Picture Update

We have been super busy over the last few weeks. First came Easter, then last weekend we traveled to Evergreen, AL so Ellie could be the flower girl in my cousins wedding. Tomorrow we will celebrate Ellie's 4th birthday (pictures to follow). And in the middle of all that, we experienced some crazy weather. While Steven's mom was here, we spent some time in the closet during a tornado warning. There was golf ball size hail covering our deck. And then the following week, got hit with a gravity wave. I have never heard of it, but apparently it's a rare weather phenomenon that creates hurricane force winds. It did a number on our little town and we spent a couple of hours up during the night listening to trees falling all around us (one landed in our driveway). It was pretty scary! I wish I had more time to write but there is just not much spare time these days. Oh...I included a picture of Luke after he got into some baby powder. He is my sensitive little boy and so when I found him, I just gently said "Luke, did you know you weren't supposed to do that?" And he lost it. I had to snap a picture really fast.

My grandmother was one of four girls, just like me. This is the youngest of her sisters, Mary. She is the grandmother of the bride. Side note: This was also the same church my parents were married in.

I don't know if you can tell, but there are dirty diapers all over the yard. We had already put the garbage out the night before. So first thing in the morning, Steven got to clean this up. Fun, huh?

Challenging Days

This past weekend we had an Easter egg hunt at mom's house for all the kids at the church. We hit the weather just right, because it has been so crazy. (It will possibly be below freezing in the morning.) It was so great to have a fun Saturday activity for the kids and myself. It helps me so much when I am able to talk and interact with other adults (especially moms) during the day. I have realized since being a stay-at-home mom, that I am definitely an extrovert (I re-charge when I am around other people). It is very hard for me to be at home for several days on end with not much adult interaction. But now with three, it is so hard to get out and go, that I find myself at home quite a bit.

I have talked a lot with close friends and family about the loneliness and isolation that being a stay-at-home mom can bring. In our society (or at least in this small town) I haven't found a lot of moms who are in the same situation that I am in. I think around this time last year is when I really started getting into the blogworld. It has become such an outlet and a source of communication to other moms. If only some of you lived close by, so we could have real-live conversations about our struggles and joys of being a mom! In spite of this struggle-I am beyond thankful that the Lord is allowing me to stay home and raise my children! I am confident He has called me to do this and know that He will provide and see me through these days which can be lonely at times.

One of the most recent challenges I have run across is 1) Just getting to the grocery store-I don't think it would even be worth my time to take all three, so it's best for me to find a time when Steven is at home. 2) Planning well and getting what I need so that I don't need to go back every few days. 3) I need to go without Andrew because if I sit his carseat in the cart there isn't enough room for very many groceries...so this obviously means going in between feedings which then puts me on a time clock, and you know with Wal-Mart that isn't so easy! This week is going to be busy (Andrew has 2 doctor's appts. and Steven's mom is coming!) so I worked really hard to make a very efficient grocery list, managed to get to the store yesterday-all by myself!!! (I did almost knock a few people out with my cart trying to beat the feeding clock). But...I did it and I have 2 meals made and frozen already and will attempt to get one more done by evening so that I don't have any cooking to do this week! I'm hoping this system is going to work for me. The job of meal-planning, grocery shopping, and cooking (and doing it all on a budget) is one that never ends and at this stage of my life I haven't yet found a system that I really love. What do you do? I would love to hear!

Really Quick

I haven't blogged in forever. And I don't think this post will be very long. Our computer at home doesn't work anymore. My computer time is dependant on Steven bringing home his laptop so I can do it at night (and that's out on the weekends because he is using it to study for his sermon on Sun.) or I have to do it at my mom's, and then that is only if my children are sleeping or quietly occupied (which is rare). I know...excuses, excuses. Oh, and I have a newborn and spend a huge majority of my time these days nursing, which I have done on a few occasions while I check the computer. While I am definitely learning to multi-task, still haven't mastered a blogpost while nursing.

Anyway, this weekend has been kind of a bummer. Rain and threats of tornadoes (gotta love the South in the spring), which has brought some unusually cold and dreary weather on this Sunday. The time spent indoors has given Ellie and Luke such opportunity to be at each other all day long. The fighting is at an all-time high. If things go like they did with me and Laura Beth, we still have about 16 more years before the fighting will come to a stop. I am hoping things will be different since it is a girl/boy dynamic. Although Steven remembers having to be separated by hanging clothes on trips from his sister so they wouldn't fight. And being told "just don't even look at each other". I remember hearing that as well. I am now using all those same tactics to keep from hearing blood-curdling screams (those come mainly from Luke-which was LB). Ellie is usually the quiet antagonizer (which was yours truly). I have officially apologized to my mom. This is how we spend a lot of time these days-I am on the bed feeding Andrew, Ellie is sitting on one side and Luke on the other...so I can see both of them, but they can't see each other. It is constant these days!...and making Steven and me both want to pull our hair out!

Andrew is doing well. We're doing 5 hour stretches on most nights. It could be better, it could definitely be worse! Tomorrow will be 8 weeks. I feel like I am starting to come out of the first few months of a new baby fog. I have a few new pictures to post. I knew family would be disappointed if I blogged with no new pictures. Our camera charger was missing for awhile,but I finally found it! So here are a few good shots I was able to get. He is also coming out of what I call the awkward baby phase. You know, when they are losing all their hair, they have acne, and they are going from newborn skinny to three month fat baby.

Still lovin' Andrew! Just not each other.Playing dress-up in an old Strasburg dress.

A Breath of Fresh Air

The weather here in Alabama was wonderful today!!! It was much needed after what has seemed like a forever long, wet, cold winter. It is supposed to be rainy again tomorrow, but we'll just enjoy today for now. So instead of naps we spent the afternoon playing outside. I think it got up to around 80. We even got some new Crocs yesterday because it was high time for some new ones. (CVS -$7.99!)

And this is what little butterball did while Ellie and Luke played. He was tired after keeping us both up the night before from 3-5:30! (Not to mention the two feedings before that)

If you live in the South, I hope you've been enjoying the warm weather these last few days!

Thanks!

Thank you for all the helpful advice and encouragement that you gave me for the "reflux". I put that in quotes, because I am learning that I don't think he technically has acid reflux (still a little confused about all that). It is comforting to hear other moms say it will get better. I love how the blogworld can become an instant support group! I just thought I would give an update just in case you were wondering. If you're like me, I am always so interested to see how other moms are doing with situations that I have been through. Anyway, I would definitely say things are a little better, or not worse anyway. I have cut out milk products (for the most part). It seems to help some, maybe. The nighttime is starting to get better, which is huge for my sanity. He goes right back to sleep after each feeding. I usually hold him upright for awhile, but then when I cannot stay awake any longer, I put him down. (Doesn't sleep in his swing very well) He still spits up some after that, but the more relaxed and sound asleep he is, the less he spits up. And usually it doesn't seem to bother him too badly. That is why I agree with everyone about the meds, until he is miserable, I think we're okay without them. The only time it seems to bother him is every now and then after a feeding, he is crying, arching his back, pulling up his legs, etc. Eventually he will get the spit-up out. But this is maybe once a day. (Often around the dinner hour and that is just fussy time anyway)

So, that is about it for the update on the spit-up. I thought I would post some pictures to show that he is clearly gaining weight-no problem.

Ellie and Luke are still eating him up. And he has given us a few real smiles and even a little cooing. So fun!

On Wednesday, two of my best friends from college (Kelly and Laurahelen) came for a visit. Kelly had a little boy (Turner) at the beginning of December and she brought him along so he and Andrew could have their first playdate. Mom had Ellie and Luke most of the time so that we could actually have some conversation. It was so fun and such a breath of fresh air! Laurahelen cooked an awesome dinner and held both of the babies quite a bit. She said it was a vacation for her, and it was for me as well, so I think we all benefited from those couple of days.

Help!

So it's pretty official-I have a baby with acid reflux. And omigoodness-it is so not fun! I don't really have anything to compare it to. Ellie and Luke did not do this. Luke went through a brief spit-up problem after I switched to formula, but it didn't last too long. Andrew's is sometimes projectile, and sometimes it just flows like a river out of his mouth. And he loves to eat so he just wants to keep eating, but if his tummy is full, it will just come right back up. He constantly needs his clothes changed, which sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, because changing him and moving him around is a guaranteed spit-up. I will often put a bib on him, but again, the moving of his head and neck just sends it right up, soaking the bib, and we're back at square one. All of this is bad, but it's the worst at night. Last night I fed him at 12:30 and he was yawning and I knew he was ready to go back to sleep. I laid him down and he would be relaxed for a little while and then he starts squirming and I know what's coming. So I'm lying next to him ready to catch the spit-up with a burp cloth so that I don't have to change his pajamas. This went on for the next few hours-he didn't fully go back to sleep until almost 2:30. He didn't wake to feed again until almost 5. Which is great, but when he is up almost half of that time, that only leaves me 2 1/2 hrs. of sleep. Okay, so then I fed him at 5, and he is out! But again, moving him causes the milk to come up. So frustrating!!

I love our pediatrician. He is a family friend. (Went to college with my dad) He was actually mine and my sisters doctor when we were little. He is extremely smart and I really trust what he says. So I was quite disappointed when he explained that he doesn't like to give medicine for that unless absolutely necessary (like if the baby is losing weight) and Andrew certainly doesn't fall into that category. Maybe if things get worse we'll talk again. He also said babies usually outgrow it at around 8 months!!! Are you kidding me? 8 more months of this?

So, all you moms who might be reading this-I'd love any advice. Anything that I can do (like certain foods to avoid). I know there are a lot of babies who have this, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Despite all this reflux mess, things are getting a little easier-not much, but a little. I can actually prepare a meal (if you want to call it that-cereal for breakfast and mac'n'cheese for lunch). Luke watches a lot of movies, which I feel guilty about, but I remind myself that you do what you have to do. Ellie loves Andrew and wants to hold him/see him/talk to him often. We've had to make some rules about when he is asleep-do not touch him, get in his face, run around the house screaming at the top of your lungs. (Much harder to enforce when Ellie and Luke are together and in a silly mood-usually around the dinner hour) Also, Ellie has this "baby"voice that she like to talk to him in, and bless her heart, it so annoying. (It isn't even words, it's just this jibberish sound and she does it all the time) I have tried to encourage her to use actual words to talk to him, so he can hear real words and one day will talk back to her (hey, whatever works)-being really careful not to hurt her feelings, but she really seems to like this little language.

Because I know my family would like some pictures (and I apologize because they aren't the most recent) here are some that are about a week or so old. They are actually some we took to use for Andrew's birth announcement.

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Laura Beth. I was tagged by lots of people to do the 25 random things, but just couldn't find the time or mainly the energy to think of 25 things. But this one is specific questions and I think I can handle that.

THE RULES:Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.Step 2: tag—eight other untagged people.

Make a list of things you can see without getting up: (I'm at my mom's computer desk-b/c that is the only time I have to get on the computer these days) I can see the menu for the shower she is planning for my cousin. Andrew sleeping in his carseat. Lots of pictures of me, my sisters, our children, our grandparents and other family members. Just to name a few.

Favorite football team: Ummm...let me see...AUBURN TIGERS! Although with small children, I haven't quite been able to pay attention to games (and certainly not go to them) like I wish I could. One day.

What are you wearing now? The same maternity jeans that I have worn almost every other or every day for the past 5 months.

What color is your bedroom? Antique White (Sherwin-Williams) I had to pick it in like one day because the painter wanted to know ASAP. Fortunately, I really love it.

What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading? Steven is reading through Exodus and wants us to do it together, so I have read 2 chapters. I told him it might take me awhile to get through it. (Sadly, not a lot of quiet time these days-right when I so desperately need it!)

Do you nap a lot? Haha!

Who was the last person you hugged? My sweet Luke before I put him down for a nap.

What’s your current obsession/addiction? Because it is a need-trying to get Andrew on a pretty good schedule/and fall asleep on his own. Because I love it-and it has been my obsession since it started about 4 years ago? LOST!!

What was the last thing you said aloud? (Talking to my sister Kate, on the phone) "Alright, see ya later!" (Or bye, or something like that)

What Web sites do you always visit when you go online? Facebook, various blogs, hotmail, couponmom

What was the last thing you bought? Double cheeseburger and fries from McDonalds (I might be wearing my maternity jeans a little while longer)

What are you listening to right now? Andrew's breathing, squeaks, and a little snoring

What is something you wish you could do more? Right now, cook! I haven't done it in awhile and am really starting to miss it.

What gives you hope? A fresh new day. And of course, Christ is our only hope!

What is your favorite weather, and why? Fall because of the colors, the crispness in the air. Spring might be, but I have seasonal allergies very badly and I don't enjoy the tornado season, either.

What time do you usually get up? I get up for the day at about 7 (if I'm lucky). But I also get up at about 12 and 4 to feed Andrew!!

What is your most challenging goal right now? To get through the dinner/bathtime/fussy baby hours that start at around 5 and go until bedtime!!

Say something to the person who tagged you: I love you, LB! I'm so glad we're doing the mom thing together! Wish you were a little closer, but it's much better than Albuquerque!

If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Well, right now, I really like our new house, so it would be pretty incredible if it was paid for and fully furnished!

Favorite vacation spot? Destin (more specifically, all those little places past Seaside) And let me just say that as a girl who has gone to the beach every summer since I can remember, I am about to die because I haven't been in about two years.

What is your favorite children’s book? The Jesus Storybook Bible (Excellent!! Great for adults, too)

Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you: If I am really, insanely, hungry, I really don't know if there is much I could resist.

Have you ever met anyone famous? No, and like Laura Beth, I would love to!! I actually wouldn't want to meet them, just see them, because I really don't know what I would say.

If you could have any job in the world , what would it be? I'm doing it. But...if I am daydreaming, I think it would be so fun to work for a magazine (especially something like Pottery Barn Kids) where you set up the rooms for the magazine photo shoot.

Who is the last person you talked to? Kate

What was the last thing you ate? (This is my new question) I ate a piece of caramel candy that my mother was testing for the shower she is throwing. It was my great aunt Lucille's recipe. My grandmother was one of four girls (like me) and for the shower, my mom and aunt are including a recipe that each one of my great aunts were known for.

I tag: Anyone who would like to do it!!