First Snow

The First Snow of the Season is such an amazing event for children. I myself got excited when I heard my son say this morning, "Mom, it's SNOWING!" I jumped (okay, really it probably looked more like a roll) out of bed and looked out my window to see the snow cascading down, covering our yard and deck.

I grinned, wrapped my robe around my ever-enlarging belly, and went in to the living room to see how long it would take before Andrew begged to go outside to play in the wintery whiteness. Three minutes. Tim and I just chuckled and told Andrew to look down at what he was wearing. We are now in the stage of "pick whatever you want to wear to bed" and Andrew had chosen a short-sleeved T-shirt and pajama shorts. He laughed and laughed and we told him that after breakfast and after he was ready for church, he could go out for just a few minutes and feel the snow and play if he promised not to get too soaking wet.

Harry was eager to go out and play as well, so he and Andrew enjoyed the snow together for about five minutes before it was time for us to leave for services. As soon as we got home, he begged to go back out and this time, we had him bundle up a bit more. The snow was already melting, but he was determined to get some more use out of it before it disappeared. He tried to make a basketball-sized snowball and then attempted to make a basket....but realized after he missed that it was a one-shot kind of thing. :) It is so fun to see how delighted he can be with such a simple thing as a half an inch of snow in the yard. Kids are great.

I remember being about Andrew's age and dreaming and praying for snow so that we could go make a snowman and snow angels and go sledding. I must really be getting old because after my initial excitement this morning, I realized that I have no desire to go out and get soaking wet and be cold. I also started to worry about the roads since Tim has to drive into Oregon and back each day for work. I started thinking, "What if it is a snow day tomorrow?? Andrew has been off from school for over a week!" What happened to my "Yay, it's snowing, look how beautiful and wintery it looks" thoughts? I am feeling old and somewhat cynical. Maybe I need to spend more time with just Andrew and his childish delight will wear off on me. It's certainly worth a try. :)

Almost Eight

*SIGH*
My little boy is no longer "little". He hasn't been for a while, I realize...but being pregnant and thinking of little ones makes me remember the days when this adorable child was just a baby, looking to me to fill all of his needs.

I would love to record Andrew and put a little blurb on this site so that all of you could hear him. He cracks us up all the time. :) He loves to quote movies and would do so all day long if we let him. He loves to read and does so daily. He just finished the first Harry Potter book! Andrew also loves game systems (probably too much), and is often trying to beat some new record of his on his Gamecube. He also loves to sing and can very often be heard belting out hymns from church while in the shower. :) Basketball is still a main focus and we have spoiled him with a hoop in the hallway, a hoop in his room, and even one in the kitchen. (The kitchen one is on it's way out!!) City league basketball starts in about a week and he is practically chomping at the bit to get out on the court and show off his stuff. He is loving school this year and has a fantastic teacher who has given him great confidence while reminding him in subtle ways to be humble about his intelligence and abilities. He is such a great kid and we couldn't be prouder of him.

I watched a home video last week of Andrew when he was nearly two. I could not believe how much I had forgotten about his little personality at that age. Children change SO quickly and it is amazing what we so easily forget about their short-lived lives as babies and toddlers. I think my New Year's resolution will have something to do with putting all of those priceless videos on DVDs and making copies of those so that those brief moments will never be forgotten.

I need to try to remember that not too distant in the future, I will look back at photos like the one above and think, "Wow...look at how young he looks in this picture!" I love this age and the new interests and insights that it brings. I know that each stage of Andrew's life will have new challenges for us as parents and new excitement as well....but I love the "nearly eight" age and the sense of humor and pure delight that are so apparent in his personality. And....I know I am biased as his mother....but he is just too cute!! Praise God for kids!

Thanksgiving

This year, I feel like I have innumerable reasons to be thankful. For starters, I am incredibly thankful for my wonderful husband who goes to work at o-dark thirty five days a week and works long days so that I can stay home. I am thankful for Tim's help at home as well, which has not only saved my back, but my sanity as well! I am also incredibly thankful for my son who continues to amaze me with his humor, his intelligence, and his ability to make me smile. I am so very thankful as well for this tiny life that is growing inside of me. Our little girl is now measuring somewhere between three and four pounds and as of tomorrow, has only eight weeks until she arrives! Her movements are so strong now and she gets the hiccups several times a day. I wonder whether she will be blonde like Nathan or have dark hair like Andrew. Maybe she won't even have hair!

I am thankful most of all for God and the way He always brings my heart back to Him when I get distracted by all of the busy things of this world or by other people or material things. This sweet baby girl inside of me is a constant reminder of His tenderness towards me and creates such a great desire for me to be all the more faithful to Him. Praise God for His blessings, His wisdom, and the reminders of His love for us!

Lovely Little One

God is so good. We had an ultrasound done yesterday afternoon and we were so pleased to see how well our little one is doing. After a full forty minutes of measuring and trying to keep up with our little one's kicks and jumps, the technician announced that she was about to get a good look to see if we were having a boy or a girl. Andrew got quiet, my mom looked intently at the screen, Tim patted my hand, and I started to cry (happy tears, of course). We looked at the screen and then back at the technician as she told us that we were going to have...... a girl. A slightly disappointed "Awwww...." from Andrew was audible, a small cheer from my mom could be heard, a quiet smile from Tim showed little emotion, and my own ecstatic tears began to stream down my cheeks. I wonder what the ultrasound tech thought of all of us. :)

We were able to see our little girl yawning, trying to suck her thumb, and moving, moving, moving. The sweet lady who was ever so gently (ha!) pushing into my lower stomach with the "wand" kept commenting on how active our little girl is. She said she could feel the movement against her wrist and against the probe. I am so amazed by how well we could see her and her dainty little features. She looks perfect and I love her so much already.

After Andrew's initial disappointment, he was sure to say, "I'm excited, Mom!" and then, "Dad, can we go have a snack, now?" Boys will be boys. This morning, though, he came up to me and hugged my ever-growing belly and asked, "How is my little sister this morning?" I nearly broke into tears again.

Several people have asked us about our name choices. We have four names that we really like and after some last minute changes, have decided that we aren't going to tell anyone what name we chose. I figure that fewer people will respond with "oh" or "hmmm" when the name is already bestowed upon a beautiful newborn girl!

Please continue to pray for the health and safety of our little one. I feel so blessed already that God has given us this tiny gift, moving and kicking inside of me. What a wondrous plan He created for bringing life into the world. I am so grateful that I am the one who gets to experience this instead of Tim. (Believe me, he is grateful that he doesn't have to do it). Praise God for His goodness to us!
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Andrew and Jacob

Andrew's friend Jacob, who lives across the street, will most likely be moving soon. He is only moving to a different house, not out of town....but sweet Andrew is going to miss having him as a neighbor. Jacob and Andrew have a lot of fun riding their bikes or scooters around the neighborhood, jumping on Jacob's trampoline, playing on Andrew's swingset, and using light sabres to have Star Wars battles. They walk to and from school together nearly every day as well. These pictures are from a field trip last Fall to one of the local apple orchards. I love them because they show how much the boys really like each other.

Baby Bellies

I have often wondered why it is that so many people feel the need to comment on the size of pregnant women's bellies (to their faces). It is one thing to say to someone, "Wow..she has really grown these last few weeks." It is an entirely different thing to say TO the pregnant, hormonal, emotionally unstable woman, "WOW...look at your belly! Are you sure you aren't having twins?"

I am also amazed by the vast difference in opinions. I am currently 18 weeks pregnant and receive such a wide range of comments. My favorite ones, of course, are, "You look fantastic! You are barely even showing for how far along you are!" My least favorite are more like, "Are you in maternity clothes ALREADY?" and "You are looking Very pregnant already!"

I am confused by my reactions to some of these comments. Isn't this what I wanted? I have prayed for so long for this pregnancy and I am ecstatic about it....and yet I am upset about gaining weight, getting rounder, outgrowing my clothes, etc. What is wrong with me? One of my good friends suggested that maybe this type of thinking is God's way of keeping us from ingesting more junky food than we need in order to not completely balloon. Whatever it really stems from, I have decided to fight it. I should be reveling in my roundness, not complaining about it or feeling insecure about it. Pregnancy is beautiful and it only lasts a short while. I Will enjoy it....All of it. :)

The "Famous Front Flip"

Yesterday, Andrew discovered that he could do a front flip off of the diving board (much to his mother's dismay). My heart nearly stops every time he does it unless I am standing to the side of the diving board and can actually mentally measure the distance between his precious head and the hard diving board. Today, we went to the pool yet again (do we ever skip a day?) and he pronounced that he was going to do his "famous front flip". Apparently, in one day, the flip and it's creator had become famous in his mind. I love this age. :)

Movement

I felt it. I finally felt it. I was sitting in the tub last night, trying to unwind after a particularly busy weekend.....and my baby started moving. I had felt tiny little "possible" movements for a few days, but this was distinct. It was like my child was saying, "Mommy...I really am here! It is not your food digesting, it is not your imagination, but ME...the little one you have wanted for so very long!" Praise God for this miracle growing inside of me. :)

Baby on Board

God has blessed us with another pregnancy!! We saw our sweet little baby on ultrasound today and were able to hear his or her heartbeat loud and clear! Andrew is thrilled and can hardly wait to find out if it is a boy or girl (although he is desperately hoping for a brother). We are just so very happy that God heard the prayers of so many and answered "yes". We feel so blessed and ask that you continue to pray for our unborn child and for us to give God all the glory and to praise Him continually.

Andrew starts soccer this week and is really looking forward to it. We have been to Grandma and Grandpa's neighborhood pool with his cousins from Africa at least twice a week, sometimes more...so his Summer is off to a good start. I start a new online course this next week and I am a bit nervous about it, since the format is something I am unfamiliar with. Tim is looking forward to his Birthday this weekend and the annual return of Cool Desert Nights (classic car show in town this weekend). Andrew and I plan to travel to the Duggan lake house next weekend to spend some time relaxing and swimming.

God Bless You!

Vacation

After working long hours every week since September, Tim finally gets nine whole days off. He has been telling us several times an hour with a little look of giddiness on his face "I'm on vacation". :) It is adorable. Andrew keeps saying, "Dad, you already said that!" Tim has reorganized his closet, cleaned up the garage, taken things to Goodwill, run countless errands, and isn't even on his third day of vacation yet! (I am LOVING this.) May God bless you this week as He is blessing us in countless ways.

May 17, 2006

Hello to all! Thanks to Scott for letting us know about this cool blog spot. I hope to be diligent in recording all of our daily excitement (Little League games, spelling tests, puppy pee, etc.)! Right now we are all looking forward to a much needed vacation at the Oregon Coast! Tim is counting down the days (three more!) until he has nine whole days off. I have signed up for a new course, Psychology of Childhood, which begins this June. I am looking forward to taking this class since I am experiencing it firsthand at home already! I hope today finds each of you peaceful, joyous, and loving God.