Life is Beautiful

recent stuff...

2010-10-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

Three kiddos is a bit of a challenge, but we are finally getting the hang of it. The boys just adore their little sister, and are quick to entertain, comfort, kiss and cuddle her. She is a fantastic sleeper. If only she could give Jacob a lesson or two...*sigh*. The boys are in preschool, even Jacob! He is potty trained, except while sleeping, and no longer uses a pacifier, and even sleeps in a big boy bed in Joshua's room. So many changes all at once. I think he had a rough time adjusting for a bit - an extraordinary number of fits pitched - but he is finally settling into his own little groove. Joshua is getting so big and independent now. He dresses himself, and, for the most part, picks out his own clothes. He plays soccer and had his first game yesterday. He just loves it, grinning the entire time he runs up and down the field. Both boys are taking swim lessons once a week, and are enjoying the water time.

My parents arrived here in Germany a few hours after Evy was born, and stayed for a little over a month, helping around the house, with the boys, and with Evelyn. Mom helped me reorganize the pantry, the kitchen, the laundry room, etc. Dad was awesome in doing the around the house stuff that Brad generally has difficulty getting to. He mowed the lawn (with some help, lol) and took out the trash, fixed the clothes dryer (yippee!) and did so many other little helpful things. It took some real adjusting once they left. Just having an extra set of hands to hold a baby was invaluable! We were able to take a few little jaunts around Germany here and there while they visited. I wasn't 100% up for a ton of travel just yet, but we were still able to see some sites. Mom and Dad had such a fantastic time here (yippee!) that they are planning to come back for a month in May, and then possibly to spend Christmas with us in 2011. Won't that be fantastic? The weather was very cooperative, for the most part, while they were here. We were able to take the Rhein River cruise, a few days in Rothenburg, some time in Heidelburg, and then just some small trips in the immediate area. I am hoping to take them to Nuremburg when they come again in May, and to Rothenburg again, maybe Paris! Everyone needs to see Paris.

Brad's mom and stepdad were able to come out for a bit in September. His mom was here for two weeks, and his stepdad was here for a week. We spent 4 days in Paris and at EuroDisney. We did the Eiffel Tower, of course, going all the way to the top. It is such an amazing sight. The kids had a blast with Grandma and Papa, as always. We were fortunate enough to be able to head to EuroDisney, which was certainly a big hit! The boys are more aware and have a better time each time we are able to go to Disney. Grandma and Papa went with us to Disney World the first time we took the boys - back when Jacob wasn't even a year old and Joshua just 2. I was so glad they were able to go with us again while the boys were old enough to remember. This time they remembered a lot about the park and the characters and were thrilled to see Tigger, Goofy, the Princesses, Mickey, and all the rest. The grandparents of course spoiled them rotten, but a few days of that won't ruin them permanently. Joshua told his Papa Gary, "Papa, do you want to stay here and watch me grow up?" That pretty much broke my heart. They want so badly to be around family, around their grandparents. And, they want a dog.

And Then They were Five!

2010-07-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow our newest addition will be a week old. Evelyn Jane was born last week, July 21st, at 5:19 am. She weighed 8 lbs, 12 oz, and was 20.7 inches long. We are a little unsure of the first name - she changes so much each day it is hard to know if Evelyn really suits her! But, so far, Evelyn it is, and we are calling her Evy. She is well loved by her big brothers. Joshua and Jacob were so excited to welcome her. She was greeted by both brothers with kisses and hugs. Joshua is over the moon about having a sweet baby sister. He had been telling us for months that we were, indeed, having a "gril" and that he wanted a baby sister. Jacob isn't so sure about the boy/ girl thing, but he does all he can to soothe any crying by giving her what he thinks are pacifiers. In actuality, he keeps giving her the tops off of a bottle!! But the intention is very clear. They seem to be handling the changes very well. They love on her, and step up to help whenever they can.

Daddy is already well wrapped around her little fingers. He doesn't want to put her down, and has figured out how to do a great many things with his little bundle of joy firmly in place in his arms. Two days ago he managed to change Jacob's diaper, bathe both boys, dress both boys, read to all three kiddos, and get both boys into bed, all while holding Evy! He is becoming very accomplished. He loves to hold her and talk to her, and he spends a great deal of time rocking and singing with his baby girl.

Seeing all the pink in the washer and getting the chance to dress her in all these cute clothes is a lot of fun. But mostly, we love watching her coo and sleep and curl her little fists. We love to just stare at her, and when she is awake and staring back, anyone would be hard pressed not to be transfixed!

Welcome to the world our newest little one. We are so very glad to have you with us.

Spring Break!

2010-04-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

It is officially Spring Break here. Since this is really Joshua's first one, he has been a bit confused about not going to school or church. I guess he thinks on the days you don't go to school, you go to church! This morning, after being told we weren't going to school because it is Spring Break, and we aren't going to church because it is Thursday, he said, "Well, then we need to watch a movie." I am sure there is some 4 year old logic in there some where. I just haven't quite figured out how to connect the dots!

My good friend Mandy organized some great outings for the week to help keep all our little kiddos occupied and out of the house. On Monday we went to a town called Speyer and visited the aquarium there, Sealife. It was probably the perfect size for toddlers. Not so huge as to be overwhelming, but with plenty to see ending with a ball pit play area. It probably took an hour to get through the exhibits, and with lunch and ball pit playing we spent about 2 1/2 hours there. We are pretty excited about discovering Speyer. It is about an hours drive, and there seem to be a lot of kid friendly things to do there. The most exciting for Joshua and Jacob was the Technik Museum which had huge planes, trains, and engines displayed outside. There was even a two story slide coming down from one of the planes. Safe to say the boys really want to go back!

Tuesday we headed to Kinderspiel. Kinderspiel ("children play" in German) is a huge indoor play area with anything you can imagine. There is a train, a race track, ball pit, trampolines, several playscapes, huge lego blocks, play houses, play castles, a spidery thing you climb up then you slide down a slide, little cars, a snack area, and much more. It is really huge, nicely kept, and bright. Because it was a bit of a dreary day, we didn't even make it outside but apparently there is a mini golf course, more play equipment, ping pong tables, volleyball and who knows what else! There is also plenty of tables around for you to have a birthday party or any sort of gathering really. We enjoyed it a lot. The boys were especially excited about the train. It ran on a quarter past each hour beginning at 3:15, so they were able to ride it a few times while we were there. Before the train began, though, Jacob would just peer over the fence forlornly. He wanted so badly to ride it! You can probably tell by the pics!

The best part of our daily adventures for Joshua has been spending time with his friend Emma. She is a playmate from school, and he just loves her. She is five and cute as can be, vivacious and tons o fun. Joshua is thrilled being able to spend time with her. I can always motivate him to get dressed or get in the car, or eat breakfast, or whatever, if I tell him we are going to see Emma!

Wednesday we were at Yabadoo. This is another indoor play space, and where we had Joshua's birthday party. The best thing about Yabadoo for mommies is that you can be in one central location and pretty much see everything going on. Even if the boys take off in two different directions, you can pretty much keep an eye on them. There is really only one corner that isn't visible because it is behind the two story tent tower the kids climb that is in the middle of the back half of the place. This is pretty much the favorite place to be for most of the kiddos. Joshua hasn't quite figured out how to get to the top just yet. He definitely can, but by the time he has climbed all but the last 4 feet or so, he stops to look around and say, "I can't do it." Thus losing his momentum and focus and he slides all the way back down. I am pretty sure he will get it the next time we go, though, because he is figuring it out. His favorite thing is a dragon moonwalk that inflates and deflates a mouth the kids climb into and it seems like the dragon is eating all the kids. He LOVES that! Jacob spends most of his time on the trampoline and begging people to jump with him. I have made it clear that I am not jumping on any more trampolines until AFTER this baby is born!

Today we were headed to bowling on Vogelweh, but with the boys being extremely tired and me having a ton of work to do around the house, I called it off. That, and being told, "Bad mommy" for the umpteenth time was enough for me to decide no bowling. Joshua is not very happy about the result, but I think the respect message just may be getting through to him. Being a consistent disciplinarian is not as easy as some people make it look. I certainly have more appreciation for my parents nowadays!

All in all we are doing great! We ordered a bunk bed for the boys' room, but I still have ambition about redoing a captain's bed set we bought on Ramstein Yard Sales. I am hoping to get that started today so that Joshua can begin sleeping in a big boy bed, in his room, as of Sunday night. It just needs to be painted and then put back together. I have the paint already. I just need to get to it! We also bought a matching dresser that I am painting, and we plan to keep that in the room after the new bunkbeds get here. Not sure what we will do with the Captain's bed, maybe sell it or give it away or keep it depending on space issues. We have wanted a nice twin over full bunkbed for awhile, but couldn't find exactly what we were hoping for. Luckily, friends of friends are PCSing here and has movers coming to their home in May. They agreed to allow us to have the bed delivered to them and they will be bringing it over when they move. We won't see it until around July or August, but it is really happening!

Mr. Independent

2010-04-10T03:30:00.000-07:00

Joshua is doing all he can these days to be "on his own" - except, of course, sleeping in his own bed! He really likes to help me in the kitchen, and here are some pics of him making his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I have heard the 4's referred to as "fabulous fours" and I can totally see why. He is so eager to do the next thing, to be independent and to learn and explore. It is an amazing thing to watch. He sets the table, clears the table, dresses himself, gets shoes for himself and for Jacob, runs in to comfort Jacob when his little brother is sad, and just generally tries to be a little grown up. Amazing little man.

Spring in Germany

2010-04-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

It is officially spring here in Germany. To me, that means we haven't had any snow, sleet, or hail in at least two weeks! It rains every few days, but nothing torrential so far. Overall, spring is very much here and very much welcome.

The boys are enjoying their time outdoors, and I am LOVING letting them be outdoors! A huge windstorm (with winds over 90 mph) bent our trampoline in two, after less than 10 uses thanks to a crazy long winter. I was pretty devastated. It seemed a huge expense, but so worth it since the boys were having so much fun playing on it. To just see it destroyed so quickly was a bit disheartening, to say the least. Luckily, my resourceful hubby was able to track down replacement parts. This wasn't easy since the trampoline is now discontinued. The parts finally arrived about two weeks ago, and on Monday with the help of our landlord's sweet father ("Opa"), Brad was able to replace the bent pieces and the trampoline is as good as new.

Opa doesn't speak much English, and our German is pathetic, so we do a lot of pantomiming. He has been working in our yard to prepare it for Spring and Summer, and it is looking great. Now we need to get out there and mow! He must have felt a bit sorry for us and our sad trampoline because he came by the week before replacement parts made it and had a long pole he thought we could use to straighten out the bent pieces. I had a very difficult time communicating that we had parts coming. He was trying to explain to me what he was planning to do, and clearly just thought I didn't get it. He asked me, "Man home? Braut? Home?" And since Brad was on call, I tried very hard to explain he was at work. So, Opa tells me, "Hospital? Ok, Morgen, I back. Man, back." I know "Morgen" means morning, and I know "nacht" means night, so I am sadly trying to say, "Nein, morgen. Nacht." We didn't see him again for about a week!

Joshua has officially begun soccer and T-Ball. He is the youngest by a year on his T-Ball team, and that makes him the smallest, and the least coordinated, out there. I was fairly impressed watching him, though. He has a pretty good arm and can generally throw where he wants. Watching him run is a bit like watching a wet noodle run, but I have been reassured by the other mommies that one day he will just get it. I hope they are right. He followed instructions fairly well, and did what everyone else did. At this point, that is about as much as I am asking out of him. That, and I want him to have fun.

He has now been to two German soccer practices, consisting of 4 to 6 year olds. Now, granted the other kiddos have been playing together for months at least, if not the past few years, I still die a thousand little deaths watching my son out there. He is a hundred times improved from his first practice, but it is still painful to watch. They all speak German, but this doesn't seem to bother Joshua at all. The coaches will translate for him, a bit, but for the most part it really isn't a problem. The real problem is how distracted he gets. A car goes by, he runs to the fence to watch it. He will only kick HIS soccer ball. He wants to go sit on a cool little bench while everyone else is still kicking the ball. But, like I said, he is getting better and I am hoping that each practice sees a bit more participation in actual soccer. His American soccer begins in two weeks. I have no idea what to expect and am just hoping he has fun while at the same time PARTICIPATING!

The boys are really doing amazing things these days. Joshua is learning to read, and loves it. He has the "Bob" books and they are terrific for repetition and sounding out. He is also learning to count by 5's and 10's to 100, and is really good at it. We have been doing some simple addition and just working on him getting the concept. He has begun drawing and coloring more, which is pretty encouraging. For awhile there, he wouldn't draw at all because he couldn't make the pictures look the way he wanted. Frustrated perfectionist? Maybe. But give him some sidewalk chalk and he becomes a little artist. I love watching him just get out there and create. He has such a great time, and gets very very messy.

Both boys love to sing and enjoy singing TOGETHER. Listening to them sing "Amazing Grace" at the top of their little lungs is enough to make me feel like my heart is going to explode. Our going to bed ritual lately has been comprised of both boys sitting on my lap as we rock and sing our litany of songs. There really is no sweeter cap to my day than cuddling with both my boys and hearing them sing praise to our Lord, even if they aren't really aware that they are doing so.

Jacob is making amazing strides. The two year old year is such a year of wonderment, change and growth. It seems like 3 and 4 is more a refinement of what they learn at age 2, but 2 is that year where everything just sort of begins to happen. He is singing, knows his alphabet and the sounds of each letter, is attempting to learn all his colors, LOVES puppies (well, dogs - but they are all puppies to him), he loves to be rocked and held, has the cutest way of mimicking everything Joshua says ("5 more minutes" is my current favorite), and he is still very solidly earning the euphemistic description of "my passionate one." He pretty much does everything with passion. He laughs and sings and plays with passion, and he fights and screams and pitches fits with equal passion. He is also attempting to determine boundaries and limits, which makes me more than a little passionate at times!

I am now 25 weeks pregnant with baby #3. This little one is kicking and moving all the time, and makes for a very reassuring pregnancy. Being of "advanced maternal age" (choke, choke), we had to listen to the complete run down of potential problems and complications. Any reassurance I can get I am embracing wholeheartedly! I have cut back on the caffeine and while still eating in mass quantities, I am attempting to eat more nutritious options. Not much in the way of exercise, but I am trying to carve out time on a consistent basis. Jacob and I go for a walk three days a week for about half an hour, but given his dawdling and propensity for stopping to smell the roses and look at windmills, not sure how beneficial it is exercise wise. I have been tired, but with both boys still napping it has been wonderful being able to take naps while they do. Joshua is about out of the napping every day stage, though, so I am not sure how much longer that is going to last.

Overall, life is just beautiful. I love being a mommy to these wild little men, and I am so happy and in love with my husband of almost 9 years (hard to believe, but yeah, 9 years in June!) I have struggled a good deal this move with so many changes, not being able to talk to my good friends and family, and with just the adjustment to a different country. It has been much more difficult to integrate here than any other place I have lived as a military wife. But, praise God, I am finally finding my groove and friends and the house is coming together, and we have consistent internet! Brad is working on the phone issue, and the "touch of a finger" ability to contact family and friends will be very comforting. Both boys are now in preschool - Jacob 3 days a week from 9 to 11:30, Joshua 5 days a week from 9 to 12, so I have some time to myself. The thrills of grocery shopping without a toddler in tow cannot be overly stated. Brad was working a ton for awhile, but with the trauma inspection over he is much more available. I am super excited about the timing - no lawn mowing for me!! Time to get the boys outside on the trampoline. Woohoo!!

Back online, and boy, do we have some stories to tell!

2009-11-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

I love having the internet, and will not take it for granted ever again. Spending the last month and a half traipsing to the library on base whenever I have the chance has not been very satisfying. We have someone who helps with Jacob a few hours a week, a German woman named Beate, and I use the time she is here to grocery shop without kiddos and use the internet. The library opens at 10 and I have to leave at 11:30 to pick Joshua up from Preschool, so that didn't leave a lot of time, even if I could devote all 1 1/2 hours to internet time.

So much has happened in the last month, and I have to write at least the topic headings so I will remember to write each story in the near future, now that I can blog at leisure. First, the second car pickup from Bremen. Bremen is in Northern Germany, and with construction, rain, detours, etc., it was an eventful trip to say the least. Next is Joshua's chat with Mater, then Jacob at the library, the new trampoline, and the list goes on. I haven't even touched on attempts to shop, buying a sand box, and Joshua's love of peeing outdoors, even in 30 degree weather.

We are back online, and I hope to have some serious updates over the next few days. Woohoo!

Movers are Coming, Oh, Yeah!

2009-09-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

Even with my ridiculous delay, we have some success on the shipment front! We have our walk through, key turn over at the house tomorrow (Sunday), we move in on Monday, the first shipment of unaccompanied baggage comes Tuesday, FMO is coming with the items we will be borrowing for the duration of our stay here on Wednesday, and our big shipment of all our other household goods comes on Friday.

Unaccompanied baggage is about 1000 lbs of items we thought we would need quickly. Items that would be shipped on the plane and would get here quickly. This has the boys beds, linens, the TV and other electronics, some pots and pans, Joshua's bike and other toys we thought were important, etc. FMO will be delivering items we couldn't bring from the states but will be necessary here. A fridge, washer and dryer, some closets, etc. And our big shipment is everything else that didn't go into storage. What an exciting week we have ahead of us!

Packages, and another Move In Date Change - for the Better, and Misc!

2009-09-25T01:38:00.000-07:00

Packages -
While stationed outside the US or away from family and friends, packages from home are a very welcome diversion. We eagerly look forward to "mail time" and check our box frequently if we know something is on the way. And sometimes we are surprised by packages we didn't know were coming. Even things I ordered online feel a bit like Christmas. It is just comforting for some reason. And having friends and family send us cards, letters, and packages reminds us that we are loved and missed in a very tangible way. And it is amazing how timely these little remembrances can be.

The first package I got - from Karissa - came when I just felt like a big crybaby. I was having a hard time coping with sad, distraught babies and with a husband who was never home and the temporary nature of a borrowed car and living in our friends' home. The package comes, with all sorts of "I thought of you" goodies, and suddenly I remember I am remembered, and I can focus on who I really am. Full of JOY, full of HAPPINESS, and able to cope because I know God will not give us more than we can handle.

Then last Saturday we had a particularly bad day. We learned we had lost the pregnancy that we had so eagerly anticipated. Brad was on call, so I had to drive myself home from the hospital. We checked the mail as we were leaving, and there was a card from Briana. See what I mean about timeliness? I am having one of the toughest days of my life, can't even go home to cry in the arms of my sad husband, and I have this sweet, warm, full of uplifting thoughts and full of love letter from a friend who is thinking about us. And sweet pictures her son drew for Joshua and Jacob. I read the card about 20 times, trying to help myself focus on blessings and conquer the sadness that threatened to overwhelm me. It helped, it really helped, and having such a tangible expression of caring helped a lot.

And last week we got a package from Amy. My sweet sister always manages to figure out a way to show us how much she cares and misses us. It included cold weather clothing for Joshua, long pants in size 4, long sleeve shirts, a hoodie, etc. And then we got another package a few days later of the raspberry chipotle sauce we love, as well as some red plum jam (my absolute fav) and a new flavor of sauce we hadn't tried, mango ginger habanero. Fischer and Wieser, based out of Fredricksburg, TX, makes the best sauces. Good for grilling, pouring over cream cheese and making into an appetizer, as dips for chicken tenders or even for mixing with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a salad dressing. But, it is not always easy to find these sauces and particularly not here. So she sent us 8 jars of sauce and 3 jars of jam. The box was pretty heavy, but they had carefully wrapped everything, and only 1 jar of sauce broke. Brad and I tried out the mango last night - amazing! So nice to have this little "taste" of home.

ANOTHER Move In Date Change -
We are now moving in on MONDAY! Woohoo! And it turns out all our stuff may be here already. Apparently, I was supposed to call when I arrived, not wait for them to contact us. I do remember being told that at my move briefing, but for the life of me couldn't recall it when I arrived! So, we could have had the drop off scheduled already. We will do what we can, though, to have it scheduled as soon as we can. Nice to know that it might already all be here. We are that much closer to having it all together!! More or less. I can't wait to reintroduce Joshua to his bike. He is so excited! And I think when he is surrounded by his toys and our familiar things he will begin to feel like he is home.

Joshua has been sleeping in a twin sized bed since we arrived here. He really seems to like it, and it makes me think he won't be so excited about seeing his toddler bed again. We are thinking about buying him a bunkbed, one with a full sized bed on bottom and twin sized on top, if we can find it. I have seen metal versions of this here, so they must have wooden ones, too, right?

Both boys have been sick this week, but they are on the mend today. Brad and I had a bet about what Joshua had. Brad bet he had parainfluenza. I bet he had anything else. Turns out, we were both right. He has parainfluenza and the rhino virus. Luckily, no H1N1 as suspected. So we either both won the bet or we both lost. I am going with we both won!!

A Change in Plans. Again. sigh

2009-09-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

We have the Pilot! Yahoo! The boys were very excited and we celebrated with some pizza at Pizza Hut that they barely touched because they are not feeling very good. And a little worrisome is that it turns out one of the ladies at the baby shower this weekend has popped positive for the Swine flu, and with our boys symptoms there is a chance they have it. We are swabbing their noses and getting it checked out today. Mostly because Brad is betting Joshua has parainfluenza and I am betting he has anything else. We like to bet and the test will let us know what he has. We have never really been worried about the Swine flu, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious and at least find out what they have. And if there is a chance I can win a bet, well, all the better!

So we have had a change in plans. The house won't be available Saturday, after all, so we are not going to be able to move in until Tuesday the 28th at the earliest. Not news I was expecting or hoping for, clearly, but it is just a weekend, right? And since we are going to a fun festival with some new friends, hopefully it will fly by. Assuming kids are well. Hoping the kids are well.

The Move Date, the Car, and the Unaccompanied Baggage!!

2009-09-22T01:03:00.001-07:00

So, this coming Saturday is M DAY! The current renters of our house will be moving out Thursday and Friday, so Saturday it is ALL OURS! Our move in date. I can hardly contain my excitement. Our own home again, each boy in their own room so that I can finally let Jacob just sort out his sleep issues again. A backyard for the boys!! We are headed to Toys R Us this week to buy a sand box and a trampoline - we need these as soon as possible!! And did you know there was a Toys R Us here? Crazy.

There are a few problems, though. We aren't sure if we will have internet immediately, and when we do get it we may not have speed much quicker than dial up. Apparently satellite is an option, so we are looking into that. Not sure how I will survive without internet!! All that to say, we may be even MORE out of contact after Friday.

Today we are going to pick up the Pilot. It arrived on Saturday but with Brad working so much and other things going on, we haven't been able to get over there. I am especially excited about Joshua seeing it again. He has been asking for "our car" for awhile, and frequently asks when we are going to give Mr. Sean back his car. (Sean is a co worker of Brad's who had a second car he loaned to us. God is consistently providing for us!) So Brad will come in a few minutes to pick us up so we can go get the car.

And our first round of household goods will be here Saturday as well. That includes the crib and toddler bed, bedding, boys clothes, some essentials like towels and kitchenware, etc. Brandi and Kate came by the Wednesday before the movers came and helped me sort out all I would need to have quickly delivered and they were very good at picking out what I couldn't. So, I am eager to greet our first delivery! Brad is happy because it includes the TV. I think the boys will be glad, too, although the portable DVD player has been wonderful.

So, the next day to look forward to is SATURDAY!

Scotland

2009-09-16T12:54:00.001-07:00

Was AMAZING. The company - Karissa, Gregor, the kids, Terri and Ray, and our hosts Catherine and George - was gracious and kind, helpful and friendly. The food - YUMMY! And the accommodations - perfect. I will blog more on it later, when I can find the download cable to add some great pics of the castles, palaces, beaches, villages, and yes, Thomas the Train. The boys had a fabulous time with their friends Nolan and Keira, and I saw my sweet little men reemerge. They were fun and happy and didn't break anything! And Karissa's kids were their usual happy, sweet, fun little selves. Leaving them again just about broke my heart. It is like they are my other children.

Brad seemed to enjoy himself, too. He was at ease with everyone there. They are really like a second family to us, now. He finally got a little sleep, he read a bit, he played Chinese Checkers in the agonizingly slow way anyone who has played strategy games with Brad would recognize, he went for walks, played with the kids,etc. It was great watching him just take it easy for a bit. No need to answer pages or the phone (well, not much. He did get a few work calls, but not many.) He ate some fabulous meals, and particularly enjoyed the Beef Wellington and, like me, the lavender creme brulee.

The weather was much nicer than I expected. I guess I thought it was going to be really cold. It wasn't hot, or even warm. It was more like long sleeve t-shirt weather, so it was wonderful. There was so much to do within walking distance of George and Catherine's home and with perfect weather we enjoyed taking advantage. We didn't venture out in the cars more than 3 times - to Thomas the Train, to the palaces and castles, and for me to get my haircut! We didn't have to fill up the tank of our rental car and it was considered "full" when we dropped it off! We caught a break there since gas was so expensive. We walked to the main village of S. Queensferry several times. There was a fabulous view of the two bridges from the front yard, and we were able to get close enough to the train bridge to watch "absailers" - people dangling from the bridge on wires, sort of scaling the braces of the bridge. It was like rock climbing a bridge, I think. Fun to watch, and looked more fun to do than bungee jumping!

I will post pictures as soon as we find our upload cable.

Scotland, Here We Come!

2009-09-10T01:55:00.001-07:00

When we found out we were going to be stationed in Germany, one of the first things we did was book a trip to Scotland. My friend Karissa is married to a Scotsman, and they make the trip back at least once a year, if not twice. They already had their trip booked, so we booked ours during the time they would be there. This weekend, woohoo!!

Karissa and Gregor were an amazing support after Brad left for Germany. All my friends in California were spectacular, really. But this post is about the trip to Scotland, so I will focus on that!! When Brad left, I had a great deal to do - take care of the boys, work with the movers, take cars to be shipped overseas, pack for TX, etc. I ended up staying with Karissa and Gregor since the movers took all our essentials a little less than a week before we left. It made my life much easier in that I could run all kinds of errands and have help with the boys. Karissa and Gregor cooked meals for my kids, gave them baths, loved them when they were sad, dressed them, changed them, ran errands for us, took us everywhere we needed to be (including an hour away to drop off one of the cars for shipment) etc.

One of the most difficult things about leaving California was saying goodbye to this family. Nolan, Karissa and Gregor's son, is Joshua's best friend. Yes, he is only 3, but the distinction is very clear in his mind. He loves Nolan very much, and the thought of separating those two weighed very heavily on our hearts. And then there is Keira. Keira just turned two, and she and Jacob have very much a love/hate relationship. But love absolutely is the dominant emotion. I think "Jacob" was one of Keira's first words! And then there is Karissa. Very much a kindred spirit, she is my "soul sister" and I miss her terribly. And Gregor. Who couldn't miss Gregor? Amazing at pitching in without complaint, he really filled the gaps for us when Brad had to leave. Taking me to pick up the car, building boxes to ship stuff to Brad, always willing to give rides to the airport, watch the kids, etc. etc. etc. Is it any wonder we are anxious to be reunited with these friends? And come tomorrow, we will be. YAHOO!

Part III - The Pickup

2009-09-09T05:40:00.001-07:00

Given the somewhat disconcerting dropoff, I had no idea what to expect with the pick up. What a relief, though! Joshua was a happy, sweet preschooler when we got there, happily eating a muffin. He apparently cried all of two minutes once taken upstairs to play and get control of himself and had a fabulous rest of the day. Of course I was at home worrying and worrying, but he was fine. Whew! Another day in the life.

On a very happy, fun note, we received a nice package in the mail from my friend Karissa! It had some Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee, small packages of creamer, a fabulous coffee press travel mug I have been eying for a while (I don't think she knew, though - she is just intuitive like that, lol!), and some clothes. WOW! What a nice surprise. And I will be making my coffee, um, now. Yea for packages from home! Thanks, thanks, thanks Karissa. I am about two feet further away from the brink of tears thanks to that thoughtful gift. Makes me miss her all the more. Scotland is only two days away.

Part II - The Unsuccessful Dropoff

2009-09-09T00:39:00.000-07:00

Today was not so fun. I really, really screwed up. Here it goes. Joshua was not so enthusiastic today. He ate his breakfast, but was pretty upset about having to wear underpants to school. He didn't want to wear anything under his jeans. Particularly no underpants. (I will attach the video of him telling me all about it. Funny.) He also didn't want to meet "new friends". He didn't want to see the new Emma, he wanted to see the old Emma (his cousin from Keller, TX). And he wanted to see old friends, particularly Nolan and Dylan. So here is where I screwed up. On the way to school I explained to him that in just TWO days he would be seeing his friend Nolan. He was so excited! I calmly explained that he will go to school today, then sleep tonight, then go to school tomorrow, sleep tomorrow, then when he woke the day after tomorrow we would get on a plane to Scotland and see Nolan, Karissa, Keira, and Gregor. ("Gregor at work?", "No, Gregor is in Scotland with Nolan." "I want to go to Scotland." "We will, day after tomorrow. We will get on a plane to Scotland and see Nolan." "I want to get on a plane with Nolan." *SIGH*)

We get to school and Joshua is very excited. He says to me, "Nolan at school." And I immediately realize why he is so excited now. I explain, "No, Nolan is not at school. He goes to a different school." At this point, we are walking up to the door. "I want to go to different school with Nolan! I want to go to a different school!" He is yelling, parents and toddlers and teachers all around. I quietly explain this is his school, and he begins crying, telling me not to leave. I take him to the bathroom, then to the room where his teacher, Ms. Amy, is leading a well behaved, sweetly cooperating group of toddlers through songs. My child is crying loudly. And getting louder. They tell me to leave, that they will call if he doesn't calm down. So I go to the parking lot and stand there, holding Jacob, and cry because I can still hear him wailing. Last update, the teacher had taken him upstairs to play and to give him a chance to calm down. It has been 45 minutes and no call, so I assume he stopped crying. But this is not a good day so far and I am a sad, sad mommy.

Joshua's First Day of Preschool, Part I

2009-09-08T01:06:00.000-07:00

I was very anxious about today. I actually had nightmares about getting Joshua to school late. In my dream, I was driving. I took a corner too fast, had to off road it over some construction (New Shocks!! I remember thinking.) and then somehow I was separated from Brad and Joshua, had to take a highway where the police were doing a huge bust of about 100 people, causing traffic delays. I finally made it to Joshua's school an hour late and didn't recognize him. Brad had dropped him off, I guess. Weird dreams, but lets you know the anxiety I was having. So last night I was determined to have him in bed early. We had some Thai food for dinner, saving the planned meal for tonight because Brad got off late. The boys had chicken satay, then baths, and Jacob was asleep by 8. Joshua finally headed to bed at 8:45, and didn't wake to come to our bed until 6:30. I woke at 7 to begin preparing for the day. A cup of coffee, then go get Jacob, then begin breakfast. I woke Joshua at 8:15 with a "Hey, Jacob, would you like an M and M?" Joshua was out of bed like a light. Two M & M's and eggs/cheese/avocados later, it was 8:48 and Brad was at the door to take us to preschool. Joshua ran right in, and seemed very at home in the nice play yard out back of the school. When it was time for us to leave, his face looked a little frantic. I gave him a very big wave, his face lit up with a smile and he waved enthusiastically back. And now I am at home, Jacob is napping, cupcake surprise is in the oven, and I am trying to hold back the tears because I miss my little golden boy and I want him home!!

But, I am a big girl, right? And he is having a good time, right? And this is what is best for him, right? So here is a cute little interview we took of him on the way to school. His answers aren't scripted, clearly, but it sure was fun. I stole this idea from Erin Cutshall and am going to try to interview him each year on the first day of school. Should be a fun catalog of Joshua time.

Jacob Loves Yogurt

2009-09-07T04:43:00.001-07:00

Just because I finally figured out how to post video directly to my blog. Fun! Jacob can eat his body weight in yogurt, and will do so if we let him. He ate 6 - yes, 6 - containers of yogurt in less than two days. And that is me limiting him to 6. So, I am going to have to finally bite the bullet and make my own yogurt because this is getting seriously expensive. But, he is so cute when he is eating it, how the heck can I resist?

What the Boys Have Been Up to...

2009-09-07T02:44:00.000-07:00

So I was working in the kitchen when I heard the boys playing in the other room. This is what I found!! What fun it is to be a mommy to my two boys.

In Germany Now!

2009-09-07T02:04:00.000-07:00

We have been in Germany now for two weeks as of today. We are finally adjusted to the time change, finally. The boys are happy and literally Joshua bounded out of bed, joyfully, gleefully, shouting "yea!". That was a very nice way to wake up. Particularly since it was before 8:30. I was getting a bit worried that he wouldn't be able to wake for school. His preschool begins tomorrow at 9 am. If this morning is any indication, we are in good shape! We were told we would need two weeks to adjust to the time change, and that looks about right.

The past two weeks have been an amalgam of emotions and behaviors. It is interesting to watch the kids adjust. This is the first move we have had where the boys were affected so strongly. Joshua in particular. He would go from happy, sweet, affectionate boy to out of control, crying, monster. There were definitely moments when I thought I would lose my sanity. And this time has definitely brought home the concepts of routine and consistency. Even in these situations, it is possible to have consistency. Primarily we worked on getting the bedtime back to normal - gradually but systematically. This meant on Day 1 the kids went to bed around 11 pm German time, but 4 pm Texas time. Joshua woke at 2 am for the first 3 nights, for anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. We tried to limit naps to an hour, but let them sleep in for the mornings. Then it was 10 pm, then 9, etc. Last night both boys were asleep by 8 pm. And while Joshua did wake at 3 am, he just came into bed with us and fell right to sleep. I put him back to bed and that was that! Jacob still wakes asking for milk, and then needs a diaper change for leaking through his diaper because of the milk, but we are gradually weaning him from that, too. I didn't put him to bed with milk, I just gave it to him in the middle of the night. Better, right? *sigh*

So far, we have been "out" to the pool four times, a park two times and on base at Ramstein to the commissary, the BX and to the new mall. The mall is very nice. It even has a Cinnabon, which I LOVE. There is a nice little play area off of the food court that the boys love. Joshua in particular loves the little coin operated basketball goal. He gets a lot of help from any kids present in the area, but he doesn't mind and has a ton of fun. It has also become a wonderful reward for just about ANYTHING! Now that I have a driver's license - yipee! - we can walk to where Brad works to pick up the car. It is a bit of a walk, a little over a mile and uphill, but the boys don't seem to mind and I can pretend I don't! We pick up the car and then can drive to any of the MANY AWESOME playgrounds at Ramstein or to the pool. The boys just love the pool and it is fun for me, too, so we bought a yearly membership and hope to go often.

Germany is beautiful, a bit chilly nowadays, but beautiful. I can't wait to explore more, particularly other parts of Europe. Life, as always, is an adventure!

The California Condo...

2009-06-27T20:18:00.001-07:00

We have lived in Pasadena now for almost 2 years. It has been a wonderful experience, much better in many ways than we ever anticipated. The house was one of my highlights - I loved making it ours. Here is a video of the place "before", "during" (more or less) and then following is the "after". Lots of video, but kind of fun to see the transition!

Jacob and Thoughts on My Life.

2009-05-01T18:09:00.001-07:00

It is hard to watch carefully as Jacob does his "new" things. He is quietly going about his day, doing all the latest baby extraordinary things, and we are so busy living sometimes that I forget to notice. It is particularly difficult because Joshua is also doing new things all the time that we want to notice. I can't seem to make note of each one's particularly fabulous moments every day. But, I have to try.

He is a wonderful walker, and lately has begun trying to figure out how to jump. He will stand there concentrating and give a little bounce. He loves the trampoline and thinks he is jumping even though his feet don't leave the ground. He has also begun trying to jump from his little chair onto the ground. Not easy to do if you still don't bend your knees when you jump!!

One thing about Jacob that strikes me is his cautious nature. Anybody who knows Jacob knows him to be a big, burly little guy, but to also be extremely careful. When my girlfriends and I gather with our children at Karissa's house, we never worry about Jacob and the stairs. We never really have. We watched him once or twice attempt to go up or down and knew we didn't have to worry. He attempts the same stair 6 or 7 times until he KNOWS he can conquer it, then attempts. If there is a curb he wants to go down, he literally turns around, gets on all fours, and scoots backwards over the curb. Beginning about 3 feet from the actual drop off. And until this past week, he was terrified of swings. Hated them, wouldn't go in them by choice, and if you did force him in, he would claw at you and pitifully moan until you picked him up. He is finally adjusting to swinging through lots of prodding, but it has been a challenge. He is just not much of a risk taker.

He has begun trying to talk, and his vocabulary is pretty good even if not always very clear. He loves to try to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle" and "ABC's" and joins in whenever he can on whatever else we sing. He repeats words all the time, and is really trying to figure out this verbal world. He blows kisses and points to his nose, and loves to clap and dance to any sort of beat.

Jacob is also one of the happiest kiddos around. He is quick to laugh and smile, and loves to play silly games. If he is upset, silly noises are enough to bring him out of it and make him happy again. He makes a wonderful trilling noise with his tongue - it is amazing, and surprisingly loud, particularly during church. He loves his pacifier, but more often than not is just holding it sideways in his mouth, not using it to suck. Just more of a comfort, I think. He goes to sleep easily, but still wakes at night. He loves any toy or object that makes noise, pops up, stacks or goes into another. He loves his plastic piggy bank and coins and puts the coins in the slot over and over. He also loves to play with Joshua's cars, my cooking utensils (which I frequently find strewn about the kitchen floor) and throwing things away. Anytime I can't find a shoe, or socks, or hey, the can opener, I can look in the trash can. That of course ensures frequent trips to take out the garbage.

He has such wonderful moments. He is cuddly and will snuggle right into you. He loves to be held and will sit contentedly on your lap as long as you can handle it. He also pitches the greatest fits. I know it sounds crazy to include that in his wonderful moments, but if you look at the video you will see why it is such a moment.

Jacob is more than we ever dreamed. I remember how cautious we were about having a second baby, worried about it detracting from Joshua, worrying and wondering if we could ever love another baby like we do the first. And I know all parents think the same. But we needn't have worried. I don't think we do love our babies the same. It is different because you have a different relationship with each one. I love both my boys so much it is about more than I can comprehend. And I don't love one MORE than the other. It is just different. And Joshua hasn't lost out on anything through having a baby brother. I believe his life is more complete and fun and happy and joy-filled because Jacob is a part of it. Watching Joshua be a big brother is a wonderful moment I get to have each day. If he has a graham cracker, he wants Jacob to have one. If Joshua gets two jelly beans for going peepee in the potty, he thinks Jacob should get some, too. What more could I ask?

Being the mom of these two little guys and the wife of my husband is such a privilege. I know how lucky, how blessed I am and I am trying very hard to pay attention and not take it for granted.

What to do...

2009-01-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

I have a huge plan of action for the week. I am DETERMINED to clean out the office, create a budget, and get at least one more room painted by Sunday. Today has been very productive along those lines. I picked out paint, cleaned up the living room and dining area, and have begun sorting through the office. I am excited about seeing so much progress. So for the rest of the day I will work for at least another hour in the office, straighten up my bedroom, and clean out the boys' bathtub. FUN! At least they are all big ticket - you see a lot of result for your effort. My favorite kind of work! I love to see progress.

Christmas

2009-01-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

It has been difficult finding time to celebrate our own personal family Christmas here at the house. We were in Texas the week before and the two weeks after the 25th, so we decided to celebrate our little family's Christmas once we returned. But, with Joshua so sick, it was put off another week until we finally found a day when Brad wasn't on call!

The boys woke up before Brad got home from work (again, on call last night). I had covered with a sheet all the open presents such as the chairs, Joshua's bike, and Jacob's ride on toy. They didn't even notice it - really. It was a huge towering sheet in front of the tree, and they didn't seem to even see it!! We watched CARS (of course - that is a daily ritual now.) then both boys went down for a morning nap. Brad came home while they were sleeping, and we finished the Christmas preparations. The boys woke, and we took tons of pictures (with Brad's new camera) of them opening their presents. It was really neat - Joshua finally gets the concept of opening presents, and they had a really nice time. Joshua spent about 30 minutes cruising the hallway on his bike, but he still isn't quite clear on how to pedal by himself. We think fully inflated tires and smooth pavement should help!

What a nice time with the family. I just love it! NOW, to get down all these Christmas decorations!!! And to clean out the office this week...

Pacifier UPDATE!!

2009-01-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

It is now Thursday - DAY 4 without a pacifier! I was prepared for the battle of the century, set to endure 3 days of torture, to get rid of Joshua's pacifier. But we had no problems. He asked for it once Monday night, I told him no, and it was done. He hasn't even asked for it once since then!! WOW!! Now if potty training could only be this easy...

Brad's Birthday and other stuff...

2009-01-13T07:51:00.000-08:00

After a week and a half of a sick Joshua, I was a bit worried about how celebrating Brad's birthday yesterday was going to go. Joshua has been seriously feeling terrible and under quarantine. His behavior and attitude, as you can imagine, has suffered as well. Yesterday pre-nap was particularly bad, with the biggest fit I have ever witnessed from him. A four hour nap later, though, and he was much better. Groggy and a bit whiny, but not defiant and obnoxious. So, by the time Brad got home, we had dinner working, the table set with the birthday table cloth, a birthday banner, balloons, etc., and we were ready to celebrate! We had cake after dinner, even though Joshua wanted "cake FIRST, THEN dinner", but I didn't waver! Joshua can now sing the birthday song recognizably, even if I did have to remind him to sing to daddy, not to Joshua!! So it went well. Then, to make things even nicer, Jacob chimed in with his own version of the words "happy birthday" - again, very recognizable. He just said the words, didn't sing the song, but it was really a great part of the evening. (and we got it on video!)

Joshua is finally kind of understanding birthdays and presents. It is an exciting time, especially since Joshua's birthday is next month. We are going to have a combined birthday party with Joshua's good friend Nolan, who turns three just before Joshua does.

Other news - Joshua slept both for nap and night with no pacifier yesterday. We aren't going to give one to him again, and he didn't even ask for one last night! (Though nap was a bit of a battle.) And on top of the words "hi", "Mama", "Dada", "bye-bye", "ni-ni" (for night night), and now "happy birthday", Jacob also said "thank you" today!!

The tooth and nothing but the tooth...

2008-08-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

After much drooling, Jacob has finally cut his first tooth! As of Monday, he now has the smallest little white tooth poking up through the bottom right side gum. Woohoo! He is so happy to have his gums rubbed and I am pretty sure another is on its way. I was a little worried this past weekend because he was clearly not feeling well. Looks like it was just a little tooth action!

Just a short update...

2008-07-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

Things are crazy around here, as usual! We are staying busy with tons of summer activities including visits to the zoo, lots of water time, visiting friends and plenty of park action.

The boys are doing really well. Jacob can now sit with no problems and is really trying to talk. He seems to be saying "Mama" with purpose, but that could be mommy ears interpreting! At his 6 month check up he weighed 22 lbs and was 27 inches long, so 100th percentile all around. He is a big boy! He is a social baby and wants to have human contact as much as possible. He has had a tough time with sleeping through the night, but otherwise is doing really well. He is such a happy baby and just lights up the room with his sweet smiles. He now has a very solid giggle and laugh, and he is very ticklish. So funny to hear him chuckle - his whole body bounces up and down! He has such thoughtful expressions - more than one friend has commented that he looks like he has an "old soul". I agree - he just has such a look about him. He loves his brother Joshua and is now eating solids.

Joshua is doing fabulously. He is so much fun - singing, dancing, smiling all the time, and his laugh...the best laugh!! He still struggles with his speech issues - but has made a lot of progess. He has been diagnosed with developmental apraxia, which is a motor planning issue. He sees a speech therapist twice a week and goes to preschool as part of his treatment, and these have helped a great deal. Once of his first sentences (a few weeks back) was, "Mommy, don't sing, please." I am not sure, but he may be requesting on behalf of the universe! I was so excited that he was making a sentence, even if it does show that he may not have an ear for truly great music!! (at least he was polite, right??) He has also mastered the use of the word "No" and uses it often. Unhappily for me, at times! He loves swimming and is very brave when wearing his water wings - he won't let us hold him in the water anymore if he has them on. Without them, though, he is still pretty cautious. Here's hoping this stays!!

Brad is always busy, with tons of work and projects in progress. He is presenting at a conference in Hawaii in the Fall, so yahoo! We get to go to Hawaii! We are also planning a trip to Florida at the end of August and a Las Vegas getaway in October. Vegas is a 5 hour car ride from here, so we are going to take advantage and find out what the fuss is all about.

I will try to be better about posting - no promises, though, until I get more than an hour of sleep at a time!! (Jacob really really needs to sleep longer!)

Jacob Talking!

2008-04-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

A Few More Pictures

2008-04-02T07:55:00.001-07:00

Hi! Here are a few more pictures of our little guys.

Short Update

2008-03-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since we last posted. The boys are doing great and we are having such a nice time as a family. Joshua continues to love all over Jacob, and Jacob continues to tolerate it! Jacob is a big little guy - over 15 pounds at 3 months! Strong and big enough to withstand Joshua's affections, luckily. Jacob is a sweet, smiley baby. He coos and smiles whenever given the slightest bit of attention, but he is also quick to let you know when all is not right in his world. This is probably a built in safety mechanism - many times his cries have been because he just couldn't take Joshua's squashings any longer!

Joshua is as sweet as ever. We are dealing at times with some discipline problems and, infrequently really, some jealousy issues. He has picked up some really sweet mannerisms- like saying "OOOOHHH, baby" whenever he hugs (copying me, I suspect) and praying spontaneously. It is pretty convicting to have your two year old remind you that you forgot to pray for your meal! He had a very nice Easter, hunting eggs in the house. Brad, Joshua and Jacob were dressed similarly for church, but we didn't get any pictures of the three of them. You will have to take my word for it that they were beyond adorable.

Joshua began speech therapy this past week, and will begin preschool sometime within the next two weeks. He has shown a great deal of progress in his language in the past month or so, but is still far behind where he should be. Luckily, we caught the problem (a diagnosis of developmental speech apraxia) very early. We have been told that this makes it much more likely that he won't have any lasting effects. He is still getting used to his therapist, but I think he will love going to preschool. He has a group of friends here in Pasadena that he just loves to play with, and I think the preschool environment will be more of the same within a structured environment.

We are in the process of some redecorating of the house, so I will try to post some video of the finished result soon. No promises, since I am clearly not the most reliable of bloggers! In the meantime, here are some of the latest pics of our little men. We are having the best time!!

Pictures of the boys!

2008-02-05T20:53:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would post a few pics of the boys!

INTRODUCING...

2007-12-20T21:48:00.000-08:00

Jacob Christopher

8 lbs. 5 oz, 20 1/2 inches
Born December 19, 2007 at 4:49 pm

Ready for my first meal!

2007-12-20T21:41:00.000-08:00

Time to meet Big Brother.

2007-12-20T21:39:00.000-08:00

Santa's littlest helper.

2007-12-20T21:32:00.000-08:00

The next day with the Daddy.

2007-12-20T21:26:00.000-08:00

Home at Last!

2007-12-20T20:44:00.000-08:00

Attempt # 999 - Now, What am I Looking at, Again?

2007-11-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, once more, we are attempting to post this video... Crossing my fingers!

The Results...

2007-11-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

Home ... Bar Exam > Examination Pass List > Lookup > Results
July 2007 California Bar Examination
Application Number: 52xx
File Number: 3xxxxx
Name: CHRISTY LEIGH
The name above appears on the pass list for the July 2007 California Bar Examination.

Information for Successful and Unsuccessful Applicants

All I can say at this point is YAHOO!! YAHOO!! YAHOO!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2007 The State Bar of California

Joshua Loves Straws

2007-11-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

Seriously, my son as a real thing for straws. I actually keep a few wrapped straws in the car to occupy him when he is fussy - give him one, he steadily works to unwrap and is quite the happy camper. We recently had a fabulous family outing to the Arcadia Mall. Joshua and his daddy rode the carousel and the train, and then we had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. (YUM!! Is there anything The Cheesecake Factory doesn't do well? Angela and I even ordered desserts to go this past weekend...delicious!) While there, the waiter was astute enough to realize our kiddo loved the straws and gave Joshua as many as he could handle. Fun!

Actual Videos

2007-11-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we had the videos posted but I ended up having to delete them from you tube because I realized we had too much confidential information on them...thanks for letting me know, Danielle! So, once we figure out how to get rid of the information we don't want broadcasted on youtube, we will try again. Sorry!

The Ultrasound Pics - FINALLY!

2007-11-15T22:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the pictures of the new baby. I think this face looks quite a bit like the big brother Joshua, but who can really tell???

Ummm, about the Ultrasound...

2007-11-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

Sooo, clearly, we still haven't posted the ultrasound. To be fair, Brad has been extraordinarily busy lately in preparation for our week long trip back to Texas over the Thanksgiving holiday. I think he is trying to work that week's hours in the weeks preceding! He is also busy working on a few research projects, so his nights are taken even when he does make it home. All that to say, we are trying to get the ultrasound posted, and hopefully will sometime this week???

Angela Comes to Town!

2007-11-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

My very good friend from Texas, Angela Kitchen, came to visit this past weekend. She has been such a faithful friend, coming to visit us everywhere we have gone. (Except Korea!!) We had such a great time. Thanks to Angela, Joshua and I have now seen the Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, and the famed Muscle Beach. We had a great time! These are some of the pictures she sent me.

Ultrasound Video Coming Soon!

2007-11-05T11:58:00.000-08:00

We have been seriously delayed in the posting the 3D ultrasound due to our lack of computer skills. However, we may have had a breakthrough - I now know how to post videos, and Brad knows how to make a long movie shorter, so...when he gets home from work tonight we will try to collaborate and get this thing posted. Keeping my fingers crossed...!

Joshua in the Box

2007-11-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

Our Littlest Cowboy

2007-11-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Joshua was a rough and tumble little cowboy for Halloween this year. We spent the evening at Old Town Pasadena, the Paseo, trick or treating from store to store with his buddy Nolan. Nolan was good Spidey when the boys played at Amy's Indoor Playground during the day, but he became black Spidey that night. Nolan was really good at saying "Trick or treat," but Joshua was not all that interested. He did manage a few "thank yous" ("dat you") and became quite adept at sucking chocolate through the wrappers pierced by his new vampire teeth. Those latest few teeth that were so very painful coming in have turned out to be pretty handy given how sharp they are!! The boys had a great time with each other, and only had one real issue - who was going to push the stroller. This was solved with Joshua riding, and Nolan pushing. Maybe he should have been good Spidey after all?? We all went to dinner at the Yardhouse afterwards, and the boys were really sweet to each other and had a great time.

Here are a few pics of our cowboy and his friend Spidey.

Joshua Learning to Jump

2007-10-31T15:25:00.000-07:00

Pics of Joshua

2007-10-31T15:07:00.001-07:00

Here are some recent pictures of Joshua, including some of him sleeping and one of him with his daddy drinking. I have no idea when babies stop sleeping in the "bottom in the air" pose, so I take as many pics of this as I can. I love it.

Joshua Today

2007-10-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

I am not as quick to post on the blog when I don't have accompanying pictures. And, since the camera is on the fritz, I have no new pics. But, Joshua is doing so many cool new things, it is time I blogged about the little man, with or without pictures!

He has really been trying to talk lately, and as of last count has a working vocabulary of over 25 words. He understands many more than that, of course, but those are the words he can clearly say and use appropriately. He is still really enjoying playing with balls - he can dribble the soccer ball across the room with no problem, and can throw a ball exactly where he wants, and quite a distance. He responds well to the word no, and is really good about doing what I ask - as in, "Lay down so I can change your diaper," or "Put up your pacy and turn off your sound machine," or "Close the door," or "Take off your shoes and put them in the closet." He delights in putting his puzzles together and can consistently do a shape puzzle - each time he gets a piece in correctly he claps for himself! He also LOVES babies. Amy's baby girl Allison - 6 mths old - was here the week before last and he wanted to so much to play with her. He would give her a pacy, or a toy, or anything he could find to put in her mouth. He would clap his hands and hold them out to her as if to say, "Come here baby, I will hold you!" And if she was on the floor on her blanket, he would lay beside her and inevitably would roll on her. He also loves the babies at the Make and Take play group we are in on Fridays. One particular baby, Karissa's little girl Keira, (I don't think she is 3 mths yet) he particularly loves. Yesterday Karissa let him "hold" Keira, and he loved it. He tickled her, played with her feet and hands, and laid his head on her chest. He doesn't have the best control, but he is so sweet and tries to be gentle. He is going to be such a great big brother!

Joshua also loves his bath, and will get into the bathtub fully clothed if I don't get to him fast enough. He doesn't like to leave the bath, however, and can only be consoled by looking at the crying baby in the mirror - then he laughs at himself and stops crying. He really enjoys toilets, particularly flushing them and flushing things down them. Luckily, so far he has only flushed toilet paper (lots and lots of toilet paper). We have begun locking all the bathroom doors, though. This does not make him happy. He is also a big fan of throwing his toys off the balcony. The balcony is just off the ground, and there is nobody under us, so other than the hassle of retrieving the toys it really isn't a problem.

While there are many, many other things our little guys is doing, that is a brief overview. He is such a sweet little man, and a ton of fun. Each day just gets better and better!

Things We Love...

2007-10-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

I have recently been introduced to a beautiful device called the Swivel Sweeper. This product has changed my life. In less than 3 minutes, with minimal effort and inconvenience, my floors look nicely swept. The sheer joy I experience every time I use it has made me think about what products have made life easier, more enjoyable, and live up to their billing. I whole- heartedly recommend the swivel sweeper, and want to know what products have made my friends' lives easier. Brianna recommended the Swivel Sweeper (thank you!) and her friend Cathy recommended Downy's Wrinkle Releaser - which I have purchased and am dying to try out. Any other recommendations on products that make your life easier/ better?? I would love to know!

Floors!

2007-10-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

The wood floors are being put in, as we speak. I am in my bedroom and Joshua is supposedly down for a nap. There is dust everywhere. We are having the floors put in the living room, dining area, and hallways. And with Mom, Dad, Amy and her girls (Abi and Ali) coming to visit first thing in the morning, there is no time like the last minute! Once the floors are finished - and they expect to be done in 4 hours believe it or not - then we have all the clean up left. But, the house is slowly starting to resemble a home! There is still way too much stuff - we are going to have to load up Joshua's patio just to clear out the guest bedroom for the next week, but...yahoo! It is all coming along nicely. We have a ton of work ahead of us.

Today's Doctor Visit

2007-10-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

Good news on the baby front! We are all very healthy and doing great. The doctor said the baby is fabulous and all is well. We were able to see and hear the heartbeat - strong and right on track! As of right now, the baby is in the breech position, but the doctor is not at all concerned. (Joshua was, too, so I am not worried either.) Plenty of room and time to move around. And considering how often this baby is moving, I think all will be well. I had the rhogam shot and we were scheduled for the glucose testing and other lab work. So, thank you to those who were concerned and thinking about us while we were in search of a caregiver. Exciting times!

And yes, we found out the sex of the baby. The plan is to wait until we have the 4-D ultrasound, post that on the blog and let you see if you can tell from that and have another poll at that time. Then we will let you know if you were right!! I know, long and drawn out - but at least this time I was able to find out! I had to make a few concessions in order to get Brad to agree...

Seeing a doctor on Monday!

2007-09-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been concerned about my lack of prenatal care...I have a Doctor's appointment Monday at 8:45 am! Yahoo! I probably sound like one of the most irresponsible people you know, but we are finally on track with the OB. I went to the office this past week to fill out paperwork and everyone was very kind and considerate - they didn't let me know if they thought I was a horrible mommy or not for starting my doctor visits so late in the pregnancy, which I took that as a good sign. So, I am roughly 27 weeks pregnant and I go for my first appointment in two days. I did have an ultrasound, though, at 8 weeks. And hubby checks my blood pressure regularly. Does that get me off the hook??

Household goods have arrived!

2007-09-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

The movers with our Texas household goods came on Monday. We hadn't seen these items in over two years, so I was very excited to say the least. I just knew it was going to be like Christmas - unwrapping things I had forgotten we owned! The day started as one of pure sweet joy - finally, I would have a kitchen table, kitchenware, a bed, maternity clothes, etc. After the first three hours, though, I was completely overwhelmed. And the movers just kept coming in with more and more stuff. I think we have twice as much stuff as we have house. I guess that makes sense. We used to have a garage, a yard, and an attic and two extra rooms at our disposal. (No baby room in the Mississippi house.) Now, we just have the stuff for those extra areas, but no place to put it. The poor movers kept asking me where I wanted such and such, and eventually all I could say was, "Pick a spot, any spot...". Joshua took two solid naps during the commotion, thank goodness, but when he was awake he was a force to be reckoned with. He did not like being cooped up inside the house all day, wanted my undivided attention, and wanted very badly to follow the movers everywhere. I eventually trapped him in the kitchen using my body and the door as a barrier - yes, our kitchen is that small and yes, my belly is that big. He was not happy. We currently have floor to ceiling boxes in the office that I have not even begun to unpack, boxes on the patio, and the remnants of boxes and the items they contained strewn throughout every other room in the house. Except Joshua's. I thought we should give him a bit of a sanctuary for the time being. Now, to find one for me...

I have video footage of the place before the movers came and after the movers came. Once I fix the camera...ugh...I will post it. In the meantime, take my word for it that the house is in crazy disarray. I have been getting through a few boxes each day, but finding a place to put everything. Goodwill is going to love me this year!

Getting Organized

2007-09-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

It is Monday. For me, Mondays seem to be my "go for it" days - the day of the week where I attempt to give our family a good start with a clean house, laundry, etc. We still have no date for when the movers will be bringing the rest of our household goods - you know, the shipment containing our actual furniture. However, I am not letting that stop me from my attempt to organize this place. I am not touching the office/ guest room, though. The past 3 hours of my life have been spent doing laundry (in our apartment complex's laundry facilities), taking care of/ playing with/ feeding Joshua, and organizing the mess we are currently calling a closet. As of right now, it isn't really all that easy to see the progress. Mostly a huge pile of stuff on the floor. The hanging clothes, however, look terrific. They are in order by clothing type, shirts on top, slacks/ pants on bottom, with an entire rack just waiting for long clothing. If you don't look down, the closet actually seems pretty organized, spacious and nice. Unfortunately, I have to look down. So, I am off. Back to organizing. But, it will be GREAT when I finish. I can't decide whether or not to post the before pictures, but count on afters!

Discipline...

2007-09-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

The past two days have been very challenging around our household. Joshua has been teething - now four teeth at once - and has the accompanying runny nose and fever. His sleep is all off. He has been waking at night or very early morning, naps are off kilter, and to make matters worse, his daddy has been working so much Joshua's only glimpse is for the 5 minute overlap in the morning before Brad rushes off and after Joshua wakes up. Bring in my child's recent desire to test boundaries, and you can see why life is a bit of a challenge these days. He learned on Monday that he could climb up on the toilet and sit on the side of the sink. He apparently loves to sit with his feet IN the sink and the water running. I have told him time and again not to do this, I remove him each time (and most of the time before he can get all the way to the top) and I have tried distraction. He has also begun to protest when I tell him "no". So, now, the question is - what to do to discipline? It is clear he needs consistent guidance and feedback, but to what do I respond and what is the appropriate response? When he laughingly goes the other way when I tell him to come, what is the appropriate discipline? When he yells when I tell him no, again, what is the appropriate discipline? I know this is one of the biggest struggles we have as parents, something every parent struggles with. Suggestions appreciated...!!!

August Update

2007-09-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

The past few months have been very exciting and adventurous. I am beginning to learn, however, that excitement and adventure are par for the course for our household. Let’s begin with May.

May was exciting for many reasons. Brad’s brother Jeff, Jeff’s wife Danielle and their daughter Emma, along with Brad’s mom Sheri came to visit us in Korea. It was really nice having family fly all the way over to visit, and we had a great time showing them Korea – even the parts of the Korean lifestyle we aren’t always thrilled with. (Think: stinky bus rides, long walks through and to subways, and some of the food…) There were some really great parts of Korea we were thrilled to show off, however. Sheri and Danielle were especially enthralled with the landscaping. Since I had not even noticed the landscaping until their visit (!!!), it was an eye opening experience to hear their perspectives. We visited several palaces, and Emma was held by a famous Korean actress. Emma and Joshua played really well together, and he did his best to teach her all his bad habits.

In addition to the fam visiting, at the beginning of May we also found out that the stork will once again be paying us a visit in December sometime. Yahoo! We are not exactly sure of the due date, but hope to find out as soon as we establish a relationship with an OB here in the Pasadena/ Los Angeles area.

In making the move from East to West, we found ourselves back in the nomadic life; at least until we closed on our condo in mid-August. We were very sad to leave Korea – we had made some close friends while there, enjoyed our church, and dreaded the thought of moving once more. I had a wonderful send off from my MOPS and PWOC buddies – they threw baby #2 a “virtual shower” and did their best to make me cry with their sweet cards and kind words. (Thank you, Jamie, for organizing the shower!!) We are using the shower funds to buy the best, most tricked out playpen we can find… and do we need it!!

We left Korea the 21st and landed in L.A., where Brad had managed to score us a 4-day layover so we could house hunt. Those of you familiar with the California housing market understand what a daunting task it was trying to find a home. After a long weekend of frustration and no real luck, we headed to Lake Jackson, Texas, where movers met us to pack up all the post-Hurricane Katrina items that were still in storage. From there, Brad headed back to L.A. while Joshua and I stayed in Lake Jackson with my sister Amy and her family. My family and Brad’s dad and brother, Brian, did their best to pitch in and watch Joshua while I studied for the California bar, scheduled for July 24th – 26th. After an unproductive week, however, I decided it was best to impose on Sheri in Dallas, and she graciously agreed to watch the kiddo while I studied.
To make a long, long story short, Joshua and I stayed with Sheri and Gary while I studied. I took the bar in Long Beach, CA while Joshua stayed with Sheri, then headed back to Dallas, stayed for a few days, then on down back to LJ while Sheri and Gary went on vacation. We thought it would be best to stay with family while Brad house hunted and slept on the couch at our good friend Joe’s apartment.

It was very hard being apart for so long, but as of Friday the 17th of August we are all in one place – a condo in Pasadena – and Joshua is getting used to once more having to change his schedule. He really has been so very flexible despite all the different times and places to which he has had to adjust, and he seems to really enjoy exploring our new little home. We have had our Korean goods delivered, and we are waiting for some subcontractor work to finish before our stuff from Texas comes. Our fridge is on its way (the first one did everything but make things cold), Brad is getting a cell phone, and we finally have a new car. Whew! Always, always soooo much to do!

This pregnancy is going very well. The baby is moving all over the place and Joshua just loves to lay on my big belly. We are touring hospitals next week, and hopefully will have an OB very soon.

So, there is our quick update. Thank you to everyone who made our transition so smooth. We know how fortunate we are to have such wonderful friends and family. For those friends from Korea, we miss you. And for everyone, please stay in touch and send your updates when you get a chance!

We will try to keep this blog updated and we will soon post pics. Check back!!

No longer a baby...

2007-09-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

It is a sad, sad day. Sort of. Joshua had a haircut this morning and he looks like a little boy - not the little baby he was just a few short hours ago! He still talks the same, walks the same, blah, blah, blah, but he looks, well, different. This is actually his second haircut, the first one was done in Korea before our second visit to the states. But, he was barely a year old then, and even with the haircut still looked very babyish to my eyes. Today, though, he is a little man, and I am getting small glimpses of what he will look like when he actually IS a man. While I am happy, elated even, to watch every step of his growth, there is a HUGE part of me that is saddened with every small step he makes towards adulthood. So for now, I will just cherish each moment and praise God that He has given me, us, this time.

Teething, revisited

2007-09-07T08:44:00.001-07:00

Joshua was up all night Wednesday night (which of course means Brad and I were up all night Wednesday...). He just cried and cried. Brad and I were beside ourselves with worry and concern, and that helpless feeling all parents experience of just NOT KNOWING HOW TO FIX IT. Joshua's day sleep has been changing lately from two naps a day to one, and we don't quite have it figured out just yet. So Thursday I had no idea how to proceed. Let him sleep and catch up on all that lost sleep? Keep him awake and try to make him sleep during what I have decided should be his nap time? We were worried about getting him off his night sleep schedule, so I finally decided to keep him up and active until nap time. After a short morning nap, we went to our friends' house - Dylan and his mom Briana - and played. Joshua made it until 1:30, then I put him down for a nap. He only slept an hour, when he is used to sleeping at least 3 hours during the day. He was so sad and unhappy all day and I was still worried. I gave him Tylenol before putting him to bed Thursday night, and, miracle of miracles, he slept all night. Friday morning, I saw the culprits to my kiddo's discomfort. Teeth where there were none. Yep, teething is back, and it never even occurred to us. But at least now we know the "cure."

Following in Daddy's Footsteps

2007-09-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Joshua is following his daddy very closely these days. He goes where Daddy goes, brushes his teeth when Daddy brushes his, and this morning, felt the need to put on socks when Daddy did. Brad was getting ready for work this morning with Joshua following closely when Brad went into the closet to put on his socks. Joshua decided he needed socks, too, and grabbed a pair of mine. While he lacks the dexterity to put them on himself, he was determined and Brad was there to help. Joshua looked so cute padding around the house with the too big socks all morning, but he refused to take them off. He just wants to be like his daddy.

Little Surprises

2007-09-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about having our little man is the sweet surprises - the little reminders he was "here" when you least expect them. Tonight, for example, I had a sweet little reminder of our little guy. His Grandma Sheri sent a huge package of toys, clothing and books from Texas, and one of the toys was a Little People Bus Uncle Chris and Aunt Angi gave Joshua the last time we were in Dallas. Joshua was excited all day about the "new" toys, and just couldn't play with each thing enough - he would go from toy to toy, then back again. I was trying to clean house and take care of some MORE unpacking, so I noticed him playing with the bus, but he eventually took it to the back of the house, and I lost track. Tonight, as I went to take a shower, I found the bus. It was squarely situated over the drain of the shower, just where Joshua left it. Joshua was sound asleep (finally, after noooo sleep last night or today) and as always, when he is asleep, I missed him!! Seeing this little reminder of where he was, what he was doing just made me think on all the little, good surprises he gives us each day. His smile, his laugh, his clapping, his everything.