I like to look back on the previous year and make a short list of all the big things that happened.
2009 was a huge year... full of changes with friends, church and our family...aka SJ's appearance.
As I look back on 2010 my list is very very short.
I feel like the main thing we did in 2010 was survive.
I don't mean that in a depressing way but in a realistic way. This time last year I was pretty much at my whit's end. Stella was overcoming the worst of her colic and I was grabbing desperately on to Christ to pull me out of sadness and anxiety that I couldn't handle on my own.
And He did!
The rest of the year was full of diaper changes and nursing and trying to get back into a new routine...and then another new routine with every change in our little girl's life. I have learned so much this year by the grace of God. I am no longer a leaf shaken by every small breeze. I know how to receive help and how to offer help.
For a while I felt like I just took and took and took as people provided meals and support and love to us as we transitioned into parenthood and I am so thankful the Lord then gave me eyes to turn it around once that season was over. I feel so much joy in being able to babysit or take a meal or sweep a floor... now having a much greater appreciation for what those things mean to another mommy.
I am thankful for continual healing in my sinus issues. They aren't gone but man are they better.
I grew in my understanding of friendship and natural food/cooking. I am so thankful for my friend Mandy, who led and walked along side me in both of those journeys.
As I look ahead at 2011, not too far ahead actually, I wonder what it will bring.
Will it bring other children with a different color or genetic code into our home? Will it bring a new job (please oh please)? Will it be full of mental and spiritual learning like this year or full of major events like the year before?
Whatever it brings, I just pray for the strength to walk through it all with grace and that this time next year I will be closer to my Lord and to my family and friends and glorifying God in more ways than I am now.
Grace and Peace this New Year!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Merry Christmas and a Happy Move In!
This picture is pretty much the perfect way to describe what is going on here.
First and foremost there is SJ and me. As usual, we are spending all day, every day together and wishing there was a little more daddy in the picture.
Stella is such a fun joy these days. She is walking and running all over the place. Some days she doesn't fall at all and some days she seems to have her head on crooked b/c she plops down all the time for no reason. Either way, she is happy and often a lot less messy due to her new walkin' skills! Stella has been doing really well taking two naps or at least two rest times and still sleeping 12-13 hours a night!! We only had a minor blip (four wake ups in one night... ahhhh) when we moved in to the new house this week but she seems to be catching on that this is her new home now. She still says "this" alllll the live long day but I try and identify as much as possible (even if she can't have it) so hopefully she'll learn some new words soon. I can't believe what a big girl she has become. She is really smart and understands more and more each day. I love being able to discover what is wrong with her when she is fussy and try and deal with the situation as best as possible... it has cut down on our tantrums tremendously!
My favorite this about SJ right now is that she has started to request to sit in my lap to "read" a book. It might only last a second or maybe several minutes but I relish it each and every time. I am really looking forward to her being around our extended family for Christmas b/c she is so much more interactive and outgoing than she has ever been around them and I'm hoping she'll start recognizing people as family since they have been around more and more.
This picture is also perfect because it shows the Christmas tree in the background. We are in full swing of Advent and love listening to Christmas music and looking at the tree and talking about our Salvation coming to earth! Even before we moved in, I set up our tree in the "new" house right in front of the front windows. I just love seeing the light and sparkle shining out of our house.
The final thing you will notice is all the stuff in the background! We just moved in this week and we are still living between two worlds a little. We got about 90% of our stuff here but haven't had the time or motivation (in the snow and ice) to finish up. Also, we are getting the upstairs carpeted (finishing tomorrow yay!) and so everything that will be up there is in the living room downstairs. Thankfully tomorrow Drew is taking the day off and the carpet will be installed and we can get things a little more settled before we celebrate with family.
Recap: Stella is big, Christmas is here and "here" is the new house!
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Missing out!
** I wrote this post about a month or so ago and never got the time to post it... but now that we are at the new house, I have internet... hurray!
Well, you have been missing out... oh wait, that's my fault? Sorry about that. We don't have internet at the house any more and so when I do get to check the internet and things, it's usually brief and I only have time to check emails, do school work and get back to the mommy business!
Stella is one. This is crazy.
We had an awesome fall festival for her birthday and we had a great turnout and a great time. I have some pictures but they are somewhere...dunno. Stella wasn't the typical birthday girl who is shy about diving into her very own cupcake. Nope. She picked up that pink little sucker and stuck it straight in her mouth. A few bites later and it was gone and she was signing "more". Don't think so. She didn't seem surprised by the sweetness or overjoyed at the pinkness... just simply glad we were feeding her grown up food and she wanted more... she got more but not of anything sugary! She definitely didn't nap that afternoon after all that excitement and sugar. It was great having my entire family and some of Drew's in town for a long weekend. We were spoiled with a lot of Starbucks!
Stella is pulling up and standing on her own and has taken a step or two but mostly only walks with assistance. She isn't very excited about walking b/c she is so much faster at crawling. She is able to point and say "dis" (this) about things she wants you to either say or give her. Sometimes this leads to tantrums when we say "no" but I am still excited about a new level of communication with her. She can say mama but prefers to say dada. She loves to say hi and bye "ba". She knows how to sign more and all done and is learning "baby" and can wave hi, bye and night night. She also blows kisses, gives kisses and hugs on command! She is learning eyes, nose and mouth but still gets them confused. She is enjoying reading books more and more and every now and then will stay still long enough to get through one. Usually she prefers to just flip through the pages. She is the most energetic and vocal one year old I have ever met.
Her favorite food is cheese and she is eating all big girl meals these days and only nursing twice a day.
We are currently fixing up our new house and really hoping to be able to move in soon. It always takes longer than you expect and it's been really hard on Drew and I with him working so hard and then going straight to more work at the house. He doesn't get a break and neither do I and then we literally crash like dead people until the next day. We are so thankful for all of our wonderful friends who have recently been so great to watch SJ and help on house work and even give us a date or two!!
It's funny that I never blog these days because I am literally blogging in my head all the time. I've thought about telling you of the beauty of fall and the special fall smell that I adore. Drew says it smells like s'mores and there is definitely a sweetness to it... but it's indescribable to me. It's my very favorite smell in the world and it only comes in the fall. Something to do with crispy leaves and tree sap or something. I am blown away by the colors of fall each year and am continually amazed that these trees that completely die on the outside for the winter will come back to life with flowers and leaves again in the fall! God is truly a creative genius! Lately, especially today, it's been getting colder and wetter and I find myself dreading the winter months. It's a lot harder to get out in the cold with a wee one along and the gloomy clouds really put a damper on my spirits if I don't continually check myself.
My mom is coming in to town this week to love on SJ and go to a women's conference with me and then next month is Christmas with family and then after that is my sister's wedding reception. I am thankful for more opportunities to see family and for Stella to see them as well. She'll be spoiled completely rotten by spring I'm sure.
That's all I've got for now... hopefully I'll get to be more regular about pictures and updates once we are moved in to the new place (with internet...hurray!)
Well, you have been missing out... oh wait, that's my fault? Sorry about that. We don't have internet at the house any more and so when I do get to check the internet and things, it's usually brief and I only have time to check emails, do school work and get back to the mommy business!
Stella is one. This is crazy.
We had an awesome fall festival for her birthday and we had a great turnout and a great time. I have some pictures but they are somewhere...dunno. Stella wasn't the typical birthday girl who is shy about diving into her very own cupcake. Nope. She picked up that pink little sucker and stuck it straight in her mouth. A few bites later and it was gone and she was signing "more". Don't think so. She didn't seem surprised by the sweetness or overjoyed at the pinkness... just simply glad we were feeding her grown up food and she wanted more... she got more but not of anything sugary! She definitely didn't nap that afternoon after all that excitement and sugar. It was great having my entire family and some of Drew's in town for a long weekend. We were spoiled with a lot of Starbucks!
Stella is pulling up and standing on her own and has taken a step or two but mostly only walks with assistance. She isn't very excited about walking b/c she is so much faster at crawling. She is able to point and say "dis" (this) about things she wants you to either say or give her. Sometimes this leads to tantrums when we say "no" but I am still excited about a new level of communication with her. She can say mama but prefers to say dada. She loves to say hi and bye "ba". She knows how to sign more and all done and is learning "baby" and can wave hi, bye and night night. She also blows kisses, gives kisses and hugs on command! She is learning eyes, nose and mouth but still gets them confused. She is enjoying reading books more and more and every now and then will stay still long enough to get through one. Usually she prefers to just flip through the pages. She is the most energetic and vocal one year old I have ever met.
Her favorite food is cheese and she is eating all big girl meals these days and only nursing twice a day.
We are currently fixing up our new house and really hoping to be able to move in soon. It always takes longer than you expect and it's been really hard on Drew and I with him working so hard and then going straight to more work at the house. He doesn't get a break and neither do I and then we literally crash like dead people until the next day. We are so thankful for all of our wonderful friends who have recently been so great to watch SJ and help on house work and even give us a date or two!!
It's funny that I never blog these days because I am literally blogging in my head all the time. I've thought about telling you of the beauty of fall and the special fall smell that I adore. Drew says it smells like s'mores and there is definitely a sweetness to it... but it's indescribable to me. It's my very favorite smell in the world and it only comes in the fall. Something to do with crispy leaves and tree sap or something. I am blown away by the colors of fall each year and am continually amazed that these trees that completely die on the outside for the winter will come back to life with flowers and leaves again in the fall! God is truly a creative genius! Lately, especially today, it's been getting colder and wetter and I find myself dreading the winter months. It's a lot harder to get out in the cold with a wee one along and the gloomy clouds really put a damper on my spirits if I don't continually check myself.
My mom is coming in to town this week to love on SJ and go to a women's conference with me and then next month is Christmas with family and then after that is my sister's wedding reception. I am thankful for more opportunities to see family and for Stella to see them as well. She'll be spoiled completely rotten by spring I'm sure.
That's all I've got for now... hopefully I'll get to be more regular about pictures and updates once we are moved in to the new place (with internet...hurray!)
Friday, October 8, 2010
A lot to Say...
I have so many things that I have been planning to blog about but the fact that I haven't had any videos or pictures to upload with them has kept me from doing so and now I am overwhelmed with the catch up that needs to happen!
First of all, I think I have this disease when it comes to videoing my child. I start videoing to catch a certain scene and then if she is cooperating I think, why not try and get a video with all her tricks in one. So I proceed to ask her to do this or that and she doesn't and I keep trying and the video gets longer and more boring and longer and longer and I don't know how to edit them to be concise. So, with that disclaimer out there for all to read... I will post the following videos. Each one has a segment of action and the rest is boring pleas for action. haha. Enjoy!
The other night I was whistling while feeding Stella and this is what she started doing...
Take II on the tricks
Starting to walk... sort of
As you can see, our little SJ is growing up quickly!! People comment all the time about how much she has grown just in the weeks that they haven't seen her. It's true. I notice on a regular basis that her hair is thicker, her face looks older and she is looking more and more like a toddler. At 11 months, Stella weighed 23lbs and I can't believe we have only two weeks until she is a year old. Up to this month I have been eagerly peeking ahead at that one year mark. At one year the allergies are not such an issue with foods. The nursing will taper and stop... but even if we are still nursing, there's no pressure b/c I know there are other things for her to eat. At a year I feel like there are so many fears that just melt away. However, now that I am staring that year smack in the face, I'm okay with walking slowly for the next two weeks and enjoying the baby in Stella Jane. I think she is enjoying the baby too b/c she has wanted to be held and started waking up at all hours of the morning lately for no real reason. I think it might be teething again or maybe those darn allergies that won't leave her be.
Stella is pulling up and cruising around the house on everything. Her favorite thing seems to be to get right under me while I am cooking or cleaning and hang on to my legs. It's not convenient but it sure is cute. She has figured out how to open cabinets and push chairs and boxes around the house. She is still taking two naps but usually one of them isn't that great, so I see what's coming.
Drew and I celebrated our Four Year Anniversary a couple of weeks ago! We didn't do much since we already took our vacation to Tahoe but we did close on our new house on our anniversary. A friend was keeping Stella during the signing b/c it was her nap time and Drew was so awesome and called her and asked her in advance if he could take me out to lunch afterwards. So we went to Macaroni Grill, which we never do, and gorged ourselves on bread and pasta. YUM! I was so excited about our lunch date I was okay with not having much more celebration. However, when I arrived to pick up Stella there was an edible arrangement on the table... for me! Drew had it sent to her house knowing I would be there. I have ALWAYS wanted one of these!!! It was so great. That night I made pizza and apple crisp (with blue bell!), which are two of his "favorites" (aka he likes them a lot but doesn't really have favorites). It was a really sweet day.
Since then we have been working on the house and we went on a road trip to southern TN for a wedding and Stella did amazing in the car. She took a nap on both of the long legs, which was unexpected and amazing! We got a great deal on a hotel and got a lot of unexpected friend hang out time while we were there... so it was a great weekend too! Then this week we went to a local farm and picked apples... a first for Stella. I made some amazing apple streusel muffins and have a few more apple tricks up my sleeve!
Now we are in high gear to get this house fixed up, have Stella's Fabulous Fall Festival birthday party and move in!
You can also be praying for me, I have some nose issues again and they are pretty severe it seems this time and I am trying a new natural remedy that I am really hoping works out! Thanks!!
Apple picking pictures to come!
Blessings
First of all, I think I have this disease when it comes to videoing my child. I start videoing to catch a certain scene and then if she is cooperating I think, why not try and get a video with all her tricks in one. So I proceed to ask her to do this or that and she doesn't and I keep trying and the video gets longer and more boring and longer and longer and I don't know how to edit them to be concise. So, with that disclaimer out there for all to read... I will post the following videos. Each one has a segment of action and the rest is boring pleas for action. haha. Enjoy!
The other night I was whistling while feeding Stella and this is what she started doing...
whistling from Lindsey Lewis on Vimeo.
Take II on the tricks
tricks from Lindsey Lewis on Vimeo.
Starting to walk... sort of
Walker from Lindsey Lewis on Vimeo.
As you can see, our little SJ is growing up quickly!! People comment all the time about how much she has grown just in the weeks that they haven't seen her. It's true. I notice on a regular basis that her hair is thicker, her face looks older and she is looking more and more like a toddler. At 11 months, Stella weighed 23lbs and I can't believe we have only two weeks until she is a year old. Up to this month I have been eagerly peeking ahead at that one year mark. At one year the allergies are not such an issue with foods. The nursing will taper and stop... but even if we are still nursing, there's no pressure b/c I know there are other things for her to eat. At a year I feel like there are so many fears that just melt away. However, now that I am staring that year smack in the face, I'm okay with walking slowly for the next two weeks and enjoying the baby in Stella Jane. I think she is enjoying the baby too b/c she has wanted to be held and started waking up at all hours of the morning lately for no real reason. I think it might be teething again or maybe those darn allergies that won't leave her be.
Stella is pulling up and cruising around the house on everything. Her favorite thing seems to be to get right under me while I am cooking or cleaning and hang on to my legs. It's not convenient but it sure is cute. She has figured out how to open cabinets and push chairs and boxes around the house. She is still taking two naps but usually one of them isn't that great, so I see what's coming.
Drew and I celebrated our Four Year Anniversary a couple of weeks ago! We didn't do much since we already took our vacation to Tahoe but we did close on our new house on our anniversary. A friend was keeping Stella during the signing b/c it was her nap time and Drew was so awesome and called her and asked her in advance if he could take me out to lunch afterwards. So we went to Macaroni Grill, which we never do, and gorged ourselves on bread and pasta. YUM! I was so excited about our lunch date I was okay with not having much more celebration. However, when I arrived to pick up Stella there was an edible arrangement on the table... for me! Drew had it sent to her house knowing I would be there. I have ALWAYS wanted one of these!!! It was so great. That night I made pizza and apple crisp (with blue bell!), which are two of his "favorites" (aka he likes them a lot but doesn't really have favorites). It was a really sweet day.
Since then we have been working on the house and we went on a road trip to southern TN for a wedding and Stella did amazing in the car. She took a nap on both of the long legs, which was unexpected and amazing! We got a great deal on a hotel and got a lot of unexpected friend hang out time while we were there... so it was a great weekend too! Then this week we went to a local farm and picked apples... a first for Stella. I made some amazing apple streusel muffins and have a few more apple tricks up my sleeve!
Now we are in high gear to get this house fixed up, have Stella's Fabulous Fall Festival birthday party and move in!
You can also be praying for me, I have some nose issues again and they are pretty severe it seems this time and I am trying a new natural remedy that I am really hoping works out! Thanks!!
Apple picking pictures to come!
Blessings
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Don't Feed the Wildlife...
He couldn't resist... and that little bird followed us around the rest of the trip beggin' for more... at least she is sooo cute!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Back Again!
This summer has been a whirlwind of travel for this family, especially SJ and myself. Drew and I were hoping to get away on a post-weaning trip just the two of us but the more we thought about it, the more we realized that the timing wasn't going to really work out and we might as well wait to go until after his vacation days renew in the winter. So, what to do with those set aside days? FAMILY VACATION!
I don't know what we were thinking but in a crazy instant we booked tickets to Lake Tahoe, NV. It was a whim and a lark and it turned into our first ever family vacation (at least first with just us three). Drew's bff and his lovely wife and son (same age as SJ) live on the lake and so we stayed with them for a week.
Vacation is a little different when you are traveling with a baby. I thought I had prepared my expectations but you can never be fully prepared for being woken up at 1am, 4am and 6am on a regular basis on your VACATION. Vacations are supposed to be restful! It took almost the entire week to get SJ to nap well and sleep through the night but that aside.. it was a flawless trip. SJ did amazingly well on our long flights and she was a trooper through out the trip.
Some of the highlights for me were (yes most of them involve food): roasting marshmallows for a breakfast appetizer, finding a bunch of Jamba Juice stores, In and Out Burger for the first and second time ever, hiking around the Emerald Bay area and putting the babes in the lake, kayaking on Lake Tahoe, dinner with the camp director and his wife (real tex mex for dinner too), talking about babies and laughing. Even though we didn't sleep a lot, we did get to rest a lot. It was chilly the first few days and so we just stayed indoors and chatted and then spend the last few days hiking, walking and hittin up the beach!
I might go into more detail later but for now, just enjoy the pictures.
Also... we are closing on the house this month! woo hoo!
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