My Four

My beautiful sister, Becky, tagged me in her latest blog. I have been absent from the blogging scene for a good bit of time and actually visited my blogging page for the first time in two months today. I just posted the blog about our Seattle trip that I had apparently saved as a draft months ago and forgotten to edit and post. *sigh* I feel out of practice, but here goes:

Four things I did today:

1. Played with Dora the Explorer house and dolls with Anna in her room. She is currently fascinated with the little car and how many people and animals she can fit into it. Extremely adorable to witness and be a part of.

2. Cleaned someone else's house for two and a half hours. (I clean four houses weekly and one house bi-weekly.) That adds up to seven showers, eleven toilets, fifteen dusted coffee tables, and nineteen vacuumed rooms....not counting my own house. I would count my own house, except that Tim often does more housework than I do around here. Can you blame me?

3. Dropped by my "old gym" and cancelled my membership. Sadly, I have been a member of my "new gym" for two months now and um, kept forgetting to cancel the other one.

4. Took my final test for Psychological Testing and Assessment through Liberty University, which completes my degree requirements. I now eagerly await the arrival of my official B.S. in Psychology diploma (which should arrive 10-12 weeks after my degree "confers").

Four things to do on my to-do list:

1. Call the pumpkin patch in the morning to check on times for hayrides tomorrow.

2. Clear off some space on my memory card so there will be room to take a lot of pictures on that hayride tomorrow.

3. Go to the chiropractor and have my upper back adjusted from sitting at this computer night after night, studying and doing important things like writing on people's "walls".

4. Bring bigger clothes in for Anna from the tote in the garage. She is growing taller by the minute, it seems.

Four of my guilty pleasures:

1. Going to a nail salon every other week and having my acrylic nails filled, filed, and painted. After cleaning houses all week, this is a treat I am not likely to give up anytime soon.

2. Staying at home all day with Anna once in a while...in my jammies.

3. Long bubble baths with a good book, candles, and my bath pillow. SO long that the bath water needs to be refilled at least twice lest I freeze.

4. Sleeping in once in a great while when Tim is home and gets up with the kids.

Four random facts about me:

1. I really like cauliflower. Raw, cooked, mashed with half and half, in a casserole with broccoli.... It's just good.

2. I often jump head first into things that I think at the time are great ideas. Sometimes they turn out to be great and sometimes....not. Tim is great at reminding me of this personality flaw that I have and guiding me back into the idea of actually thinking before acting. I don't always appreciate his advice at the time, but later recognize the heartache he likely saved me from.

3. I have glasses that I am supposed to wear all the time, but usually only wear them when I am reading or driving at night. I have tried contacts, but never got used to the feeling of placing something on my eyeball. I may try again in the near future.

4. I have big feet. Size 10. I'm quite tall, so I like to say that if my feet were any smaller, I might just tip over.

If you just finished reading this, consider yourself tagged!

City Girl

Butterfly garden at the Pacific Science Center

One of Anna's grumpier moments caught on camera. Still adorable.

A couple of months ago, we went to Seattle with the kids to see the sights and get out of town. We stayed downtown in the Renaissance Hotel on Madison and walked or took the bus to get where we needed to go. We had a great time! We took a short tour around the harbor on a boat with an upper deck, we stared at sea otters at the aquarium, we spent three hours at the zoo, and we watched butterflies land on us at the Pacific Science Center.

Before we left the Tri-Cities, I got online and looked at the bus routes and wrote down which buses we would need to take and the times they arrived at each stop. We got on the right bus and got off at the right stop when we went to the aquarium the first day, and I was feeling pretty smart. Tim seemed impressed that I had planned ahead and that we didn't have to pay $12 to park downtown for a few hours.

When we left the aquarium, I looked at my little list and directed everyone towards the bus that would take us back to the hotel. We hopped on, settled in, and relaxed, thinking the ride would go up the hill, around a few blocks, and take us back to the bus stop we had been at that morning. We started visiting with a group of young kids that were at daycamp and were on a field trip, and eventually realized we had been riding for longer than expected. When we asked the daycamp chaperone about the bus route, she told us we should have gotten off many stops earlier. We pulled the bell line and climbed out of the bus to find ourselves a good twenty-five minutes away from where we needed to be. Fortunately, we were in our walking shoes and had brought Anna's stroller...and our cheerful attitudes. :) I'm pretty sure all of the calories we had consumed at lunch that day were lost on the city streets...along with my "city girl" attitude.

Here are a couple more pictures from our trip:

We had such a fun time together!

Top Nine

Andrew turned nine yesterday. NINE!! Someone said to me today, "You know, that is halfway to eighteen, when he will go off to college." My heart sunk and my throat started to close up. How did this happen? How is he already this old? Where is the small curly-headed baby that I held in my arms and rocked to sleep? I am constantly reminded, it seems, of how quickly time passes.

In honor of Andrew, here are nine things about him (in no certain order) that I want to remember as he gets closer and closer to those teenage years. :)

9. Andrew is extremely helpful. He rarely minds running to the other room to grab a diaper or a toy for his sister. He loves to help in the kitchen, and he often volunteers to help before I even ask him. Sometimes I will be asking Tim to grab something for me and Andrew will pipe in, "I'll get it Mom!" He loves to help push the cart at the grocery store, or run to the next aisle to grab that one item I forgot. I know a lot of children want to help their parents...but Andrew is now at the age where he actually IS helpful. He is a huge help to me on a daily basis.

8. Andrew has an amazing memory (for certain things)! He knows so many facts about so many things, that we have become students of our own child on a daily basis. Last week, he came home and taught me about igneous rocks and how they are formed. The week before, he told me all about how scientists weren't sure if Pluto was going to still be named a planet. If you ever want to know about any NBA players, Andrew has a lot of information stored about that, too! His teacher wrote him a note, telling him that he would be a great contestant on a trivia show because he knows so much about so many things.

7. Andrew has a wonderful, infectious, loud laugh. I love to hear him burst out in genuine laughter. It often takes a little while for me to figure out what he is laughing about, because he will be laughing so hard that he can't talk. I love it!

6. Andrew is very appreciative. We got him a Nintendo Wii for his birthday (with help from all the grandparents) and he was SO thankful. We presented it to him at his party last week, and he is still thanking us for it. Today, since we celebrated with all of his friends last weekend, we just had a quiet Birthday lunch at home with a homemade cake. He was thrilled to have his family over and open a few small presents. Before bed, he hugged Tim tightly and thanked him over and over again for getting him a Wii and for reserving a game for him. He thanked me again for making him two special meals today. We are so blessed to have such a thankful child!

5. Andrew is kind. During this basketball season, in fact, we have had to remind him to not be quite SO kind. He was so concerned about whether he was hogging the ball too much, that he passed nearly every time he got the ball. He would look for an open player and pass it to them when he had a wide open shot. After a lot of encouragement from his coach (and his parents), he finally started shooting. He has now reached a great balance where he doesn't feel bad about taking it to the hoop (and wow...he can shoot!) and passing it to the kid who otherwise wouldn't get the ball. We couldn't be prouder.

4. Andrew is not afraid to share his emotions with me. While sometimes this is trying, I am learning to appreciate the openness that it brings to my relationship with him. We have had many late-night talks about the deaths of members of our church family, friendship issues at school, what he wants to be when he grows up, his frustrations about not having a brother at home, and whatever else is on his mind. Although his temper flares up quickly at times, I am thankful that he wears his heart on his sleeve...at least at home.

3. Andrew is an amazing big brother. He doesn't get upset with Anna for getting into his stuff. He simply moves her out of his room and says, "No, no, Anna....that belongs to big brother, okay?" He loves to read books to her, give her zerberts on her tummy, and show her how to do things. Each day as he leaves for school, he will try to get a kiss on the cheek (which she often gives) and then he waves goodbye to her as he heads out the door. He will ask me sometimes, "Mom, did Anna do anything funny today while I was at school?" He loves her so much and it sometimes brings me to tears. I hope Anna someday realizes how blessed she is to have such an awesome big brother.

2. Andrew takes important things seriously. Several of Andrew's older friends have recently been baptized. He has been talking to me quite a bit about this and was a little upset, feeling some pressure to do the same thing. My mom gave him a book to read, helping him to decide if he was ready for such a commitment. He read it over very carefully and thoroughly and decided that it wasn't the right time. I am thrilled that he is thinking things through and that he is letting God lead his heart to a full commitment to Him as he grows older. Again, I feel the tears coming on.

1. Andrew has such a giving nature. If he looked inside his favorite pack of gum and found only one piece left, he would offer to give you half of it. He offers to rub my back if I don't feel well, he gives up his spot on the couch if he thinks it was where I wanted to sit, and he frequently offers to share whatever snack he is working on. The other day at school, Andrew had hot lunch (his favorite- cheese quesadillas) and even shared part of that with his buddy who wanted to try it.

SO...Happy 9th Birthday to my amazing son. I love you, Andrew, and I am prouder of you than you may ever realize. Thank you for being so sweet and giving, for apologizing when you do something you realize you shouldn't have, and for having a heart that wants to please God. I can't wait to see what this next year will bring!

Love,

Mom

Starting the Second Year

Anna Jane turned one on January 2. I am still in disbelief. I remember Andrew's baby year very well, and I am positive it lasted longer than this past year has. I've always heard that time seems to pass more quickly as we get older, and I believed it...but not to this extent! I vividly remember the day she was born and the feelings I had when I heard her cry for the first time. This past year has been such a joyous time in our house. Andrew is still so thrilled to have a little sister and loves it when she kisses him goodbye for school or waves at him and says, "Bye!" He loves to read to her, and regularly gets down on the floor to play with her. We are so blessed.

Since I am slacking on my scrapbooking lately, I thought I'd give an update here on what fun new things Anna is doing:

Anna is very verbal. She has 26 words that she says regularly (yes, I counted!) and we love to listen to her talk. She wakes up in the morning, stands up in her crib, and says, "Mama!" if I don't hear her jabbering right away. When I pick her up, she proceeds to point out everything in her room that she knows the names of: bear, picture, Anna (in the picture), clock. As we go out into the hallway, she keeps talking, "Mama. Ball! Dada. Down!!" Some interesting words that are also in her vocabulary include: drain (in the tub), Elmo, Bible, dance, and teeth (when she wants to brush her teeth). We are so impressed!

Anna is crawling all over the place and gets into everything she possibly can. She can mess up the living room with her books and toys in two minutes flat. She can also empty the tupperware cabinet faster than I ever imagined she'd be able to. I am trying to keep "pick-up" times to three times a day, but I know the clutter stresses Tim out, so he often goes around and picks up whatever she just got out. She is quick, let me tell ya. She doesn't have her walking legs yet, but she can stand for several minutes in the middle of the room and dance back and forth to music. As of today, she has taken one step unassisted, but hasn't ventured to take that second step. I am confident that she'll be running around before long.

Anna is not sleeping through the night. *sigh* One 3 a.m. nursing session with Mom is a good night. A really good night. I know I should probably let her "cry it out" since she is obviously old enough to sleep through thte night- but I can hardly stand to let her cry for five minutes. Our house is not exactly spread out, either, so her crying is heard by all of us- and Tim gets up at 2 to go to work. Excuses, excuses....I know. But, she is only going to be young for such a short time- so I don't honestly mind the middle of the night snuggling as long as it doesn't last more than fifteen minutes. :)

Anna is a snuggler. This makes her Mama VERY happy. I get hugs and kisses all day long and I absolutely love it. Anna will play for a bit, and then she'll look up and say, "Mama!" and then crawl over, pull to standing while holding my pant leg, and reach up for me. I give her some hugs and kisses and she pats me on the shoulder and hugs my face, and then she says, "down" and off she goes again to play. I'm glad she is such a secure little girl and that she gives me lots of loving!

Anna had a great 1st Birthday party. We invited family and some good friends to Round Table for a pizza party (Anna's favorite food). She wasn't sure what to think about the cupcake we plopped in front of her, but once she realized it was sweet, her hesitation disappeared. She was interested in her presents, and very excited about the music that was playing in the game room. Here are a few pictures of our little girl at her Birthday Party:

As Anna begins her second year of life, I vow to make the most of each moment with her. Before long, she will be telling me "just drop me off at the door, Mom," like Andrew said to me last night before basketball practice. I will cherish the frequent hugs and kisses from Anna now and make sure to sneak some out of Andrew as well while I still can!

Unsure About The White Stuff

It snowed today.

I remember watching the evening snow fall when I was a young child, my nose pressed up against the sliding glass door, trying to guess how many inches had fallen. I remember praying long and hard for a school delay, or better yet, a snow day, so that we could play outside all day long.

Andrew was rather disappointed this morning when the light sprinkling of snow that was on the ground didn't give cause for a delay. Imagine his delight, however, when the snowfall returned this afternoon and gave us three inches! He burst through the back door after school, begging, "Can I please have a friend over for a snowball fight? Please? PLEASE?!" (Since I am still recovering from a 24 hour stomach bug and didn't want to infect any neighborhood children who might come inside for hot cocoa or a potty break, I said, "not today, bud"). Instead, we all bundled up and went outside to play in the front yard.

Anna Jane was a bit unsure about the white stuff. The snow was still falling, and it got into her eyes and tickled her nose. Once the snowman building began, however, and I managed to shield her face with her enormous hood, she cheered up a bit. In fact, her fussing turned to giggling once her daddy brought out the sled and gave her a ride.

As for myself, my feelings about snow have changed, um....a bit over the years. I love to sit inside with a cup of hot tea (and preferably some cookies) and watch the snow gently falling to the ground. God gives us so much beauty in nature, and snow is one of those amazing gifts that never ceases to make me smile....IF:

1) My husband doesn't have to drive in it. He works 45 minutes away, up a BIG hill, and it worries me when he has to drive in bad weather.

2) I don't have to drive in it.

3) I don't have to go play in it for more than thirty minutes. (Am I a party pooper or what?!) Snow is beautiful, but it is also COLD and I don't have any snow gear other than really short boots and some pitiful gloves.

4) I am allowed to make the kids pose in the snow for pictures. Somehow this makes up for the fact that I am actually out IN the snow with them.

I know this makes me sound like a not-so-fun Mommy. I AM really fun. Honestly! I am especially fun in the Summer when we can all go to the pool or the park and the temperatures are well above freezing. :) I also like to play inside where the heater keeps our house at a comfortable 72 degrees.

To my parents- thank you for taking us to Carmichael Hill to go sledding on those horrible freezing cold days when you really wanted to sit inside and read the paper or take a nap. In honor of you, I am going to strive to spend more time playing in the snow with my kids (uggh) and toughen up a bit.

But tomorrow, if the snow is still here, I will likely ask Tim to do it. After all, I AM still recovering from that stomach bug thing. Right? :)

Tears

Do you ever have one of those days where you start crying and you just can't stop? Once that first tear is shed, the flood gates are open and no amount of wiping or sniffling seems to help.

Friday was one of those days.

I saw the movie, August Rush, last weekend (go see it, you'll know), and on the way home in my car, the tears flowed. And flowed. And flowed. I'm glad I didn't run into anybody.

Sometimes when I cry, my mind automatically goes to all of the places where I've felt the most pain (emotionally, that is) and all of my hurt comes flooding back to me like I was there all over again.

The death of my child, broken relationships, miscarriages, public humiliation, more broken relationships, stupid mistakes....all wrapped up in one indescribable feeling.

After the tears stop, however, I remember. I remember who I belong to. I remember who loves me more than anyone else...and I lift my eyes up to Him and I am thankful. I'm thankful that He knows and He sees and He is the one who will comfort me like no other.

But still- no more emotional, sappy movies for a while.

Step

After an entirely too long sabbatical from the gym, I decided last week to actually start using that little membership card that has been stuffed in the back of my wallet. I started out slowly...a mile of walking on the treadmill followed by a few weight machines and then some stretching. *Yawn* After two days of this boring routine, I decided to try getting back into some of the aerobic classes that I once enjoyed.

I chose BodyStep for my "re-entry" into the world of fitness. I chose wisely. BodyStep is like a step aerobics class "stepped up" a notch. Each song has a kind of theme. One song is the "party track", another is the "speed step track", and so on. It is much harder (at least for me) than a regular step aerobics class, but the fun songs and silly dance moves distract me enough to be able to keep going.

After four classes in one week, I'm hooked. Going to these classes fulfills so many needs for me:
1) The need to be social. (People actually remembered me from six months ago!)
2) The need to dance. Tim still refuses to take dance classes with me, and you have to be somewhat coordinated to do well in the quick pace of a BodyStep class.
3) The need to sweat. Okay, it's probably all of those wonderful endorphins that actually feel so good- but when I've finished a class and I can actually see the sweat dripping down my neck, I feel so accomplished!

Sadly, my favorite class is at 5:05 p.m. which cuts into family dinner time. I have a feeling that I will be trying a lot of new crockpot recipes so that I can leave the kids with Tim without feeling too guilty about not being in the kitchen.

Yesterday, I was having an awful day. November seems to drag on and on for me every year, and I was feeling rather down. I begged Tim to let me go to the evening class. I arrived just on time, water bottle in hand, my now-short hair pinned back so it wouldn't get in my eyes. I rounded the corner, so eager to get started, and stopped short. The class was full. Full. People were crammed into every possible nook in one enormous room. I checked again- and received several pitying looks and a wave or two. I nearly burst into tears. I waved back, bit my lip, and turned on my heels, making my way down to the depressing cardio area with the gray, whirring machines. I couldn't do it. The dreariness of exercising by myself was too much for me to handle.

I went home, moped around for thirty minutes, and must have looked completely miserable because Tim said," Um, maybe you should go to the 6:00 class if it means that much to you." And so I did. :)

I can hardly wait for my next dance lesson (I mean aerobics class.) Do you think I'm nuts?

Baby Talk

Anna said a new word today: ball. She was sitting in the bathtub, splashing and playing, and I handed her a little ball and said, "Here's your ball!" and she looked up at me and then pointed to the ball and said, "BA!" I almost cried I was so proud of her. :) She can also say "bye-bye", "hi", "boo" (book), "da da", and "pic" (picture).

She loves walking around the house, pointing at things and looking at me so I will tell her what they are. Since we have a lot of pictures in the house, we go around learning the names of all of the family members. So far, she thinks everybody's name is "picture" and points to all of them and says, "pic". SO adorable, I tell you. I suppose I'll have to stop saying, "And that's a picture of Grandpa..." She hears "picture" and apparenty forgets everything that comes afterwards.

I brought out the video camera tonight and Anna actually performed all of her little "talents"! Usually, I bring out the camera and she smiles at it and tries to come grab it...but not this time. I told her to clap and she did. I told her to wave hi and she did...and even said, "hi". I told her to tell me "bye-bye" and she waved and said the words. I gave her the ball and she said, "ba". She even crawled around backwards and tried to pull up while I was taping. Andrew was so excited and kept saying, "She's doing it, Mom! She's really doing it!"

Now if she would just go back to sleeping through the night, life would be Really good.

Getting our Feet Wet

And.....let the baby proofing begin!

She isn't crawling...but she certainly is rolling. Anna can roll all over the room and is so proud of herself! Can you tell? Oh, how I love her!

Long Time, No Blog

So I've been absent from my blog for.....well, a while now. Why, you ask? My lack of creative juices could be to blame. My summer craziness could also be a reason. Pure laziness is a more likely excuse. I have joined MySpace and Facebook, which are two wonderful time wasters and take very little creativity on my part!

At the end of the day, as I put my adorable children to bed and sit down at my computer, my brain feels fried. All I want to do is relax and upload pictures to a site that doesn't require me to actually compose anything. :) Did I mention I'm also taking a college course right now?!

Okay, well...now that I have made all of my obligatory excuses, I hereby vow to blog more often. This shouldn't be a hard promise to keep since my last blog was nearly two months ago. So check back...but not too often...for new pictures, stories, and tidbits about our family. Don't expect witty satires about life or amazing life-changing stories. But do expect pictures. :)

Open Wide!

Katrina tagged me in her latest meme, and I was relieved to see that the subject was one I wouldn't have any trouble with: Favorite foods!!

Here are the rules:
1. Name and link to the person who tagged you.
2. Name the state and country where you reside.
3. Name your five favorite local restaurants.
4. Tag others.

I live in the great state of Washington (cheers, applause, looks of amazement).
The Tri-Cities has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and with it's growth has brought to town many new restaurants. My husband, bless his sweet heart, is a truly picky eater...and so we haven't ventured out to all of them quite yet. (I'm still working on him, though...and there is hope!) Of the restaurants we Have tried...here are my five faves:

1. The Bonefish Grill
Why anyone would choose to include the word "bone" in the name of this upscale, highly popular restaurant, is beyond my understanding. Reservations are practically required at this establishment that boasts of fresh seafood and tasty steaks, but it is worth the hassle to get a table. I have only sampled their fare once...but it was so memorable that it instantly became a favorite. Halibut with oscar sauce, baby asparagus, wild rice with golden raisins, and perfect ambiance. If my pocketbook suddenly starts to overflow with extra cash, I'll be back!

2. Anthony's Homeport
Known for excellent seafood and a great view of the Columbia River, Anthony's halibut cheeks are to die for! This restaurant is also very pricey, but they have a "Sunset Special" before six, so you can have an appetizer, salad, small entree, and dessert for under $20 a person. My favorite part of the experience: the bathrooms. Seriously! Each stall in the women's room has it's own individual sink and mirror, complete with hands free faucets and paper towel dispensers. The artwork in the stalls is quite amusing as well. The men's bathroom apparently has television sets installed over the urinals. (I know it must be true because Andrew used the bathroom three times during dinner.) A must-visit.

3. The Emerald of Siam
Thai food at it's best. The owner has actually taught cooking classes at the Community Center on how to cook Thai food. The decor is authentic Thai, the prices are reasonable, and they have a great lunch buffet. My favorites are the Cashew Chicken, Red Curry Chicken, and the Black Rice Pudding. My mouth is now watering...
Tim has yet to visit this one, but I have high hopes!

4. Red Robin
A family favorite. Burgers, pasta dishes, fantastic salads, and huge desserts. This vibrant, family-friendly place has a great atmosphere that just speaks of "fun". I try something new nearly every time we visit. The last time we ate here, I had an open-faced chicken parmesan sandwich with garlic-parmesan french fries. Yum, Yum, Yum. I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't even need a take home box. I did have to skip my favorite dessert, though: Mile-high Mud Pie. Mmmm.

5. Taco Bell
I know many people are not fans of this fast food joint found in practically every city, but I absolutely love it. Always coming out with something new and delicious, Taco Bell can always cure a craving for something quick and cheap. My new favorite is the steak taquito with sour cream for dipping sauce. Cheese quesadillas (no red sauce, please) and double decker taco supremes are some of my old stand-bys. Plus...they are open until two a.m.!

As for tagging others...I don't know if anyone besides Katrina is actually reading my blog (except for my mom who doesn't blog...HI MOM!) So, I will skip this step for now unless I come up with some names.

Update on the Kiddos

Here are a few updated photos of our cuties.


Andrew had a blast at Field Day, just before school ended.

Anna is getting very good at drinking from her cup and feeding herself with her spoon once I put something on it. She loves oatmeal, rice cereal, banana, potato, sweet potato, and green beans. She prefers "chunky" foods that she can sort of chew on, even though she doesn't have any teeth yet. She makes a royal mess at every meal time and I think it is adorable!


Anna is sitting up, loving her brother, and still enjoying tub time. Andrew is so good at playing with her and shows a great deal of interest in her. What a help he is!
I have been posting a great deal on Facebook, so if you aren't a member...you should join! (It's easy and free!)
We are headed to Disneyland in a month, so I will have lots of fun pictures to post!

Four Months Old

Anna is four months old! (Actually, she is four and a half months old, but I just now got around to writing this post about her).

Here are a few fun facts about our little cutie:

1. Anna, although you can't tell from the pictures, is not always the most social of babies. She is particular about when she wants to be social and when she wants to be left alone. She regularly looks past people as they try to get in her space over and over again. She prefers small crowds or one-on-one time.

2. Like most babies, Anna absolutely loves to be outside. When I put a sun bonnet on her, she starts to pump her arms and legs up and down because she knows it means we are going for a walk to the mailbox or to Andrew's baseball game or around the block. She even tolerates the wind well!

3. Anna likes to chew on soft things. She prefers a wet washcloth to any chewy toy or teether. She has come to expect her own washcloth to chew on during "tubby time" and starts to fuss if she isn't handed one within thirty seconds of sitting down in the tub. The same washcloth must be wrung out and kept within her reach during lotion time as well. Um, yeah....she's spoiled. :)

4. Anna loves her big brother, Andrew. She looks for him when she hears him come home from school and almost instantly smiles at him. From the front seat of the car, I can often hear the two of them conversing in the back seat. Andrew makes up little songs and rhymes for her and she absolutely adores them.

5. Anna refuses bottles and pacifiers, but will take a sip of water or milk from a cup. Funny girl. She has mastered (finally) the art of sucking her thumb, which I happen to find adorable. I may not find it adorable when she is two...but maybe she will give it up before then!

6. Anna is not a big fan of tummy time. She occasionally takes a short nap on her stomach now, but does not enjoy long periods of time where she is "exercising" on her stomach. I try to talk her into it, but she only puts up with it for about ten minutes a day. She can now bury her head into the blanket and scoot her little body about six inches. So cute.

7. Anna loves to be held and kissed and snuggled. She tolerates my thousand kisses a day all over her adorable chubby cheeks and has started returning them with a sweet little open mouth on my cheek, leaving all kinds of drool and slobber for me. I love it. I carry her around a lot during the day and sometimes don't get much done except for loving on her.

8. Anna does not like to miss meal time. For the first three months of her life, she would routinely nap during our evening meal time....but has now realized that she is missing out if she sleeps in the early evening. She sits on my lap and watches the food, listens to the conversation, and is content to hang out and chew on her washcloth or burp rag. I keep telling her that her turn is coming, but she is still happy with her milk meals and I am not eager to rush into solids.

9. Anna is an excellent car rider. She definitely prefers the freeway where stop lights and slower speed limits don't interrupt the rhythm of the road that she so enjoys. She regularly drifts off and takes a light snooze while we are out running errands.

10. Anna is such a blessing to our family and such an answer to prayer. We thank God daily for her presence in our lives and pray that we will raise her to be of service to our Father in the ways that He has planned for her.

Love

I watched my children today.

I watched Andrew as he tied his shoes this morning. I watched him as he visited with friends at church. I watched him as he stood up in front of a small group of people this evening and confidently led a song, looking to me once in a while for approval. I watched him kiss his little sister on the forehead and give her zerberts on her belly. I watched him cry, hurting because a respected, loving, Godly woman passed away today. I watched him and loved him.

I watched Anna as she stretched this morning, arms and legs reaching and moving until she saw me and smiled. I watched her nuzzle in towards me, looking up at me with asking eyes, wanting to nurse. I watched her eyes light up as she saw her Grandma and Grandpa when she woke up in a new place. I watched her laugh as I kissed her chin in that ticklish little spot just under her lip. I watched her cry as she told me she was tired and ready for bed. I watched her and I loved her.

I watched Nathan today. I watched him in my mind, seeing his sweet curly blond head resting on my arm. I watched his chest go up and down, breathing with the help of a machine that I hated. I watched him in his Daddy's arms, his Grandpa's arms, his Grandma's arms. I watched him as I held his hands and stroked his head. I watched him as the nurses took him from me for the last time. I watched and I loved him.

My heart is overflowing.

7 Random Facts/Habits About Me

Having been tagged by Katrina, I feel obligated to participate and write seven random facts about myself. SO...here goes:

1. I have a hard time going to bed before midnight. Before the clock strikes twelve, I feel sort of like the day hasn't officially ended and I might, well...miss something. Most of my friends think I am crazy, but my mother understands. :)

2. I never (and I mean Never) go to the grocery store or even to the corner convenience store without all of my makeup on. Silly, I know...but there are some standards that I just can't let go of!

3. I have four and a half classes left until I FINALLY earn my Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Does this mean I will go out and get a "real job" in the real world? Nope...already have one. Being a domestic engineer (a.k.a. stay-at-home Mom) is the best job in the world. I do plan to work outside the home someday, though...possibly in the school system.

4. I absolutely love aerobics. For me, going to the gym to take an exercise class is like going to dance class. When the music starts, I get almost lost in the rhythm of the steps and before I know it, it's time to cool down and stretch. I go three or four times a week. My current favorite is Body Step. Love it!!

5. I am a safety girl. My husband tells me so on a regular basis. If Andrew leaves to go to the neighbor's house, I always remind him to be careful crossing the street. If Anna's car seat straps aren't just right (you know, two fingers' width between the straps and her chest), I absolutely have to fix it. When Tim talks about getting a motorcycle, I cringe in fear. If I could, we would buy the safest car available, live in the safest neighborhood, and send Andrew to the safest school. Yes, I know...I need to relax.

6. I am a somewhat adventurous eater. I like to try new restaurants and new foods. When we all go out to dinner together, I always have to study the menu to see if there is anything new to try. My boys, however, know what they want before we even get the menu. Other than most shellfish, I haven't found much that I don't enjoy.

7. One of my goals for this year is to be more outspoken about my love for Christ and what He has done for me. God is good!!

Toppings

Okay. I am growing hopeful. I have two or three years to train my daughter to like the same kind of pizza toppings that I do. For five years now, since Andrew decided that he liked pizza, we have been ordering the same old BORING pizza toppings whenever we get the craving for pizza (usually about every other week). When we go grocery shopping and decide to throw a frozen pizza in the cart (you know, for those RARE occasions when I don't feel like cooking...heh), we always choose the same kind of toppings. Yes, you guessed it...pepperoni or sausage. Possibly pepperoni and sausage. Once in a while...a three meats variety. Oooh aaah. Uggh.

Do I eat it? Of course, because the alternative is buying a whole pizza for myself and then feeling like I have to eat it all since we paid extra for it. As a result, my waistline would grow even more than it already has over the past year and well.... that just isn't worth it. We tried doing "half mine, half theirs" a couple of times, but...they eat more than I do and we are left with four slices of supreme and two hungry boys.

Anna is going to have my taste in food, I've decided. I am going to work with her diligently so that when she gets old enough, there will be two votes for the yummy kind of pizza and we will be able to get our own! When we go out to eat, there will be two votes for Thai food or Indian food and I won't have to order another boring salad or burger at Applebee's. Oh yeah, and after dinner...there will of course be two votes to go Shopping.

Pictures, pictures, pictures

I sat here and tried to think about something creative or funny to write about. I sat for quite a while, snacking and snacking because I am starving since my daughter nursed for an hour straight during Andrew's windy baseball game today. I couldn't come up with anything because my brain still has what I like to call the "post-pregnancy mush" feel to it. Sometimes I even find myself taking loooong pauses during conversations to try to come up with seems like the simplest of words.
SO...I decided to just post a bunch of pictures and call it a post. :) I do want to say, however, that Anna now sleeps through the night. (I am still pinching myself!) Last night she slept from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. without waking up. Am I the luckiest mom in the world or what?! As a result, she seems to be starving during the day, nursing at every opportunity. She is such a cutie and Andrew is having fun entertaining her and giving her little kisses on the head. It is so fun to watch them together. This is what I have longed for! Praise God for His blessings.

Sarah The Brave (Well...Sort Of)

Yes, it's true...I did it. I actually strapped on a harness, climbed ten flights of stairs, stood at the edge of the platform, held my breath....and jumped. I think I suprised my husband, who was sure I would stand at the edge and look and then back up with a "no thanks". Secretly, this is what I wanted to do. :)

It has been nearly two years since Tim and I went on this trip to Mt. Hood, but I can still remember those few seconds where I thought I was dying as my body fell through the air, my eyes shut tight, waiting for what seemed like an eternity....until I finally felt myself flying back up in the air. I remember screaming a couple of times and then feeling so relieved when the whole experience was over. You can see in the pictures how I am holding on for dear life to the bungee cord. Tim, being much more of a thrill-seeker than I, dove headfirst off of the platform without a care in the world. Why did I even do it, you ask? Pride, a desire to impress my husband, and a need to be able to say "Oh, yeah...I bungee jumped once".