Reagan, bless his little heart, is a problem solver. When he can't seem to get what he wants because it's out of reach, he finds a way....
Today, I walked out of the bedroom and found Reagan sitting on the oven door. Yes, you read that right. He opened the oven door, climbed on top of it and was reaching for the knobs to turn on the stove burner. I see two problems with this. First, he was sitting on the oven door. Since he's a little chunker, the oven door could easily break ;-) Second, he was able to open the safety knobs I have in place over the stove burner knobs and was actually trying to turn the stove on. Yes, this is a problem. There is no way I can keep my eyes on him 24/7, but if I leave him alone for even a few minutes to take care of something, he's getting himself into more trouble.
I have also witnessed him use his blue cushion chair as a step stool to get something on the counter. He'll turn the chair on it's side and ensure there is enough support and then climb on top of the chair to reach whatever he's after.
He also uses me as a climbing source to reach things he wants. I just can't believe how great his problem solving skills are at such a young age (almost 21 months). He certainly takes after his daddy, because I know Ryan's got great problem solving skills. I just need to keep up with him now...
Monday, December 10, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Glimpse into my future?
This post is overdue, I know. Life gets busy, especially around the holidays. And, if I even think about getting on the computer, I have a little guy standing beside me saying "Upese, upese, upese." The translation to that is "Up, please." I can only get on the computer when the kids are napping and quite frankly, there are a lot of other things that I need to get done besides blogging. As much as I think about blog posts and writing (or typing) down what's happening, it just doesn't make the list for that hour I get when both kids sleep!
Anyway...onto why I titled this post "Glimpse into my future." Last Sunday, we baby-sat for some friends of ours. Their daughter is about 10 months older than Reagan, so not quite as much as the difference between Reagan and Kyleigh, but pretty darn close. It was amazing how differently Reagan acted when she was here. It was like Ryan and I didn't even exist. He was having so much fun putting magnets on the shelf and then slamming the shelf shut to see the magnets fall to the ground. While he was playing, I was actually able to cook without any interruptions. In fact, Ryan was in the kitchen with me and I made a comment about how wonderful it was that Reagan was just playing with his friend in the house and he wasn't insisting on me holding him while I cooked. As a side note, I know when Reagan and Kyleigh are older and can play together, that will have its own set of problems. However, I reveled in the idea of Reagan and Kyleigh playing and me being able to get something done without interruption.
This is not the case now and that's okay. But maybe, at some point in my future, Reagan and Kyleigh will play together. I will watch them with the memory of dinner taking twice as long because Reagan wanted my attention. For now, I will accept tasks taking longer than they should and be content in where I am right now with both kids.
Anyway...onto why I titled this post "Glimpse into my future." Last Sunday, we baby-sat for some friends of ours. Their daughter is about 10 months older than Reagan, so not quite as much as the difference between Reagan and Kyleigh, but pretty darn close. It was amazing how differently Reagan acted when she was here. It was like Ryan and I didn't even exist. He was having so much fun putting magnets on the shelf and then slamming the shelf shut to see the magnets fall to the ground. While he was playing, I was actually able to cook without any interruptions. In fact, Ryan was in the kitchen with me and I made a comment about how wonderful it was that Reagan was just playing with his friend in the house and he wasn't insisting on me holding him while I cooked. As a side note, I know when Reagan and Kyleigh are older and can play together, that will have its own set of problems. However, I reveled in the idea of Reagan and Kyleigh playing and me being able to get something done without interruption.
This is not the case now and that's okay. But maybe, at some point in my future, Reagan and Kyleigh will play together. I will watch them with the memory of dinner taking twice as long because Reagan wanted my attention. For now, I will accept tasks taking longer than they should and be content in where I am right now with both kids.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012
I know it's been a long time since I last posted. In between "Blessed" and now, we've given Kyleigh solids, she's started to sit up on her own (if only briefly), and she's attempting to crawl. And it's only been 3 weeks since my last post! Bottom line, life has been busy and by the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is sit down and blog. Sorry, I'm just being honest!
To be honest, I was really worried about Thanksgiving this year. Family wasn't coming, we knew we weren't doing anything with our Wheaton friends, and the Lehmanns were out of town. We had been planning on spending the day on our own and I was trying really hard to be okay with this. It seemed very strange, as if it was going to be just another day. I didn't think it made sense to make the whole fixings for 3 people to eat (I thought about writing 2 1/2 people, but we all know that Reagan eats the same as a whole person!). Then, things changed.
Ryan's boss invited us to having dinner at his house because their family wasn't coming either. And we were also invited to Adam and Holly's house. Ryan thought it would be a great idea to "get out of our bubble," so we went to Josh and Christine's house. Only after accepting the invitation did we find out that Christine's parents and brother would also be coming to town. Oh boy! Now we felt like we were intruding on their family Thanksgiving. Even though Christine's family was now coming, they still wanted us to join.
We went anyway and had a great time! I was a bit nervous because I am usually an introvert in situations like this. However, I wanted to branch out and have a good time. So, I chatted up a storm with Christine, her parents, and of course, their adorable twin girls. Watching Reagan interact with the girls was a lot of fun. He was great - didn't hit - and loved their see-saw alligator.
Dinner was also awesome. We had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with the exception of one item - the turkey! Christine made Cornish game hens instead of a turkey. I've never eaten a Cornish game hen before, but it was great. Unfortunately, Reagan threw a mini temper tantrum in the middle of dinner. Ryan made the mistake of giving Reagan candied sweet potatoes as the first sampling of the dinner. Of course, Reagan wouldn't eat anything else! He cried until we gave him more sweet potatoes! Oh well, what can you do?
Even though we couldn't spend Thanksgiving with our family, we still had a very nice day with Josh and Christine. The whole day was great and we had much to be thankful for.
To be honest, I was really worried about Thanksgiving this year. Family wasn't coming, we knew we weren't doing anything with our Wheaton friends, and the Lehmanns were out of town. We had been planning on spending the day on our own and I was trying really hard to be okay with this. It seemed very strange, as if it was going to be just another day. I didn't think it made sense to make the whole fixings for 3 people to eat (I thought about writing 2 1/2 people, but we all know that Reagan eats the same as a whole person!). Then, things changed.
Ryan's boss invited us to having dinner at his house because their family wasn't coming either. And we were also invited to Adam and Holly's house. Ryan thought it would be a great idea to "get out of our bubble," so we went to Josh and Christine's house. Only after accepting the invitation did we find out that Christine's parents and brother would also be coming to town. Oh boy! Now we felt like we were intruding on their family Thanksgiving. Even though Christine's family was now coming, they still wanted us to join.
We went anyway and had a great time! I was a bit nervous because I am usually an introvert in situations like this. However, I wanted to branch out and have a good time. So, I chatted up a storm with Christine, her parents, and of course, their adorable twin girls. Watching Reagan interact with the girls was a lot of fun. He was great - didn't hit - and loved their see-saw alligator.
Dinner was also awesome. We had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with the exception of one item - the turkey! Christine made Cornish game hens instead of a turkey. I've never eaten a Cornish game hen before, but it was great. Unfortunately, Reagan threw a mini temper tantrum in the middle of dinner. Ryan made the mistake of giving Reagan candied sweet potatoes as the first sampling of the dinner. Of course, Reagan wouldn't eat anything else! He cried until we gave him more sweet potatoes! Oh well, what can you do?
Even though we couldn't spend Thanksgiving with our family, we still had a very nice day with Josh and Christine. The whole day was great and we had much to be thankful for.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Blessed
I am blessed. I have felt the Lord's blessings so much in just the past week alone. I'll give a few examples because I never want to forget how blessed I am.
Example 1: I was having one of those days. It reminded me of Judith Viorst's "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." The kids were acting horribly, they were barely sleeping, and just being a pain in the rear! I made a comment on Facebook, not really thinking anything of it, but about 30 minutes after my announcement of the long afternoon that would ensue, I heard the knock on the door. I peeped through the window, thinking who could possible be here in the middle of the afternoon. It was my dear friend, Janie, to the rescue! She saw my comment on Facebook and showed up at my doorstep with a latte in hand for me. She then followed with "I have a great idea. I don't have to get the kids until 3p, so you go take a walk by yourself and I'll watch your kids." This was more a blessing than Janie could have ever known!
Example 2: Kyleigh is getting to the age where we will begin solids very soon. With Reagan, I really aspired to make my own baby food. I did some weeks, but not all of the time. I just couldn't find the time while working to make it myself. Anyway, no excuses this time around. I'm going to make food for Kyleigh. I've been thinking of purchasing a Baby Bullet by Magic Bullet because the blender I used the first time around was so big and didn't really puree the way I hoped. And, since I broke my blender during my horrible, no good, very bad day in example 1, I was definitely facing a new purchase! That's when I received a phone call from Amanda offering to GIVE me her Baby Bullet! She didn't even know I wanted this, and yet she's going to give it to me! Once again, I am blessed.
Example 3: A friend is getting married this weekend and the girls wanted to have brunch with the bride-to-be. I initially was hesitant to say yes because brunch was at 11 and I knew I wouldn't be home before 1. Reagan normally naps at 11 and small group was at our house that night. Needless to say, I needed Reagan to nap. But, I didn't want to be the inflexible mom who can't do something special just because of a nap. So...I went! Why is this a blessing? On our way home from brunch, Katie offered to keep Reagan for the afternoon! This gave me the opportunity to get my house cleaned as well as cook for small group without having to worry about my inquisitive toddler! I was so thankful.
These are just a few examples of how the Lord is blessing me through some wonderful friends. I am so grateful for how many people have touched my life and encouraged me with something small and simple.
Example 1: I was having one of those days. It reminded me of Judith Viorst's "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." The kids were acting horribly, they were barely sleeping, and just being a pain in the rear! I made a comment on Facebook, not really thinking anything of it, but about 30 minutes after my announcement of the long afternoon that would ensue, I heard the knock on the door. I peeped through the window, thinking who could possible be here in the middle of the afternoon. It was my dear friend, Janie, to the rescue! She saw my comment on Facebook and showed up at my doorstep with a latte in hand for me. She then followed with "I have a great idea. I don't have to get the kids until 3p, so you go take a walk by yourself and I'll watch your kids." This was more a blessing than Janie could have ever known!
Example 2: Kyleigh is getting to the age where we will begin solids very soon. With Reagan, I really aspired to make my own baby food. I did some weeks, but not all of the time. I just couldn't find the time while working to make it myself. Anyway, no excuses this time around. I'm going to make food for Kyleigh. I've been thinking of purchasing a Baby Bullet by Magic Bullet because the blender I used the first time around was so big and didn't really puree the way I hoped. And, since I broke my blender during my horrible, no good, very bad day in example 1, I was definitely facing a new purchase! That's when I received a phone call from Amanda offering to GIVE me her Baby Bullet! She didn't even know I wanted this, and yet she's going to give it to me! Once again, I am blessed.
Example 3: A friend is getting married this weekend and the girls wanted to have brunch with the bride-to-be. I initially was hesitant to say yes because brunch was at 11 and I knew I wouldn't be home before 1. Reagan normally naps at 11 and small group was at our house that night. Needless to say, I needed Reagan to nap. But, I didn't want to be the inflexible mom who can't do something special just because of a nap. So...I went! Why is this a blessing? On our way home from brunch, Katie offered to keep Reagan for the afternoon! This gave me the opportunity to get my house cleaned as well as cook for small group without having to worry about my inquisitive toddler! I was so thankful.
These are just a few examples of how the Lord is blessing me through some wonderful friends. I am so grateful for how many people have touched my life and encouraged me with something small and simple.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
LOVING Reagan's Age
WARNING:
this post is primarily written so I don't forget the little things.
Continue reading if you'd like, but don't say I didn't give you a heads
up first!
Let
me give a disclaimer before I get too far into this post. Not every day
is as peachy as I'm about to describe. There are days when I want to
throw in the towel because I just don't think I can do it anymore. Reagan
is a challenge (what toddler isn't?) and I sometimes wonder what I'm doing at
home because he can make me crazy, BUT I am LOVING his age right now. He
just turned 19 months a few days ago. I never thought I'd say I love this
stage because he's getting into EVERYTHING (literally), but I really am.
Every night, I talk with Ryan about the day and I'm often reflecting on
the cute things Reagan did. I will go to sleep at night with a big smile
on my face, just thinking about how cute he is and how much fun and laughter he
brings to my life.
Following
is just a simple list of the things Reagan has been doing lately that make me
stop and truly enjoy this time.
CLIMBING:
Reagan has discovered climbing and he's taking it on full force. Back in
September, I found him on the coffee table. I thought back then that we'd
entered the climbing stage, but alas, it's in October that his climbing has
increased. Two days ago, I was feeding Kyleigh in her room and actually
shut the door to keep Reagan out (that sounds awful, I know, but he distracts
her and she was really tired, so I needed it to be quiet and peaceful). I
could hear him running around the house, having a grand time. Then, it
happened; I heard a loud crash. I quickly left Kyleigh's room to find the
remnants of Reagan standing on the toilet seat, grabbing stuff from the second shelf of my medicine cabinet.
As I walked into the bathroom, Reagan was simultaneously falling
backwards and sideways off the toilet, landing in the garbage can in between
the vanity and the toilet. Fortunately, he didn't injure himself, but was
just a little startled. Note to self: NEVER leave the bathroom door
opened ;-)
 |
| Climbing on the living room table |
Or take the instance when Ryan and I were in the church nursery this past Sunday. We look into the toddler room and there's Reagan sitting in a drawer. No big deal, you think. Oh no...he was in the second drawer from the bottom. He found a way to climb into the middle drawer of the cabinet. I almost didn't take a picture, but I couldn't resist. It was too funny!
 |
| Second drawer and very proud! |
CURIOSITY:
I said at the beginning of this post that Reagan is into everything. I
mean this, I really do. Whether it's the garbage can, which he frequents
daily, or digging things out of my purse, or taking stuff out of the
refrigerator door when I've got my back turned, or emptying the drawers from
the living room table tables, Reagan is into everything. It's cute and funny
the first time around, but it drives me crazy! If I turn my back just for
an instance, he's into something new. He's exploring the house and
finding new and exciting things, I know.
I
can think of two instances this past week alone that just make me laugh.
First, he's discovered his closet. Ryan put up drapes to cover the
opening since we'd removed the doors. I thought this would be a place for
him to explore in the past, but he hadn't shown interest. Until this
week, that is. I've got a box of diapers on the floor and we have a
hanging organizer in the closet. Reagan now finds humor in getting behind
the drapes, climbing (there it is, climbing again) on the box of diapers and
playing with all of the things in the closet organizer! If I can't find
him when I'm trying to leave, I go straight to the closet and there he is,
standing and taking everything off the shelves!
The
second instance is probably my favorite. Kyleigh was asleep and I needed
to take a quick shower. Normally, Reagan just sits on the bathroom floor and
plays with my hair dryer or Ryan's shaving pod thingys. Today, he decided
to go into my bedroom. Big mistake, mom, leaving the bedroom door open.
Lesson learned, for sure! I'm in the shower, I hear a big clang,
not a crash, something noisier. Then come the frantic footsteps from the
bedroom to the bathroom. I get out of the shower and Reagan is at the
bathroom door, pointing to the bedroom, and repeatedly saying "Uh oh, uh
oh, uh oh." (I'm laughing as I write this because I can hear the
"Uh Oh's" in my mind). I followed Reagan's leading into the
bedroom and there it was. Ryan's change jar scattered all over the floor.
Nothing broke and Reagan didn't eat any pennies (I don't think, anyway!),
but his curiosity of the change jar left us with a big mess to clean.
"AH
DO": You might wonder what "Ah do" means. It means
"All done" and he usually signs this as he's saying it. What's
funny about this is that this past week, while in the middle of changing
Reagan's diapers, he's constantly saying "Ah do". It's like
he's telling me, "Mommy, I'm all done with you changing my diaper!"
DADDY:
Reagan absolutely LOVES his daddy! He has always smiled when Ryan
walks in the room, but this past week has been different. On Monday, I
left late in the afternoon for a quick errand and Ryan actually made it home
before we did. As I turned the corner, Reagan caught a glimpse of Ryan's
car in the driveway and he immediately began saying "Daddy, daddy,
daddy!!!!" I unbuckled his seat and Reagan trotted over to Ryan's
car in search of him. I told him that Daddy is in the house and he went
inside. So cute.
The
very next morning, I got up early with Reagan. I usually turn off the
light to my room and shut the door before I get Reagan. He loves to play
in our drawers, so it's just easier to not even let our room in sight!
Anyway, this particular morning, I forgot to shut the door. After I
changed Reagan, I put him on the ground and he quickly walked into our room and
over to Ryan's side of the bed. While he's doing this, he's saying,
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" I sadly had to tell him that daddy is at
work and he'd be home later. Of course, later that night when Ryan was
coming home, Reagan heard the storm door open. He had a such an excited
expression on his face and said "Daddy!!" as Ryan walked in the door.
He just loves his daddy!
MOMMY:
He finally uttered this precious word two days before he turned 19 months
old. Ryan was encouraging him to say "mommy" and he just
repeated it several times. The way he says it is adorable! I just
love it! He doesn't say it often, but if I prompt him, he will say
"mommy." This makes my heart happy.
I'm
sure, in fact, I know, there are plenty more adorable things my little man
does. I just needed to highlight a few of them that have happened
recently and are on my mind. I am just loving this time. It's a
challenge, but really rewarding at the same time. I love you, little man!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Feeling Great
I have been so encouraged this week. Seriously, I've been praising God each day for how great and encouraged I feel. It's like I'm a new, different person than I was in September. THAT was a hard month!
Back to the good stuff! Ryan's job has been going well. He's usually home around 5:30p every night, sometimes 5p if I'm lucky :) In fact, he walked in the door one evening at 5p and I was overwhelmed with joy. I wasn't having a bad or hard day, I was just simply excited to see him home 30 minutes earlier than expected! I'm pretty sure I shared this in an earlier post, but one of my bigger concerns with the new job and the commute was dinner. Ryan handled all the cooking in our house, by his choice. I was glad to step out of the kitchen and let him take over. However, now that he would be getting home later, cooking for our family became my responsibility. Oh no!!!!!! I was not looking forward to this new daily task, but thought I should embrace it as much as possible. I definitely asked for prayer from our small group as this was weighing heavily on my mind. I am happy to report dinner has been much more of a pleasurable experience than I could have ever imagined. This HAS to be the work of the Lord because I am not passionate about cooking and I'm so stressed in the kitchen. The past two weeks have gone well and we've eaten healthy meals. Yay :)
Another thought on the kitchen duties....I still do not enjoy cooking. I LOVE to find new recipes and try to expand our horizons (well, maybe just trying different types of chicken dishes - nothing too far out there!). I've found two blogs that I follow and have tasted several of their dishes. This is what is great about cooking. It's finding the new things to try, but I would still rather have Ryan cook them ;) By the way, he doesn't mind - he loves to cook!
Okay, a main reason why I'm feeling so great is that Kyleigh is starting settle down into a schedule. This is a HUGE praise to the Lord! I honestly think that's why September was such a hard month. Just this past week, she has seemed more predictable and easier to handle. This has certainly brightened my spirits.
There is one down side to life right now. Reagan is going through a phase and I KNOW every kid goes through it. He's hitting. And he's hitting a lot. I took him to a play cafe on Monday and he hit 6 different kids. SIX!!!!!!! I am completely embarrassed and don't know what to do. He doesn't understand time out yet and I discipline him with a stern voice, but he thinks it's a joke and laughs about it. Needless to say, I don't know how to handle this. I pray this phase disappears soon and he can go back to being the sweet, loving, little man I love!
That's it for now...I'm going to enjoy some time to myself while both kids sleep!
Back to the good stuff! Ryan's job has been going well. He's usually home around 5:30p every night, sometimes 5p if I'm lucky :) In fact, he walked in the door one evening at 5p and I was overwhelmed with joy. I wasn't having a bad or hard day, I was just simply excited to see him home 30 minutes earlier than expected! I'm pretty sure I shared this in an earlier post, but one of my bigger concerns with the new job and the commute was dinner. Ryan handled all the cooking in our house, by his choice. I was glad to step out of the kitchen and let him take over. However, now that he would be getting home later, cooking for our family became my responsibility. Oh no!!!!!! I was not looking forward to this new daily task, but thought I should embrace it as much as possible. I definitely asked for prayer from our small group as this was weighing heavily on my mind. I am happy to report dinner has been much more of a pleasurable experience than I could have ever imagined. This HAS to be the work of the Lord because I am not passionate about cooking and I'm so stressed in the kitchen. The past two weeks have gone well and we've eaten healthy meals. Yay :)
Another thought on the kitchen duties....I still do not enjoy cooking. I LOVE to find new recipes and try to expand our horizons (well, maybe just trying different types of chicken dishes - nothing too far out there!). I've found two blogs that I follow and have tasted several of their dishes. This is what is great about cooking. It's finding the new things to try, but I would still rather have Ryan cook them ;) By the way, he doesn't mind - he loves to cook!
Okay, a main reason why I'm feeling so great is that Kyleigh is starting settle down into a schedule. This is a HUGE praise to the Lord! I honestly think that's why September was such a hard month. Just this past week, she has seemed more predictable and easier to handle. This has certainly brightened my spirits.
There is one down side to life right now. Reagan is going through a phase and I KNOW every kid goes through it. He's hitting. And he's hitting a lot. I took him to a play cafe on Monday and he hit 6 different kids. SIX!!!!!!! I am completely embarrassed and don't know what to do. He doesn't understand time out yet and I discipline him with a stern voice, but he thinks it's a joke and laughs about it. Needless to say, I don't know how to handle this. I pray this phase disappears soon and he can go back to being the sweet, loving, little man I love!
That's it for now...I'm going to enjoy some time to myself while both kids sleep!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Different People
It seems so obvious; everyone is different. However, this hasn't really hit home to me until the last few weeks. My children are two different people. They have their own thoughts (although I have no idea what they are), act differently, get upset for different reasons, and the list goes on!
What really brought this thought home for me is through the whole sleeping issues I've been experiencing with Kyleigh. Naturally, I've forgotten what it was like when Reagan was 4 months old. On a side note, how could I forget, it wasn't that long ago!!!! Anyway, back on track...I have been expecting Kyleigh to sleep the way Reagan sleeps - no crying when I put her down and she should take 2 hour naps at the minimum! Wrong - Kyleigh is different. She prefers to take shorter naps and will cry before I put her down. This may be just a phase and she may end up being a great sleeper like her big brother, but for now, she's a different sleeper.
Another area in which the kiddos are different is in their personality. I do remember that when Reagan was about Kyleigh's age, he was stoic. He would eventually smile, but it took a lot of effort from us to get a smile. Kyleigh is the opposite! She is so happy all of the time. She's always smiling, cooing, and laughing. It makes me smile as I'm typing this right now :)
I know this is a "duh" post - of course everyone is different. It just hit home recently.
What really brought this thought home for me is through the whole sleeping issues I've been experiencing with Kyleigh. Naturally, I've forgotten what it was like when Reagan was 4 months old. On a side note, how could I forget, it wasn't that long ago!!!! Anyway, back on track...I have been expecting Kyleigh to sleep the way Reagan sleeps - no crying when I put her down and she should take 2 hour naps at the minimum! Wrong - Kyleigh is different. She prefers to take shorter naps and will cry before I put her down. This may be just a phase and she may end up being a great sleeper like her big brother, but for now, she's a different sleeper.
Another area in which the kiddos are different is in their personality. I do remember that when Reagan was about Kyleigh's age, he was stoic. He would eventually smile, but it took a lot of effort from us to get a smile. Kyleigh is the opposite! She is so happy all of the time. She's always smiling, cooing, and laughing. It makes me smile as I'm typing this right now :)
I know this is a "duh" post - of course everyone is different. It just hit home recently.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
September: The Month in Review
This has been an emotional up and down, roller coaster type of month for me. I don't even know where to begin.
The month started off on an emotional high of Ryan's new job and all that it brings. We were looking for a car, were excited about the opportunities the new position would bring, etc. However, that excitement also brought a low for me personally in how this new position would affect me and the kids. I began to think of the longer days for me and the shorter amount of time Ryan would see the kids. I also pondered how the new job would affect my relationship with Ryan. Mostly in the sense that since he'll be gone more, we'll both be exhausted from long days by the time he gets home, would we have enough energy to put into our relationship. Since having the kids, we have both admitted that our communication is not what it used to be. Given this, I am especially sensitive to making sure Ryan and I are doing okay.
The next big thing was the start of sleep training for Kyleigh. I won't say much here because I've already written a post about it. Bottom line: it's been terrible! She will only take short (30-45 minutes) naps while she's in motion. So basically, she sleeps while I'm walking or driving. That doesn't really give me the opportunity to get anything done around the house. I am thankful she sleeps through the night, so I know I shouldn't be complaining at all.
Then, we had family visit. Again, I won't say much because I've already posted about it. It was wonderful to have both moms here and spend some quality time with each. This, of course, was part of my emotional high for the month.
The end of the month was definitely my low point. I have been putting so much pressure on myself to be the perfect stay-at-home mom. I get so down on myself if the house is dirty or I haven't found 5 new recipes to try out for the next week. Ryan has been more than understanding and has encouraged me on multiple occasions that his expectations are nowhere near where I've put them. Although we had a good conversation about this, I still struggle to believe that I'm doing a good job.
I feel extremely blessed to be taking a parenting course called Entrusted with a Child's Heart. I just started the class last Friday and it will go through May 2013. God's timing of this class could not have been better. Even in the first lesson, I was reminded that God chose ME (and Ryan) to be the parents of Reagan and Kyleigh. I was uniquely chosen for them and I am so blessed!
As I reflect on this past month, while it was a tough one, I can see God's faithfulness. I had a really hard morning (broke down crying) and I had two friends come along and encourage me. They reminded me that they are praying for me and shared some wonderful verses. One of those verses is Matthew 11:29, "“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” I also saw God's faithfulness through Ryan. We were able to spend extra time together before his new job started and we were able to talk through a lot and get on the same page. I am so thankful for my husband and what an encouragement he is to me. With Kyleigh's sleeping, I know there will be rough days ahead, but I am thankful to be going through this time with my children. I wouldn't have it any other way!
The month started off on an emotional high of Ryan's new job and all that it brings. We were looking for a car, were excited about the opportunities the new position would bring, etc. However, that excitement also brought a low for me personally in how this new position would affect me and the kids. I began to think of the longer days for me and the shorter amount of time Ryan would see the kids. I also pondered how the new job would affect my relationship with Ryan. Mostly in the sense that since he'll be gone more, we'll both be exhausted from long days by the time he gets home, would we have enough energy to put into our relationship. Since having the kids, we have both admitted that our communication is not what it used to be. Given this, I am especially sensitive to making sure Ryan and I are doing okay.
The next big thing was the start of sleep training for Kyleigh. I won't say much here because I've already written a post about it. Bottom line: it's been terrible! She will only take short (30-45 minutes) naps while she's in motion. So basically, she sleeps while I'm walking or driving. That doesn't really give me the opportunity to get anything done around the house. I am thankful she sleeps through the night, so I know I shouldn't be complaining at all.
Then, we had family visit. Again, I won't say much because I've already posted about it. It was wonderful to have both moms here and spend some quality time with each. This, of course, was part of my emotional high for the month.
The end of the month was definitely my low point. I have been putting so much pressure on myself to be the perfect stay-at-home mom. I get so down on myself if the house is dirty or I haven't found 5 new recipes to try out for the next week. Ryan has been more than understanding and has encouraged me on multiple occasions that his expectations are nowhere near where I've put them. Although we had a good conversation about this, I still struggle to believe that I'm doing a good job.
I feel extremely blessed to be taking a parenting course called Entrusted with a Child's Heart. I just started the class last Friday and it will go through May 2013. God's timing of this class could not have been better. Even in the first lesson, I was reminded that God chose ME (and Ryan) to be the parents of Reagan and Kyleigh. I was uniquely chosen for them and I am so blessed!
As I reflect on this past month, while it was a tough one, I can see God's faithfulness. I had a really hard morning (broke down crying) and I had two friends come along and encourage me. They reminded me that they are praying for me and shared some wonderful verses. One of those verses is Matthew 11:29, "“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” I also saw God's faithfulness through Ryan. We were able to spend extra time together before his new job started and we were able to talk through a lot and get on the same page. I am so thankful for my husband and what an encouragement he is to me. With Kyleigh's sleeping, I know there will be rough days ahead, but I am thankful to be going through this time with my children. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Family Visits
September brought family and that made me happy. Darcy came first in the middle of the month. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon and then prepared for nachos and watching the Bears vs. Packers game that night. The game was terrible, but the company was great ;)
On Friday, we all squeezed (and I mean squeezed) into the Civic for an all day outing to the Outlet mall in Aurora. We first drove through Batavia so Darcy could see where Ryan will now be working. Ryan was also able to get his TB test done so he didn't have to drive back to Batavia a different day. The outlets were great! We scored several good deals and just had a great time shopping for the kids. We learned on this visit, though, that Reagan's feet require EXTRA WIDE shoes! His fat little feet make me smile!
I read Holly's facebook status about going to a U-pick apple orchard and I thought that would be a fun thing to do! So, Saturday morning, we again squeezed into the Civic and drove up to Heinz Orchard and picked a peck of apples. We had a really nice time. Reagan actually ate a whole apple while walking through the orchard! He was really into it :)
The rest of her visit was very low key and absolutely wonderful. It was really hard to say goodbye, as it always is.
My mom came two days later and I was so excited to see her! This was a very different trip than in the past. She came as a big favor to us because Ryan and I were going on a camping trip with our small group for the weekend. We needed a babysitter, so my mom helped us out! I tried to take advantage of the short time we had before Ryan and I left. Thursday afternoon was low key before we headed to P.F. Chang's for dinner.
On Friday, the kids didn't nap on the same schedule, so it was a little difficult to get out of the house. Katie came over in the morning to visit (mom always wants to see her when she's in town). After Katie left, it was time to feed Reagan and get him down for a nap. When he finally got up, we made a quick trip up to Babies R Us to pick up a lamp for Kyleigh's room. Unfortunately, the wrong lamp was put on hold and we left with only a few pairs of socks! Before I knew it, we needed to get home and ready to leave for the trip. I was packed up and just needed to feed Kyleigh before we met the group at Photo's for dinner.
I was incredibly nervous that Kyleigh wasn't going to eat and that she's cry the whole weekend and make it a horrible time for my mom. Everyone kept telling me that she would be fine. She wouldn't starve herself and she would eventually eat from the bottle. I wasn't convinced, but then again, what could I do? Ryan insisted that we needed this weekend together and everything would be okay. I knew he was right. So, off I went with the rest of the small group.
Camping was fun - cold, but fun. It was nice to just get away for a little bit and be with adults and have a conversation without worrying about swaying back and forth to keep Kyleigh happy or picking Reagan up because he wants something!
It was pretty cold this weekend. I climbed into my sleeping bag Friday night and really hoped I wouldn't have to pee because I didn't want to get back out of it!! I must say, though, I slept really well Friday night. On Saturday, we went canoeing. I wasn't sure I still wanted to do this because it was chilly, but I went anyway. I'm glad I did. The day was beautiful (no rain as forecasted) and canoeing down the river reminded me of floating down the Deschutes River. We had a few scary moments on the river. Anita got caught on a log and her kayak flipped. We barely missed hitting her head as we floated by. The Oakley's were also trying to miss her and got caught on the same log. Their canoe completely flipped. And of course, this happened at the deepest and narrowest part of the river. Despite the very cold water, everyone was okay and we continued on our trip. Saturday night brought yummy dinner and s'mores around a great fire!
Greg gave a great devotional on Sunday morning after we ate breakfast. We then packed up and headed home. Again, I was very thankful to get away. It was great time come home, see the kids, and give my mom some relief! Even though she said she'd do it again, I know it was a tough weekend for her. Reagan woke up at 3:45a Sunday morning and wouldn't go back to sleep. Needless to say, she was tired when we got back Sunday afternoon. We went to a different Babies R Us Sunday afternoon and then came back to Lou Malnati's for dinner!
Unfortunately, Monday morning came and it was time for mom to head back to CA. The visits from family are always welcome, but it is always hard to say goodbye. I am doing my best to enjoy each moment they are here.
Thanks mom and Darcy for your visits this month! I love you!
On Friday, we all squeezed (and I mean squeezed) into the Civic for an all day outing to the Outlet mall in Aurora. We first drove through Batavia so Darcy could see where Ryan will now be working. Ryan was also able to get his TB test done so he didn't have to drive back to Batavia a different day. The outlets were great! We scored several good deals and just had a great time shopping for the kids. We learned on this visit, though, that Reagan's feet require EXTRA WIDE shoes! His fat little feet make me smile!
I read Holly's facebook status about going to a U-pick apple orchard and I thought that would be a fun thing to do! So, Saturday morning, we again squeezed into the Civic and drove up to Heinz Orchard and picked a peck of apples. We had a really nice time. Reagan actually ate a whole apple while walking through the orchard! He was really into it :)
The rest of her visit was very low key and absolutely wonderful. It was really hard to say goodbye, as it always is.
My mom came two days later and I was so excited to see her! This was a very different trip than in the past. She came as a big favor to us because Ryan and I were going on a camping trip with our small group for the weekend. We needed a babysitter, so my mom helped us out! I tried to take advantage of the short time we had before Ryan and I left. Thursday afternoon was low key before we headed to P.F. Chang's for dinner.
On Friday, the kids didn't nap on the same schedule, so it was a little difficult to get out of the house. Katie came over in the morning to visit (mom always wants to see her when she's in town). After Katie left, it was time to feed Reagan and get him down for a nap. When he finally got up, we made a quick trip up to Babies R Us to pick up a lamp for Kyleigh's room. Unfortunately, the wrong lamp was put on hold and we left with only a few pairs of socks! Before I knew it, we needed to get home and ready to leave for the trip. I was packed up and just needed to feed Kyleigh before we met the group at Photo's for dinner.
I was incredibly nervous that Kyleigh wasn't going to eat and that she's cry the whole weekend and make it a horrible time for my mom. Everyone kept telling me that she would be fine. She wouldn't starve herself and she would eventually eat from the bottle. I wasn't convinced, but then again, what could I do? Ryan insisted that we needed this weekend together and everything would be okay. I knew he was right. So, off I went with the rest of the small group.
Camping was fun - cold, but fun. It was nice to just get away for a little bit and be with adults and have a conversation without worrying about swaying back and forth to keep Kyleigh happy or picking Reagan up because he wants something!
It was pretty cold this weekend. I climbed into my sleeping bag Friday night and really hoped I wouldn't have to pee because I didn't want to get back out of it!! I must say, though, I slept really well Friday night. On Saturday, we went canoeing. I wasn't sure I still wanted to do this because it was chilly, but I went anyway. I'm glad I did. The day was beautiful (no rain as forecasted) and canoeing down the river reminded me of floating down the Deschutes River. We had a few scary moments on the river. Anita got caught on a log and her kayak flipped. We barely missed hitting her head as we floated by. The Oakley's were also trying to miss her and got caught on the same log. Their canoe completely flipped. And of course, this happened at the deepest and narrowest part of the river. Despite the very cold water, everyone was okay and we continued on our trip. Saturday night brought yummy dinner and s'mores around a great fire!
Greg gave a great devotional on Sunday morning after we ate breakfast. We then packed up and headed home. Again, I was very thankful to get away. It was great time come home, see the kids, and give my mom some relief! Even though she said she'd do it again, I know it was a tough weekend for her. Reagan woke up at 3:45a Sunday morning and wouldn't go back to sleep. Needless to say, she was tired when we got back Sunday afternoon. We went to a different Babies R Us Sunday afternoon and then came back to Lou Malnati's for dinner!
Unfortunately, Monday morning came and it was time for mom to head back to CA. The visits from family are always welcome, but it is always hard to say goodbye. I am doing my best to enjoy each moment they are here.
Thanks mom and Darcy for your visits this month! I love you!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Sleep Training
At Kyleigh's 3 month checkup, Dr. Breen mentioned that her development and personality seemed more on par with a 4 month old. Because of this, she suggested that we can begin sleep training now (developmentally, she could handle it), or we could wait until she was 4 months old, which is the normal time Dr. Breen would suggest sleep training. The decision was up to us, but the longer we wait, it could potentially get more difficult.
I kind of have mixed feelings about this because Kyleigh has been SUCH a great night time sleeper since she was 6 weeks old. Seriously, what mom is lucky enough to get a full nights rest (literally, 8-10 hours straight) at 6 weeks old? I didn't really understand the sleep training part until I thought about HOW we get her to sleep. Since birth, she was always very tightly swaddled and held in someone's arms until she was asleep. There were times when Ryan or I would need to hold her for up to 45 minutes AFTER she fell asleep before we could lay her down because she would just wake up again screaming. The process to get her to sleep was long, exhausting, and sometimes frustrating.
Upon reflection of this process, I realized it would be a good idea to start sooner rather than later. So it began on Sunday, September 9, 2012. This was her first official night of sleep training.
We are now 10 days into this and it has been a huge roller coaster. Some days, I can lay her down for a nap and there is a moment of fussing (not even crying) and she'll fall right to sleep. Other days, she will scream and kick until my ears hurt. It breaks my heart to have her cry as much as she does, but I also know it's best. We sleep trained Reagan and he's a fantastic sleeper. He rarely cries or protests when going down for a nap or bedtime and he generally wakes up happy.
Shortly after we started (I think it was Tuesday, 9/11), Kyleigh found her thumb! This was huge, as the sucking on her thumb would calm her down significantly. It's just become a matter of FINDING her thumb each time :)
I'm hoping the days get better because right now, they are terrible. It takes such an emotional toll on me. I know we can get through this, I know we can.
I kind of have mixed feelings about this because Kyleigh has been SUCH a great night time sleeper since she was 6 weeks old. Seriously, what mom is lucky enough to get a full nights rest (literally, 8-10 hours straight) at 6 weeks old? I didn't really understand the sleep training part until I thought about HOW we get her to sleep. Since birth, she was always very tightly swaddled and held in someone's arms until she was asleep. There were times when Ryan or I would need to hold her for up to 45 minutes AFTER she fell asleep before we could lay her down because she would just wake up again screaming. The process to get her to sleep was long, exhausting, and sometimes frustrating.
Upon reflection of this process, I realized it would be a good idea to start sooner rather than later. So it began on Sunday, September 9, 2012. This was her first official night of sleep training.
We are now 10 days into this and it has been a huge roller coaster. Some days, I can lay her down for a nap and there is a moment of fussing (not even crying) and she'll fall right to sleep. Other days, she will scream and kick until my ears hurt. It breaks my heart to have her cry as much as she does, but I also know it's best. We sleep trained Reagan and he's a fantastic sleeper. He rarely cries or protests when going down for a nap or bedtime and he generally wakes up happy.
Shortly after we started (I think it was Tuesday, 9/11), Kyleigh found her thumb! This was huge, as the sucking on her thumb would calm her down significantly. It's just become a matter of FINDING her thumb each time :)
I'm hoping the days get better because right now, they are terrible. It takes such an emotional toll on me. I know we can get through this, I know we can.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Big Changes!
I guess the cats out of the bag...big and exciting changes for the Hust family. And for any of you wondering, NO, I AM NOT PREGNANT!!!!
Ryan officially resigned from Trinity last week and will be starting a new job on October 1st :) I am very excited for this new opportunity for Ryan. He will be the Facility Manager at a retirement community in Batavia. I am not thrilled about his new commute (35 miles and 1 hour each way), but other than that, we are really excited for this job. It was a difficult decision to leave Trinity because Trinity has been Ryan's life since we moved here 5 years ago. I'm sure his last day is going to be really tough.
Related to the new job, we also bought a new car on Monday! Whoo hoo :) This was quite the process, though. First we were going to get Ryan the new car, then I was getting the new car and Ryan would take the Civic, and then we finally settled on Ryan getting the car. Ultimately, we decided on Ryan getting the car because should we decide to have another kid in the future, we'll need to get a minivan and neither one of us wanted a minivan now if it wasn't necessary. So, bottom line is we bought a 2009 Subaru Legacy. It's brown (eww), but has very low miles, is in great condition, and is a stick shift, which was a must for Ryan!
Lastly, we made some cosmetic improvements to the house over Labor Day weekend. This made me sooooo happy!!! We bought some art for both the living room and dining room and it's made such a difference! It's been a long time coming, but we finally agreed on the artwork and I love it! We also finally hung the drapes in both of the kids' rooms. Overall, these few minor details gave a major facelift to the rooms and I couldn't be happier about it ;)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Freezer Food (Enchiladas) Update
This week, I decided it was time to eat the enchiladas I made a few weeks back. OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!!! These were the best enchiladas I've ever had. I was a little nervous to actually eat them because of all of the reviews I read. Everyone kept commenting that these enchiladas were so tasty, I was afraid they wouldn't live up to the hype. I was wrong! They were absolutely delicious. I can't wait to make them again.
Since they can be frozen, this will be an awesome small group meal whenever I host. I'm always so stressed about finding a good meal and getting it completed in time. Now, I can do all the prep ahead of time and know that our friends will like the food!
Yay for enchiladas. Thanks, Annie, for sharing your delicious recipe. I'm off to eat the leftovers for lunch...my mouth is already watering ;)
Since they can be frozen, this will be an awesome small group meal whenever I host. I'm always so stressed about finding a good meal and getting it completed in time. Now, I can do all the prep ahead of time and know that our friends will like the food!
Yay for enchiladas. Thanks, Annie, for sharing your delicious recipe. I'm off to eat the leftovers for lunch...my mouth is already watering ;)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Rookie Mom
That's what I feel like. A rookie mom. Even though I have two kids, I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. Since I was home with Reagan for only 10 weeks before returning to work, I didn't really need to figure out a schedule for him. He was still a baby. I just took the ebbs and flows as they came and knew he would eventually get into a schedule.
This time around, it's different. Although it wasn't all the time, when Reagan had days where he fought naps or he cried more than he didn't cry, I wasn't there the whole day to experience it. Katie (bless her heart) dealt with those really long days. When I would ask her how the day went and the answer was "It was a long day" I didn't know the true meaning behind it. Not until now, that is.
Kyleigh has been very difficult the last week. She still sleeps great at night, but naptime is a different story. Once she finally falls asleep (in my arms, of course, because where else would she sleep?), within minutes of laying her in the crib, she's screaming. The poor girl was exhausted last week because she simply would not sleep during the day. I don't know if it's a growth spurt or just her nature, but boy has she been a little pill! I'm allowed to say that, right?
Ryan had to remind me that she's just three months old. Things will get better; she will nap when she's tired enough. And maybe, just maybe, she'll tire me out enough that we'll take a snooze together!
This time around, it's different. Although it wasn't all the time, when Reagan had days where he fought naps or he cried more than he didn't cry, I wasn't there the whole day to experience it. Katie (bless her heart) dealt with those really long days. When I would ask her how the day went and the answer was "It was a long day" I didn't know the true meaning behind it. Not until now, that is.
Kyleigh has been very difficult the last week. She still sleeps great at night, but naptime is a different story. Once she finally falls asleep (in my arms, of course, because where else would she sleep?), within minutes of laying her in the crib, she's screaming. The poor girl was exhausted last week because she simply would not sleep during the day. I don't know if it's a growth spurt or just her nature, but boy has she been a little pill! I'm allowed to say that, right?
Ryan had to remind me that she's just three months old. Things will get better; she will nap when she's tired enough. And maybe, just maybe, she'll tire me out enough that we'll take a snooze together!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Working Out
It's unavoidable...working out. I've decided that even though God blessed me with good genes, I can't continue to treat my body the way I have been and expect to remain healthy. So last week I set up a goal of getting into some sort of a workout routine.
I'm committing to power walking for 25-30 minutes three times a week. On Monday, I walked to the post office to mail some stuff and then when I got home, I thought it might be a good idea to do some crunches. While I was on the floor working hard, Reagan leaned in, got really close to my face, and started laughing!!!! That little stinker :)Today, I decided to walk around Lake Arlington and then let Reagan play at the park after I finished walking. I'm not sure where I'll go next, but I'm sure I'll find a good place.
I'm committing to power walking for 25-30 minutes three times a week. On Monday, I walked to the post office to mail some stuff and then when I got home, I thought it might be a good idea to do some crunches. While I was on the floor working hard, Reagan leaned in, got really close to my face, and started laughing!!!! That little stinker :)Today, I decided to walk around Lake Arlington and then let Reagan play at the park after I finished walking. I'm not sure where I'll go next, but I'm sure I'll find a good place.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Freezer Food
A few weeks after Kyleigh was born, I began researching make-ahead freezer foods. I thought it would be a good idea to have a few meals stashed away in case I didn't have time to shop or simply didn't want to cook.
I finally made my first meal tonight - chicken enchiladas made completely from scratch (even the enchilada sauce)! I almost didn't want to freeze these because I've been thinking about making them since the middle of June :) It was quite the ordeal for me to complete this, though. I started the prep around 7:30p and didn't finish the clean up until about 10:15p! I did take a small break to nurse Kyleigh, but still - these were very labor intensive!
I must admit, I'm very proud of myself. Ryan didn't have to come to my rescue once. I make the entire meal on my own. This is a big deal because Ryan cooks almost every meal for us. I am truly trying to enjoy cooking and being in the kitchen, so I gave it a shot!
I'll post and give you an update once we eat the enchiladas! So long for now...it's way past my bedtime!
I finally made my first meal tonight - chicken enchiladas made completely from scratch (even the enchilada sauce)! I almost didn't want to freeze these because I've been thinking about making them since the middle of June :) It was quite the ordeal for me to complete this, though. I started the prep around 7:30p and didn't finish the clean up until about 10:15p! I did take a small break to nurse Kyleigh, but still - these were very labor intensive!
I must admit, I'm very proud of myself. Ryan didn't have to come to my rescue once. I make the entire meal on my own. This is a big deal because Ryan cooks almost every meal for us. I am truly trying to enjoy cooking and being in the kitchen, so I gave it a shot!
I'll post and give you an update once we eat the enchiladas! So long for now...it's way past my bedtime!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Changes
Since I'm with the kids everyday, all day, it is sometimes difficult to notice any changes. I have noticed a few with both kids over the past week or so.
Reagan:
There was one store I passionately disliked taking Reagan to and that store was Target. Due to the construction of the shopping cart, Reagan could easily maneuver his way out of the strap and stand in the cart. Of course, I would make him sit down, but it was always a scene and I would usually end up giving him a firm pat on the butt while hurrying to finish the trip without any more instances. Well, last week, I was in Target twice and he never once tried to stand up. He sat in the seat like a big boy and was good the entire shopping trip! Such a small thing to notice, but made a huge impact!
On Tuesday mornings there is story time at the library. I would get the kids ready for this 20 minute outing every week. Some weeks I would think, "This isn't worth it, Reagan doesn't pay attention." I would often spend 19 of the 20 minutes (no joke!) trying to keep him in my lap or away from the other kids who calmly listened to the stories the teacher read. This past week, Reagan actually sat in my lap for half of one story!!!!! While this may not seem like a big deal, it was progress!
Kyleigh:
She began cooing a few weeks ago and it's adorable. I love the little noises she makes; they are just so cute. Over the past 10 days or so, she has stopped fussing to wake me up in the morning for her feeding. She just coos until I come into her room. How awesome is that? If I am going to be woken up by a child, what better noise for it to be than a sweet "Oh Oh Oh?"
Big, milestone changes are great and open up a whole new set of doors. But I think it's the small changes that touch my heart and make me enjoy this moment.
Reagan:
There was one store I passionately disliked taking Reagan to and that store was Target. Due to the construction of the shopping cart, Reagan could easily maneuver his way out of the strap and stand in the cart. Of course, I would make him sit down, but it was always a scene and I would usually end up giving him a firm pat on the butt while hurrying to finish the trip without any more instances. Well, last week, I was in Target twice and he never once tried to stand up. He sat in the seat like a big boy and was good the entire shopping trip! Such a small thing to notice, but made a huge impact!
On Tuesday mornings there is story time at the library. I would get the kids ready for this 20 minute outing every week. Some weeks I would think, "This isn't worth it, Reagan doesn't pay attention." I would often spend 19 of the 20 minutes (no joke!) trying to keep him in my lap or away from the other kids who calmly listened to the stories the teacher read. This past week, Reagan actually sat in my lap for half of one story!!!!! While this may not seem like a big deal, it was progress!
Kyleigh:
She began cooing a few weeks ago and it's adorable. I love the little noises she makes; they are just so cute. Over the past 10 days or so, she has stopped fussing to wake me up in the morning for her feeding. She just coos until I come into her room. How awesome is that? If I am going to be woken up by a child, what better noise for it to be than a sweet "Oh Oh Oh?"
Big, milestone changes are great and open up a whole new set of doors. But I think it's the small changes that touch my heart and make me enjoy this moment.
CA Trip
It's been 2 weeks since I returned home from CA. Overall, I would say the trip went really well, but there were a few difficult times during the 6 days I was gone.
Kyleigh traveled great...on the airplane! She slept for the first 3 hours, I changed her, and then we were on the decent, so I nursed her again. Super easy! On our way back to Lodi, we made our first stop at In-N-Out Burger, a must for mommy! Kyleigh didn't have much to say about it ;)
Thursday was a big day for my little girl. It started out with a bang...or a blowout, I should say! While at House of Coffee, meeting with Jessica and Alivia, she had the biggest blowout I've ever changed. It took me about 10 minutes to clean her up, but we finally moved past that and onto the girls smiling at each other. Then Kyleigh got to meet Uncle Brandon, Aunt Michelle, and cousins Jacob and Cooper. After a short visit with them, she met a whole big group of people, including great grandmas, great grandpa, other family, and many friends. She was quite the trooper. She didn't mind being passed from person to person. We had a great time at the BBQ and it ended up not being too hot!
Friday is when things took a turn for the worse. Kyleigh did not travel so well in the car. She started out great - sleeping the first 4 hours of our 8 hour drive. However, after eating at In-N-Out Burger (again, I know!), she didn't handle her car seat so well. We made it through the Grapevine, but shortly thereafter, she screamed the entire way to La Mirada, which took an hour and a half to get there. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything we could do, but it made for a very long car ride. We finally made it to see Beth and she took us on a tour of Biola. It had been 3 years since I was last there and it was fun to walk around the campus again. The new Talbot building is beautiful and it was great to just get out of the car for a bit.
Prepping for Jamie's wedding was awesome. Both Saturday and Sunday were very laid back and relaxing. Saturday began with mani's and pedi's and then lunch at Big Belly Deli. The rehearsal at Jamie's house went really well also. Throughout all of this Kyleigh was giving Grandma Jill a tough time, but they were getting by. I was definitely stressed about Kyleigh and her being so difficult, but I was also trying to focus on Jamie and the wedding. Fortunately, Sunday, the day of the wedding went much better than anticipated for both me and Kyleigh. Mom took her down to San Diego for her family reunion and Kyleigh ate from a bottle (which she refused to do on Saturday). Knowing that she was fine and not starving, I was able to completely focus on Jamie and the wedding. Next to my own wedding, I had the best time and enjoyed dancing. Although, it was a little lonely when the slow songs came on...that's when I headed over to the couches :) The evening was perfect and it was great to see Jamie and Brandon so in love.
All 3 of us woke up at the same time on Monday morning to head back up to Lodi. I was a little nervous because of traffic. Originally, I wanted to get out of LA by 5am in order to avoid the traffic and we didn't pull out of the hotel until 7:25. However, praise the Lord, traffic wasn't too bad and we made it to the Grapevine in fairly good time. The whole trip home was not very pleasant. Kyleigh was still not handling the carseat well. I'm not exaggerating when I say that out of the 8 hour trip, 4 of those hours were crying, 2 were sleeping, 1 was contentment, and 1 was eating. Needless to say, it made for a very long day.
I flew back home to my boys on Tuesday. Before heading to the airport, Kyleigh spent some time with her great grandparents and got to say goodbye. It was a very calm morning, something we both needed! The flight back was great; no one sat in the middle seat, so we had extra room! I think Kyleigh was so excited to see her dad and brother that she couldn't sleep the first hour and a half. At least she was quiet and content ;) She did really great on this flight also. I was so excited to see Ryan and Reagan and give them both kisses and hugs. Ryan was happy to see me and Kyleigh, Reagan was only happy to see Kyleigh. While his excitement for his sister was precious, I have to admit I was a little sad he wasn't more excited to see me.
Kyleigh traveled great...on the airplane! She slept for the first 3 hours, I changed her, and then we were on the decent, so I nursed her again. Super easy! On our way back to Lodi, we made our first stop at In-N-Out Burger, a must for mommy! Kyleigh didn't have much to say about it ;)
Thursday was a big day for my little girl. It started out with a bang...or a blowout, I should say! While at House of Coffee, meeting with Jessica and Alivia, she had the biggest blowout I've ever changed. It took me about 10 minutes to clean her up, but we finally moved past that and onto the girls smiling at each other. Then Kyleigh got to meet Uncle Brandon, Aunt Michelle, and cousins Jacob and Cooper. After a short visit with them, she met a whole big group of people, including great grandmas, great grandpa, other family, and many friends. She was quite the trooper. She didn't mind being passed from person to person. We had a great time at the BBQ and it ended up not being too hot!
Friday is when things took a turn for the worse. Kyleigh did not travel so well in the car. She started out great - sleeping the first 4 hours of our 8 hour drive. However, after eating at In-N-Out Burger (again, I know!), she didn't handle her car seat so well. We made it through the Grapevine, but shortly thereafter, she screamed the entire way to La Mirada, which took an hour and a half to get there. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything we could do, but it made for a very long car ride. We finally made it to see Beth and she took us on a tour of Biola. It had been 3 years since I was last there and it was fun to walk around the campus again. The new Talbot building is beautiful and it was great to just get out of the car for a bit.
Prepping for Jamie's wedding was awesome. Both Saturday and Sunday were very laid back and relaxing. Saturday began with mani's and pedi's and then lunch at Big Belly Deli. The rehearsal at Jamie's house went really well also. Throughout all of this Kyleigh was giving Grandma Jill a tough time, but they were getting by. I was definitely stressed about Kyleigh and her being so difficult, but I was also trying to focus on Jamie and the wedding. Fortunately, Sunday, the day of the wedding went much better than anticipated for both me and Kyleigh. Mom took her down to San Diego for her family reunion and Kyleigh ate from a bottle (which she refused to do on Saturday). Knowing that she was fine and not starving, I was able to completely focus on Jamie and the wedding. Next to my own wedding, I had the best time and enjoyed dancing. Although, it was a little lonely when the slow songs came on...that's when I headed over to the couches :) The evening was perfect and it was great to see Jamie and Brandon so in love.
All 3 of us woke up at the same time on Monday morning to head back up to Lodi. I was a little nervous because of traffic. Originally, I wanted to get out of LA by 5am in order to avoid the traffic and we didn't pull out of the hotel until 7:25. However, praise the Lord, traffic wasn't too bad and we made it to the Grapevine in fairly good time. The whole trip home was not very pleasant. Kyleigh was still not handling the carseat well. I'm not exaggerating when I say that out of the 8 hour trip, 4 of those hours were crying, 2 were sleeping, 1 was contentment, and 1 was eating. Needless to say, it made for a very long day.
I flew back home to my boys on Tuesday. Before heading to the airport, Kyleigh spent some time with her great grandparents and got to say goodbye. It was a very calm morning, something we both needed! The flight back was great; no one sat in the middle seat, so we had extra room! I think Kyleigh was so excited to see her dad and brother that she couldn't sleep the first hour and a half. At least she was quiet and content ;) She did really great on this flight also. I was so excited to see Ryan and Reagan and give them both kisses and hugs. Ryan was happy to see me and Kyleigh, Reagan was only happy to see Kyleigh. While his excitement for his sister was precious, I have to admit I was a little sad he wasn't more excited to see me.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Upcoming CA Trip
I am leaving for CA in just a few days. Going on this trip is both very exciting and sad at the same time. I am really excited to go back home and see family and friends in Lodi. I am also really looking forward to being a part of my best friend's wedding on Sunday evening. I haven't been down to SoCal since the winter of 2007 (I think...maybe it was 2008). I will make a quick stop on Biola's campus and then get into full blown wedding mode. I'm so excited!!!!
Why would I be sad about this trip, then? The answer is 2 men...my hubby and son won't be traveling with me and Kyleigh. Ryan unfortunately has some work that must be completed this week before students arrive on campus. As much as I love my husband, I've been away from him before and I am not worried about the 6 days we'll be apart.
Reagan is a different story. I've haven't been away from him more than 48 hours, so this will be a big deal for me. I'm sure he'll miss me now that he's used to me being home everyday with him. However, I am really sad to be leaving him behind. He's at such a fun age right now and doing the funniest things. Everyday is something new. Maybe he'll even have a new word when I come home. I know he'll be in great hands while Ryan is at work...thanks, Katie!....but I can't help but be a little sad leaving him here.
As I'm trying to do...I'll enjoy the moments in the next 2 days before I leave and I know I'll enjoy my many moments in CA. My agenda is jammed packed the entire 6 days I'll be gone, so there will be plenty to enjoy and remember!
Why would I be sad about this trip, then? The answer is 2 men...my hubby and son won't be traveling with me and Kyleigh. Ryan unfortunately has some work that must be completed this week before students arrive on campus. As much as I love my husband, I've been away from him before and I am not worried about the 6 days we'll be apart.
Reagan is a different story. I've haven't been away from him more than 48 hours, so this will be a big deal for me. I'm sure he'll miss me now that he's used to me being home everyday with him. However, I am really sad to be leaving him behind. He's at such a fun age right now and doing the funniest things. Everyday is something new. Maybe he'll even have a new word when I come home. I know he'll be in great hands while Ryan is at work...thanks, Katie!....but I can't help but be a little sad leaving him here.
As I'm trying to do...I'll enjoy the moments in the next 2 days before I leave and I know I'll enjoy my many moments in CA. My agenda is jammed packed the entire 6 days I'll be gone, so there will be plenty to enjoy and remember!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Where I am
My old boss reached out to me shortly after Kyleigh was born to check in and see how I was doing. He also asked when I would bring the kids by and at that point, I wasn't too sure.
Today, I made a trip to my old workplace for a visit not only to see my old boss, but to see the friends I had made during the 3 years of employment. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about visiting. I didn't know how the visit would go. My boss really didn't want me to leave and this was the first time I would see him since quitting.
To my delight, it was a great visit! People were excited to meet Kyleigh and see Reagan again. Honestly, Reagan received more attention than Kyleigh. He was quite the ham while I was there. He started running all over the place (and I was trying to catch him before he got himself into trouble on the production floor!) and having a great time with all of the new people. He even acted like he wanted to work; putting his arms up to the receptionist and sitting on her lap while staring at the computer :) He especially flirted with the girls at work; giving them his adorable Reagan smile.
It was really nice to get a chance to catch up with my boss and the other people I knew well. My boss asked how I was adjusting and I was thankful to answer honestly that I was adjusting well! He seemed genuinely happy for me and didn't ask if I wanted to come back (of which I was very thankful!). A few of my other co-workers, mainly the production floor staff, asked when I would be back and I just smiled.
As I got into my car and began to drive away, I thought about where I am in life at this moment. Going into this visit, I didn't know if I was going to leave feeling like I wanted to be back there. Even though I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, it was still difficult to quit my job and enter a different type of job. I was very scared initially; not sure if I was going to be happy at home with my kids. But after this visit, I felt reassured of the decision Ryan and I made together. I feel more than ever (even though it's only been 11 weeks) that I am where I am supposed to be. While I do miss my old job and the people, my new job of being home with my children is such a blessing from the Lord. The Lord provided a job for Ryan to allow me to be home and I am so grateful. I am also grateful to my amazing husband for both the financial and emotional support he's given me.
I am one lucky woman to be where I am.
Today, I made a trip to my old workplace for a visit not only to see my old boss, but to see the friends I had made during the 3 years of employment. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about visiting. I didn't know how the visit would go. My boss really didn't want me to leave and this was the first time I would see him since quitting.
To my delight, it was a great visit! People were excited to meet Kyleigh and see Reagan again. Honestly, Reagan received more attention than Kyleigh. He was quite the ham while I was there. He started running all over the place (and I was trying to catch him before he got himself into trouble on the production floor!) and having a great time with all of the new people. He even acted like he wanted to work; putting his arms up to the receptionist and sitting on her lap while staring at the computer :) He especially flirted with the girls at work; giving them his adorable Reagan smile.
It was really nice to get a chance to catch up with my boss and the other people I knew well. My boss asked how I was adjusting and I was thankful to answer honestly that I was adjusting well! He seemed genuinely happy for me and didn't ask if I wanted to come back (of which I was very thankful!). A few of my other co-workers, mainly the production floor staff, asked when I would be back and I just smiled.
As I got into my car and began to drive away, I thought about where I am in life at this moment. Going into this visit, I didn't know if I was going to leave feeling like I wanted to be back there. Even though I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, it was still difficult to quit my job and enter a different type of job. I was very scared initially; not sure if I was going to be happy at home with my kids. But after this visit, I felt reassured of the decision Ryan and I made together. I feel more than ever (even though it's only been 11 weeks) that I am where I am supposed to be. While I do miss my old job and the people, my new job of being home with my children is such a blessing from the Lord. The Lord provided a job for Ryan to allow me to be home and I am so grateful. I am also grateful to my amazing husband for both the financial and emotional support he's given me.
I am one lucky woman to be where I am.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Playdough?
I've thought on several occasions that it would be nice to make Reagan some homemade playdough. I even looked up the recipe several weeks ago, but never got around to trying it out.
I convinced myself today was going to be the day. Both kids were sleeping, the laundry was mostly complete, and it was time. For those of you who know me very well, the kitchen is not my friend. I need VERY specific recipes to follow with the amount of time each step should take. This is where my trouble began. The recipe was clear; however, it doesn't say how long to knead the dough. So I kept kneading and kneading and kneading...to no avail! I finally gave up...my first attempt at playdough failed. But that's okay...I'll get back on the horse (or into the kitchen) and try again. Another day :)
Off to my crying Kyleigh I go!
I convinced myself today was going to be the day. Both kids were sleeping, the laundry was mostly complete, and it was time. For those of you who know me very well, the kitchen is not my friend. I need VERY specific recipes to follow with the amount of time each step should take. This is where my trouble began. The recipe was clear; however, it doesn't say how long to knead the dough. So I kept kneading and kneading and kneading...to no avail! I finally gave up...my first attempt at playdough failed. But that's okay...I'll get back on the horse (or into the kitchen) and try again. Another day :)
Off to my crying Kyleigh I go!
The picture represents my efforts, but the end results looks nothing like playdough!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Grateful for some...zzzzz
Kyleigh has been sleeping really well at night lately. And I mean really well!! Last night, she fell asleep shortly after 7:30 and didn't get up to eat again until 5:50am. Talk about a grateful mom for the much needed rest. I don't want to jinx myself, but the past 5 nights in a row, she has slept through the night. Could it really be that my 7 week old daughter is going to continue sleeping through the night?
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Feeling Encouraged
Kyleigh woke me up about 5:45am today and as I began to nurse her, I heard Reagan playing in his crib. I thought "This could end up being a very long day." However, both kids fell back asleep and I was lucky enough to stay in bed until 8am!!!! It's amazing how a little extra sleep can make all the difference!
Today, I am feeling very encouraged. I can't pinpoint why I feel so encouraged today specifically, but I am thankful for it! I had a wonderful time with a friend and her kids this morning. We had a chance to catch up and just let the kids play - they did great! After they left, the house was quiet (only for a brief moment), the toys were picked up, there wasn't a mess in every room in the house, and I just felt encouraged. That's all I can say is I feel encouraged :)
On a different note, it's amazing to me that 5 years ago today, Ryan and I embarked on an adventure we thought would only last 3 years. We left California and headed to Illinois for Ryan to begin his Masters Degree at Trinity. We never thought we'd still be here, but we are! As I mentioned to my friend earlier today, the Lord's hand was definitely at work. I am thankful for everything He's done so far and how He's lead us down the path we're following.
I am so thankful and have much to praise the Lord for!
Today, I am feeling very encouraged. I can't pinpoint why I feel so encouraged today specifically, but I am thankful for it! I had a wonderful time with a friend and her kids this morning. We had a chance to catch up and just let the kids play - they did great! After they left, the house was quiet (only for a brief moment), the toys were picked up, there wasn't a mess in every room in the house, and I just felt encouraged. That's all I can say is I feel encouraged :)
On a different note, it's amazing to me that 5 years ago today, Ryan and I embarked on an adventure we thought would only last 3 years. We left California and headed to Illinois for Ryan to begin his Masters Degree at Trinity. We never thought we'd still be here, but we are! As I mentioned to my friend earlier today, the Lord's hand was definitely at work. I am thankful for everything He's done so far and how He's lead us down the path we're following.
I am so thankful and have much to praise the Lord for!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Blog Name
You may wonder how I decided on "Enjoying this Moment" as my blog name. Since becoming a stay at home mom, I have often found myself looking toward the next thing. Whether that "thing" was fixing lunch for Reagan or Ryan arriving home from work or walking to the park that afternoon, I was always looking at the clock and seeing how much time was between now and the next "thing."
The past few days, the Lord has pressed upon my heart to enjoy the current moment. I needed to enjoy the laughter coming from my son. I needed to enjoy watching Reagan "dance dance" in the kitchen to the fridge farm. I needed to enjoy the first smile Kyleigh gave me. It was time for me to stop looking toward the next thing on the schedule for the day and just be thankful for the precious moments that occur in between the next "thing."
There you have it. Here's to "Enjoying this Moment"
The past few days, the Lord has pressed upon my heart to enjoy the current moment. I needed to enjoy the laughter coming from my son. I needed to enjoy watching Reagan "dance dance" in the kitchen to the fridge farm. I needed to enjoy the first smile Kyleigh gave me. It was time for me to stop looking toward the next thing on the schedule for the day and just be thankful for the precious moments that occur in between the next "thing."
There you have it. Here's to "Enjoying this Moment"
Monday, July 16, 2012
Trying this Out
A few nights ago, Kyleigh woke up to eat around 12:50am. While this was a little earlier than normal, it didn't bother me. What got to me was after she finished eating! Instead of going back to sleep like she normally does, she wanted to have some one-on-one time with mommy. I love my daughter dearly; however, I wasn't in the mood to have her look into my eyes until 2:00am.
In an effort to get her to fall asleep, I walked many laps around her bedroom and almost fell asleep myself to the rhythm of the pat, pat, pat on her butt! During the midst of my laps, I thought about my new life as a stay-at-home mom. I really would like to document the growth of my children and myself through this new adventure, but didn't know the best way to go about it. I knew journaling was out (it's just not me!), so I thought about blogging.
So here it begins...I'm trying this out!
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