Love. {First Snow}

Snow Day!

So Happy

Nora never ceases to amaze me. She is so content and happy and loves to sit and entertain herself for long periods of time. She needs little reassurances that you are nearby, but she does not need to be held much during the day. She does like to cuddle when she is hungry or tired though. Love love love this baby. She is still having a much harder time than her brother with learning to soothe herself to sleep and stay alseep throughout the night, but she is gradually learning. Today, when she was supposed to be napping, she was talking and talking for such a long time. I sat and watched her for awhile and then softly called her name. She couldn't see me, but upon hearing my voice she immediatley grinned and started squealing. I hesitated in picking her up and kept calling her name and she kept squealing happily, still not seeing me. I left the room for a second and came back and started again and she kept smiling and squealing until I couldn't stand it anymore and I picked her up and kissed her sweet baby cheeks. She didn't do much napping today, but she was so happy to be awake that it didn't really matter. Tonight, she was playing and laughing at everything, showing no signs of tiredness...like usual. I finally scooped her up and cradled her. She started nursing and fell fast asleep before she even really ate. I grinned and put her in bed. I think I'l just have to get her up in a couple hours and try again. :)

Believe Them!

While I was making dinner tonight, Aidan kept mumbling about painting. I was curious, but also intent on not letting the food burn. Then, his exclamations became louder and he said, "Mom, I painted." I suddenly directed my attention to him as he stood there proudly holding an open bottle of acrylic paint with a paintbrush inside. (Alas! He found my craft supplies.) Upon asking him where he painted, he proceeded to point at the living room wall. Behold, the beautiful artwork displayed above our couch...and ummm, on our couch. Luckily, I was able to wash the paint off the couch, while laughing to myself and thinking "We do not need to get new furniture until all children have safely passed the age of 5." This is the 2nd wall art this week. We have a lovely display of everyone's "names" written with crayon on the opposite wall.

Why I can't have more children

More children mean more crocheted stockings. As of 2010, I am one stocking behind. :) I made these Christmas stockings last year and they were quite the project. I don't think it would be quite so difficult now and the perfectionist in me wants to start over and make them all again, but I think the imperfections add a little character. So, I have a whole year to make Nora a stocking to match and I'm pretty sure I'll probably wait until November to start. :)

Reflection and Resolution

I have been hesitant to blog as the beginning of the year approached. 2010 was a rough year for me. There were a lot of challenges and changes that pushed me to grow and stretch. I didn't really like it that much.

The year started off with a bang and positive pregnancy test. It was exciting and awesome to think we were going to have another baby. Then, we celebrated 3 years of marriage. First trimester sickness kicked in. Seth started school and was gone A LOT. I was watching Aidan and Oakley all day and battling through the beginning of my pregnancy. Rough. I ate lots of ice cream. I eventually started feeling better. Aidan turned 2. Seth got a job offer at work. We worked hard on our house. Aidan had his first stomach flu. I quit my job watching Oakley. Seth accepted the offer. We planned for our move. Seth was gone 1/2 of August. I landed myself in the hospital with early contractions. We packed. Nora was born after a fast 3 hour labor. We packed some more. We moved. MOVED. We left friends and family behind. Aidan went through really rough patch of acting out. Our house would not sell. We prayed. We lowered our price again and again. Spent Thanksgiving alone. Figuring out life with one car. Making friends. New church. Trusting God. Financial burden of house ever-looming. Christmas with Seth's family. New Year's alone. Waiting. Watching. Thanking God for bring us through and for what He has yet to do in our lives.

So, 2011 is here. Our house has still not sold and we have dropped our price so much that we are swimming against the current. The outlook is not exactly positive, but we are still trusting, growing with the Lord. I look to 2011 and see a lot of impossible, but know that with God all things are possible.

Some goals for me personally....

1)Spend more time in intercession.
2)Faithfully implement a preschool program with Aidan
3)Love my kids and serve them no matter how I feel
4)Be a better spouse
5)Start a ministry for young mothers
6)Potty train Aidan
7)Visit the beach with the kids
8)Get Nora to take a bottle!
9)Read more
10)Develop my sewing skills
11)Blog more
12) Exercise and eat healthy foods to get in pre-children shape
13)Serve more
14)Take a road trip
15)Start a business
16)Spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family! :)
17)Play/sing with Seth; write songs together
18)Sleep through the night
19)Run a 5k
20)Find a more permanent home for our family here in SC

Dear Aidan

My sweet son, you are now 2.75 years old. It is hard to imagine in 3 short months you will be 3. I have noticed such growth in you recently in many ways and I am enjoying getting to know how your brain works, although I am still far from understanding the things you do sometimes.
Aidan, you are so friendly it kills me! You say "hi" to everybody and start conversations with strangers all the time. You have helped Mommy and Daddy meet new people here in South Carolina because of your outgoing nature and your willingness to chatter to anyone who cares to listen. You say the funniest things sometimes and have very complex thoughts/sentences that make me giggle. You also like to pipe in unexpectedly with your own two cents when Mommy and Daddy are having a conversation.
You still love being a little musician and play the drums all the time. You also love your new electric guitar with a "frap" (strap) on it. You favorite thing to do is stand on Daddy's guitar case with his guitar stand (your stage and microphone), put your sunglasses on (an absolute must to fully rock out), and play and sing away. It brings us great joy to see your deepening love for music and we will be very surprised if you do not live out your dream to be a musician someday.
You have really adjusted well to a new life in a new place. I am amazed at your understanding and accepting of all things new. You love to Skype with your grandparents and you seem to understand that they are now far away. You refer to everything as the "new____" and I figure that you will probably do that for awhile still.
We have had to stay at home a lot more than we used to since we don't have a car most days, but you are learning to enjoy actually being at home. We do many things together like: building tents in your room, playing with play-doh, drawing, singing, baking, taking walks, and reading books. You still love to go places, but I can sense a new contentment with being at home that wasn't there before.
You are an excellent big brother. You adore Nora and you love when she is awake. You still talk to her in the cutest little high-pitched voice and give her lots of hugs and kisses. The other day I asked you if you wanted Mommy to have another baby (meaning, in addition to Nora) and you said, "No, I just want this baby" (thinking I meant in replacement of your sister). So sweet! You love to try and make her laugh and you are always getting her toys and other things to look at. You also like to reassure her if she is sad that is is "okay." I heard you once telling her, "It's okay Nora, Aidan's here," and it melted my heart.
You went through a rough time of disobeying recently, but I think that was your way of dealing with all the sudden change in your world. You seem to be calming down more and becoming more agreeable. I see you maturing more each day.
I love you dearly, my big boy, and I can't believe just how big you are getting. Now, you just need to get rid of those diapers and become better acquainted with the potty! :)

Love,

Mom