this sort of thing often but it takes time to discipline and clean up after these types of messes.How will I find energy and capacity for this when I am divided?

This is an epic post...sometimes you just have to vent.. I know that having children is a reward from God and that I am truly blessed to have a second little in my belly growing strong and healthy. I know that the Lord will give me the strength to live on and to do his will. I just feel a little bit nervous...I will try and remember what is true. God is good and everything He does is for good even in my tiny life.

Sick again

I had all these grand plans to write about all the fun activites from our advent project but the last week has been brutal for me. I have yet another flu/cold and this one was a duzy. I think the worst is behind me now but I feel unmotivated and like any momentum I may have had prior to illness is now lost. Being 8 months pregnant and sick is probably the worst thing ever(I may be feeling a little dramatic). So now the task of breaking my child of his new found TV habit lies ahead of me(we watched alot of opb during this last week)hopefully he will embrace the oppertunity to do fun things outside and in the kitchen instead of on the couch. Please pray that I will stay healthy for the last months of this pregnancy...and that I will find a new reserve of energy to make this holiday season warm and delightful.
Speaking of delightful...
Owen posed for this picture at the Christmas tree farm completely un-prompted by anyone.

Tree

We have a tree. And we have a small boy who honestly thought he could carry it himself... he said "just trust me mama I can do this" we let him try...then he asked for some help and all ended well.

Advent

This year I decided to do an advent activity thing. I got this advent "tag calender" from here. I have never done any kind of advent with Owen before so this year I really wanted to do some fun things together and make the true meaning of Christmas clear to him. We do a fun activity everyday(like make hot cocoa...or buy a christmas ornament..or get our tree)you get the idea. Then we read a part of the Christmas story every night...we started in Isaiah with the prophesy of Christs birth and are working through the gospels for the rest....its really neat to discuss this with my little(soon to be big)boy he has really interesting insight into things.

I have a lot more to write about but will end here for now. Hope your season is shaping up to be Merry and Bright.