"Happy Birthday Daddy!"

Today is Colin's 30th birthday! I stayed up late last night to put "Happy Birthday" signs up around the house. I feel a little guilty that I didn't wake up early to make him a special breakfast or anything, but Colin wakes up awfully early for a mommy who is lucky to sleep in every once in awhile.

Yesterday Jackson and I walked to Walmart together. Our original intention was to get Colin's birthday cake mix and also pick up some "Cars" sheets for Jackson's toddler bed (he saw them the last time we went to Walmart and he saved up his own money to buy them).

However, when we got to Walmart they were all out of the "Cars" sheets. Jackson was such a little man. He didn't get sad or anything. Instead we went to the toy isle to look at hotwheels and legos. He didn't even ask to buy any of them even though he had $8.00 in his pocket.

I suggested he use the money to buy his dad a birthday present. He said, "okay." I asked him what he thought Colin might like. "Um ... cars." "That's a good idea Jackson, but do you think that Daddy would like cars or would you just like cars?" "Me." "What do you think Daddy would like?" (pause) Finally I made a few suggestions, "how about coffee or a game or a book?" "Yeah" (as he keeps looking at the hotwheel cars).

He looks at several different toys and says, "Daddy would like this!" But I finally suggest a movie that I know he and Colin would both enjoy and it was only $5.00. So, Jackson gave the cashier money from his piggy bank to buy the movie and we get home the same time Colin gets home from work and Jackson can't help but spill the beans (he gets that from me ... I'm terrible at keeping secrets ... I'm pretty sure that Colin knows what I got him for his birthday too). Luckily Jackson can't remember the title of the movie (just that it's about robots), so I'm hoping Colin will still be a little surprised.

This morning after we took Colin to work and made a quick trip to the grocery store, Jackson and I made cupcakes for Colin's birthday. Jackson was a great helper! Here's the final product:

(FYI: Colin likes German Chocolate Cake, so that's why the middle cupcakes are a little nontraditional.)

We'll have pizza and more celebration tonight for supper. I am so grateful for my husband ... a few signs, presents and cupcakes don't even begin to express how grateful I am for him and the fact that he was born!

Honey (if you are reading this) ... I love you! I hope you have a wonderful birthday and know that I am SO GLAD that God gave you to me!! xoxo

6 Month Check Up

Micah had his 6 month check up today and I am pleased to report that he is a healthy little boy. I was a little nervous about the appointment because it was scheduled for 10:30 (right in the middle of his morning nap), but he did very well ... hardly fussed at all (we'll see how he makes up for the missed nap this afternoon).

Anyway, here are the stats:
17.11 lbs 50%
27 inches long 75%
45 inch head circumference 77%

Micah's pediatrician said that his percentage in weight going down from 60% to 50% is normal for his age as he begins to be more active, but not increase his caloric intake by much. He's comfortable with Micah being on a four hour feeding schedule during the day with two additional solid feedings (by the way, he tried squash for the first time on Sunday and LOVED it) and going twelve hours between feedings at night.

He suggested that I start offering a little bit of water in a sippy cup at the end of each solid feeding to start learning how to drink from a cup and because the fluoride in the water benefits his teeth. I also learned that combining foods with vitamin C (like most fruits) with iron fortified cereal helps his body to better absorb the iron. He also said that it's normal that Micah has gone from pooping every day to pooping every two to three days (as long as his poop is not rock hard there's nothing to worry about).

He got four more shots and downed the rota vaccine like it was sugar water. Jackson comforted him when he cried from the shots (what a good big brother) and for the most part Micah handled them like a champ (I still gave him a dose of Tylenol right before the shots just in case).

Anyway, I feel TOTALLY blessed to have two healthy little boys!!

Pacifiers

Both of my boys took pacifiers when they were very little (about 4 - 6 weeks old). I've always debated about whether or not I wanted to give them one in the first place, but it was either a pacifier or they wanted to nurse in the middle of the night all of the time and THAT wasn't going to happen. Maybe I should just let them discover their thumb ... although, I personally think that it's easier to take a pacifier away than it is to get a child to stop sucking their thumb. Plus pacifiers may help decrease the risk of SIDS.

However, I've read that it's harder to break pacifier use after 6 months. When Jackson was about 6 or 7 months old I asked one of my close friends who had an 18 month old at the time what she did about the whole pacifier issue (I wanted to know if she had any tips on how to wean Jackson from the pacifier). Her response was, "when you figure it out let me know." The next day I took Jackson's pacifier away. I didn't go cold turkey, but I limited it to the car seat and his crib. By 8 months Jackson wasn't taking a pacifier at all.

So, now I'm starting the weaning process with Micah. He already only takes the pacifier in the car and crib which is good (with a few exceptions when he's visiting family/ friends where I don't want him to be fussy). I decided that today was going to be the day that I attempt to put him down for a nap without a pacifier. His first nap was a success! He cried for about ten minutes and then put himself to sleep. He even woke up in the middle of the nap, cried for two seconds and put himself back to sleep. The second nap he cried for two minutes and then went right to sleep, but he woke up half way through the nap and couldn't sooth himself back to sleep, so I gave in to the pacifier. He hasn't had a third nap yet and that's usually his toughest nap (he's transitioning out of this nap very quickly, but still needs it most days) so we'll see how that goes. I'm just going to take little steps at a time. I'm sure I'll have some setbacks along the way (like the shots he'll be getting on Monday), but we'll get there.

Buckets of Fun!

We had two days of over 90 degree weather. Although I'm not complaining (if I did there may be a few of my family and friends from the Midwest that would jump on a plane and shake some sense into me), it's not fun when you live in a two story town home with no air conditioning. Fortunately we have a pool in our complex ... unfortunately I'm not very talented at taking a six month old and an almost three year old to a pool that is three feet or deeper by myself (I was a lifeguard for many of my teenage years and pools and kids still make me nervous), plus Micah was taking a nap and I couldn't bring myself to leave him in a hot car seat by the pool while we enjoyed the cool water. SO, I busted out some buckets and filled them with cold water for Jackson to play in. I let him splash around as much as he wanted to (in hindsight I should have put him in his swimsuit). Alas even this was too hot as the sun beats right on our patio during the day with no shade to protect us, so we finally went inside where I had the house shut up like a cave around 10am to keep it cool. It was fun to enjoy the summer weather, but I'm glad to have a little spring before anymore heat hits us. Jackson had a great time too!

When My Kids Are Sick ...

I think I've gotten much better in the past year about not FREAKING out when my children are sick. When Jackson was little the slightest sign of an ear infection and I went to the doctor's right away. I attribute that partly to the fact that I had a WONDERFUL pediatrician in Omaha that was only five minutes from our home. I also attribute it to the fact that I was a new mom and didn't know much about viruses and infections and the like.

When we moved to Santa Maria I had a TERRIBLE time finding a good pediatrician for Jackson. He saw one in town for his two year check up and I swore I would NEVER go back there. I FINALLY found a pediatrician for Jackson and Micah through a loop hole in the system. Long story short ... when Micah was born the on call pediatrician was not accepting new patients, but made an exception for infants he sees at the hospital for newborn wellness checks (he graciously agreed to accept Jackson too). He is wonderful! However, it's a 45 minute drive to his office. SO, between not having a trustworthy pediatrician for Jackson for several months before Micah was born and now having to drive 45 minutes to get to one, I've definitely been more patient about waiting out whatever virus is going around.

Side note: I must also mention that I have a friend who is a pediatrician in Omaha and I call her A LOT when I'm unsure as to whether or not I should take the kids in to the doctor. She's saved me several visits to the doctor and has calmed my motherly nerves MANY times (thanks Marie ... if you ever get a chance to read this during your crazy schedule).

I've learned several tips from pediatricians and other moms that have made those nasty runny noses and horrific coughs a little more bearable. I've also learned a few facts that have given me peace and allowed me to sleep a little better when my little ones are so sick and I feel so helpless:

Some Facts:

Most ear infections are viral related and by the time an antibiotic starts working (about 48 hours) they usually go away on their own. If they are still showing signs of an ear infection after 48 hours then it's probably a bacterial infection and the antibiotics will help.

It is physically impossible for a child's body to generate a fever high enough on it's own (as opposed to being in a hot car) to cause brain damage (don't laugh ... when your child is burning up there are MANY thoughts that run through a mother's mind).

Taking a child's temperature under their arm, ear or forehead are only approximate temperatures. The only way you can get an accurate temperature reading is by taking it rectally (something I have yet to do). HOWEVER, 99% of the time mother's intuition is correct and if you suspect that your child has a fever, they probably do. Tylenol, Ibuprofen or a temped bath will help bring the fever down temporarily (NOTE: fevers are part of our body's defense system, so fevers are a good thing (the only exception would be if your child is under 8 weeks old)). In addition, if the fever is too high usually there will be other symptoms of concern that will warrant bringing them to the ER or doctor (like seizures for example).

You can safely alternate between Ibuprofen and Tylenol every three hours when you suspect that your child (one year and older) has a fever or ear infection in order to make them more comfortable.

Croup lasts about three days and the second day is the WORST! A steamy bathroom and then a walk out in the cold can help calm a croupy bark.

Studies have shown that honey is the best cough suppressant for children over two years (it may even be one year, but I wanted to play it safe).

A Few Tips:

Cool Mist Humidifiers are wonderful for loosening a cough in the middle of the night and for getting all of that yucky snot out (you'll want to change your kids sheets often though). (I also use the empty humidifier (filter removed) as white noise in their bedrooms when they are not sick.)

Putting a few pillows and/or blankets under the mattress will prop your child up to minimize coughing fits while sleeping. However, don't over do it because infants tend to roll to the end of the bed with too many pillows under the mattress.

Letting your infant sleep in a car seat or swing for a few nights so that they can breath more easily does not usually create a habit that you have to break later on, but it does allow for you to get a couple more hours of sleep on the nights when they are sick.

Non-medicated Saline Drops and a Bulb Syringe when used properly for infants (toddler's nostrils are too big and usually they can blow their own nose) work well to unclog an infant especially right before they nurse or take a bottle. However, you can suck all day and you still won't get it all out.


Some Things that Did NOT Work:

BabyVics although it smells really nice, I don't think it did anything for my kids' cough.

DanActive, although I am a huge fan of the benefits of the probiotics in this drink I wouldn't say that drinking it shortened the length of my children's illness (not that it claims to, but I guess it was hopeful thinking on my part).

Anyway, ... can you tell that my kids are sick right now? No matter all the facts and all the tips I still feel so HELPLESS when my little ones can't stop coughing in the middle of the night or they cough so hard that they throw up a little or they wheeze or cry or, or, or. Whenever they are sick like this God uses it to remind me to put their physical and spiritual well being in His hands and to ultimately trust Him.

Easter Pictures

Here are a few pictures from our trip to the Midwest for Easter:

5 Months

It seems like it's been awhile since I've posted about our progress. Colin was on vacation for a week and a half so we've been traveling like crazy! It's been wonderful to visit places and see people, but it has been difficult on our routines.

Micah was doing about a three and a half hour feeding schedule with one two hour feeding towards the end of the night to keep up the five feedings and to also keep up the twelve hours of sleep he was getting at night. I also started feeding him baby oatmeal once a day at his 5 o'clock feeding. However, when we were on vacation in the Midwest Micah was not nursing well. He'd eat one side (maybe) and then nurse only a tiny bit on the other side. I attributed it to a flexible routine and him having a cold. There were a few times that he went longer than three and a half hours and he nursed MUCH better (I thought maybe he was getting ready to go on a four hour feeding schedule before we left, but I wanted to wait until we were back from vacation and in a normal routine), so I "sucked it up" and switched him to a four hour feeding schedule and added one more feeding of oatmeal at the end of our trip. I was surprised at how easily he fell into a four hour routine. Now Micah's routine looks like this (knock on wood because as soon as I write this something will change I'm sure):

7:30 nurse
9:30 nap
11:30 nurse and feed solid food
1:30 nap
3:30 nurse and feed solid food (although I'm thinking about doing solids around supper time instead, so that when he's weaned from nursing it'll be an easier transition to our meal time, but I don't want to create a habit of eating every 2 to 3 hours still)
5:30 short nap (this nap can get easily skipped if need be)
7:30 nurse and bed



Micah also started rolling from his tummy to his back pretty consistently this month and he can sit up for a few seconds without assistance. His drool output has definitely increased this month and perhaps we'll be seeing a tooth in the next little while (Jackson didn't get his first tooth until 7 months so we'll see). He's a happy little guy and although he hasn't made any consonant sounds yet he loves to jabber. He's a cuddle bug too. Sometimes if he fusses at the beginning of a nap all I have to do is cuddle with him for a few minutes and then put him back in his crib and he goes right to sleep. (By the way, I'm still swaddling him for his naps and he still takes a pacifier. For bed time, I put socks on his hands (I know it sounds silly)so that he doesn't accidentally scratch himself and to discourage him from sucking his thumb.) He's also very tender hearted when it comes to his brother ... if Jackson is crying Micah will cry too and the minute Jackson stops so does Micah.

I haven't had much Mommy and Jackson time lately due to our traveling, but Jackson has not been deprived at all (time with great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, going to Disneyland, etc.) He's grown up so much these past couple of weeks. I LOVE watching him play with other children ... his personality begins to shine. Despite being sick with a cold at the end of our vacation Jackson has been SUCH a trouper with all of the crazy traveling we've been doing lately. I really am proud of his maturity in that regard.

My boys are growing up WAY too fast, but it's been such an honor and a blessing to watch!!

TOTALLY Worth It

Question: Why is it that the two biggest church holidays where we expect our children to look nice for pictures and be happy are the most chaotic?!

How could I possible expect my children to be little angels when they have been in an airplane for four hours straight, in the car for a total of about eight hours, missed several naps, pumped full of sugar, sleeping in a totally different environment than they are used to, over stimulated by all of the relatives that need to hug and kiss on them and sick with colds.

But they were.

I'm the cranky one. I get irritated if people are not considerate of my child sleeping in the upstairs room. I'm annoyed with all of the noises of a different house (creaky staircases, squeaky doors, footsteps on the ceiling). I get frustrated when someone wants to interrupt my motherly routine. I'm paranoid about germs from strangers and relatives. I'm disappointed the the sleeping arrangements are a little more than cramped. I'm cranky.

But it's worth it.

I've missed being with family. It's rare to be in a room full of people that you love so much and who love you in return. It's rare to watch your children be loved on and cared for and played with by people who genuinely love them and want whats best for them. It's rare to talk until the wee hours of the night about anything and everything because no one wants to say good night because that means it's one more day closer to saying good bye.

It's TOTALLY worth it.

Switch-a-Roo

So when we first moved here the original thought was that Micah and Jackson would share a room once Micah was sleeping through the night. Then I changed my mind ... I think families who can successfully have such young children share rooms should be given a medal! I'm not that brave. :)

Micah was sleeping in our room (actually our walk-in closet ... don't worry we moved all of our clothes out of it) since he was about 8 or 9 weeks old. He started to warp the bassinet in the pac-n-play so we decided it's probably time we switched him to a real crib. Since Colin took some vacation time now was a great time to do it.

The transition was very smooth. We are all sleeping well in our new rooms. Here are a few before and after pictures of the switch-a-roo!

Jackson's room before the switch...
and Jackson's room after (we had to move his bed because we wanted to decrease the chances of the boys hearing each other) ... it looks a little bare, but at least he has plenty of room to play! :)
Micah's room when it was the office ... Micah's room now (there he is in his crib sound asleep).
Our bedroom before...
and after (we're a little cramped (you can't even see the 4 drawer filing cabinet we crammed in there too), but we're glad we were able to give Micah his own room).

Our Trip to Disneyland

Colin is off of work for a week and a half. YA!! So, we took a road trip to my grandparents' house in southern California and made a day trip to Disneyland. I was a little nervous about taking a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old to Disneyland. I played out the worst possible scenario in my head ... we arrive at Disneyland and Jackson takes one look at Mickey Mouse and screams in terror and won't stop screaming until we get in the car to go back to my grandparents'. Luckily that is NOT what happened. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking such young children to Disneyland (the chances of them remembering any of it is unlikely), we made some GREAT memories and this is probably the cheapest we'll EVER get to go to Disneyland so we went for it! I watched Jackson grow up before my eyes on this trip. Even though he talked about the "bad guys" the entire drive from my grandparents' house to Disneyland and what he would do if he saw one, he didn't show an ounce of fear the entire time we were there. He got to see a street show with all of the Disney characters while eating a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar (you'll see the evidence of that on his shirt in some of the pictures posted). He went on King Arthur's Carousel, The Dumbo Ride, It's A Small World (of course) and visited almost all of Toontown. My grandpa came along too and it was wonderful to spend some quality time with him as well. We ended the day at 4pm when Jackson fell asleep watching the parade despite my yelling, "Jackson look, it's Mickey!" After Disneyland we headed to my sister and brother-in-law's apartment in San Pedro and enjoyed a nice supper at Macaroni Grill to celebrate her 28th birthday and their one year wedding anniversary. Jackson ate a ton of sugar and got only a one hour nap (probably closer to 45 minutes) and didn't get to bed until 10pm that night. I was AMAZED at how he didn't melt down at the end of the night even though he was one tired little boy. He's growing up so fast. Jackson hasn't stopped talking about how Mickey blew him a kiss since we've come home. Toontown King Arthur's Carousel Even Micah enjoyed "It's a Small World" Jackson "driving" Mickey's car at Mickey's house. Jackson had a GREAT time bonding with his Great-Grandpa Kohlenburg Here's a few pictures taken at my grandparents' house.

Leftovers

Last week my husband put in 80 plus hours at work! That's crazy ... INSANE! It was hard to have him gone that much. I missed him and our kids missed him, but I often forget how hard it is on Colin. There were some days that he got to see Jackson for only about ten minutes to tuck him into bed and then he went to work again and on those days he didn't see Micah at all. By the end of the week he was exhausted!

So what did I do when the craziness at his work finally blew over? No, I didn't cook him a fancy meal or get a babysitter and go on a date with him. I'm pretty sure we had leftovers and I went out for my usually Monday night Starbucks without him AND he let me go without complaint! I didn't think about Colin. I thought about myself. I was exhausted too from being a single parent all week. Part of me feels really guilty about it, but part of me really needed that time to myself to gather enough energy to love on my husband.

If I wasn't a Christian I think I'd be okay with my decision to think of myself. After all, our culture bombards us with the idea that we "deserve a break today." However, the Bible says differently, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but with humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil. 2:3-4) (Ironically that was the Bible verse that Jackson was memorizing the week that Colin worked those crazy hours and I STILL put my interests before Colin's.)

Colin got leftovers this week in more ways than one. However, we did have a wonderful and romantic date night last night. I am married to an amazing man and he deserves more than just my leftovers.

Weeks 19 & 20

Not much to report these two weeks. I've been starting to work out about two times a week for about 30 minutes of cardio and 15 - 20 mins of weight lifting, but have noticed that I need to start watching what I'm eating ... yeah I'm beginning to wonder if I'm gaining weight. I'm trying not to worry about it, but just change my lifestyle a little.

I gave Micah rice cereal at the end of week 19 because he was waking up an hour or two earlier in the mornings. The cereal helped a little, but I think it made him a little constipated. I stopped feeding the cereal to him and he was still sleeping fine. I took some stool softener to get him to poop a little more comfortably at the end of week 20 and he is doing much better. I think I'll hold off on the cereal for a couple more weeks. I wonder if my milk supply was down a little and that's why he was waking up so I pumped a little extra during week 19 and increased my fluid intake as well and things seem like they're back to normal. Micah is also taking a bottle regularly from Colin on Monday nights. YEAH! The medium flow Nuby Naturals with really warm milk is what he seems to prefer.

I'm in the process of looking for some very simple and flexible curriculum to start with Jackson. He's been in Sunday school for the past three weeks and has started a Bible verse/ Catechism memory chart. I'm impressed with how quickly he is picking up on the verses and questions. I'm even more impressed that he takes time to ask what the verses or answers mean. Anyway, he REALLY likes Mommy and Jackson time and it's obvious that he can handle a little more structured learning now, so if any of you have any suggestions for curriculum for a two year old your input would be greatly appreciated.

Week 18: Bottle and Boogie Man Battles

Micah had his 4 month check up this week and everything went well. He's 15 lbs 14oz and is 25 inches long. He's in the 60% for weight and 75% for height and head size. Other than a little eczema on his back the doctor said he looks like a healthy little boy! YEAH! Thank the LORD!

That being said, this past week we have been battling with Micah to take a bottle. Last week we bought a new brand of bottles to see if he would like it and he even took 5 ounces from me. BUT he hasn't wanted anything to do with the bottle since! I should have started giving him one regularly when he was a little younger ... (sigh) who knows he might have STILL had problems even now. Well, we're NOT giving up, so if any of you moms out there have any good advice for me I'd love to hear it.

Other than that Micah's week was pretty good. He was out of routine on Sunday so he did have a little bit of a hard time adjusting to naps again on Monday and Tuesday. He also woke up in the middle of the night on Wednesday due to his shots (he got four shots and an oral rota virus vaccine), but I just gave him a little Tylenol and as soon as that kicked in he went right back to sleep.

Jackson had a great week too, but we are just starting to battle his active imagination at night time. Nothing to unmanageable, but still a battle none-the-less. I didn't help matters much yesterday night ... I let Jackson watch "Toy Story." Usually I skip past the scary parts, but I was talking to my friend on the phone about my bottle dilemma with Micah and forgot to pay attention. In the middle of our conversation I heard Jackson yell, "MOMMY! MOMMY, MOMMY!" in the most frightened voice I'd ever heard come out of his little mouth. I quickly turned off the T.V. and ended the conversation with my friend (sorry Rachel). Jackson was so scared that he wouldn't even go near the T.V. He just wanted to go upstairs and cuddle with his daddy who was on a conference call for work (that was part of the reason I let him watch the movie in the first place). We interrupted the meeting for a quick cuddle and then Jackson was fine. I felt SO bad! We talked about how the movie was just pretend and how God will protect him and take care of him. I was fully expecting to be up in the night with Jackson, but he didn't wake up at all (thank you Jesus). Whew! I learned MY lesson!

Week 17: A Quick One

This week was so similar to last week that I almost didn't blog it, but there are a few notes to myself that I need to make.

My progress: I ran out of my DHA supplement that my midwives suggested I take during my pregnancy and while nursing. It enhances your memory and mood. Not to mention that it's chalk full of Omega-3s which is also good for your heart as well. I did see a change in my mood this week so I quickly ordered a refill.

Micah: I finally got Micah to take a full bottle this week. I tried one bottle a day for about three or four days this week. He takes it best while I'm walking around with him. I also switched from the Evenflo bottles to the drop-in Playtex bottles. He seems to be taking the fast latex natural latch nipple well, but I'm hoping to switch him to the silicone as soon as he'll take it because I guess the more he's exposed to latex the higher risk he has of developing an allergy to latex. Anyway, I think we will continue to try and give him one bottle a week at bedtime so that he's okay with taking an occasional bottle from a babysitter.

Jackson: we have "Mommy and Jackson Time" at 10:30 almost every morning now. I'm a little bored of playing "cars" so I found a great website called Toddler Toddler that has some fun ideas for things to do with Jackson during that time. This week we made our own puzzles out of scrap pictures, we visited a virtual circus (on YouTube) and made his bedroom into a library (he had his own library card and everything). We had a couple of sunny days this week too, so being outside helped too! I'd love to hear other mom's ideas on how to entertain a toddler without just turning on a video (which is very appropriate and tempting at times, but I TRY to make it my last resort).

AWESOME Prayer

Colin and Jackson were on their way to get me some coffee (Monday is usually my Starbucks night, but I accidentally let my license expire (that's another blog for another time) so I couldn't drive myself). Anyway, on the way to Starbucks Colin and Jackson had the following conversation (or at least something close to it):

Colin: Oh Jackson, when we get back home it will be time for Bible story. Do you remember what tonight's Bible story is about?

Jackson: Say it Dad.

Colin: Yesterday we read about Jesus dying and being buried, but did he stay dead or is he alive?

Jackson: He's alive Dad!

Colin: It's so good that Jesus died and came back to life Jackson because now he can live in our hearts and we can go to heaven. Jesus lives in Mommy's heart and my heart and someday if you ask Jesus he can live in your heart too.

(Long Pause -- Colin said they even talked about something else for a little while)
(Slient Pause)

Jackson: Dear Jesus, please come live in my heart! Amen.

Colin said that Jackson also asked to pray for Micah that he would someday ask Jesus to live in his heart too. I'm not sure if Jackson understands all of the implications of asking Jesus into his heart, but who am I to say that God can't regenerate the heart of my two year old son. Praise the Lord for an answered prayer! May I never forget to pray for the the salvation and sanctification of my children! What a day to celebrate!

New Camera!

Colin surprised me for my birthday with a new digital camera ... it's WAY better than my old one. Here are a few of the pictures I've taken so far.

Week 16: CLICK

Things really seemed to click this week for all of us. I'm sure it helped that none of us are sick right now. Sunday and Monday were the most difficult days of the week because Sunday is compelety out of routine with church and Monday is spent trying to get back into the routine that was interrupted on Sunday. I remember this to be true with Jackson too up until he was even a year old. Worshiping our Lord and Savior is well worth the sacrifice of a routine though and I'm not going to change anything in that regard. I know that Micah will learn how to bounce back quicker over time.

Well, I stuck to the three hour schedule this week like I planned and things are going well. This is the first time that I really feel like we have a good routine established. For my sake and perhaps for yours I'll write down what our daily routine looks like:

7:00am - Jackson wakes up and has time with Colin before Colin goes to work.
7:30am - Micah nurses and Colin is off to work.
8:00am - Micah has awake time downstairs while Jackson and I eat breakfast.
8:45am - Micah goes down for a nap and Jackson and I get cleaned up and dressed for the day. Then we have our morning one on one play time.
10:30am - Micah nurses and Jackson has alone play time until Micah is done and then we all play together.
12:00pm - Micah goes down for a nap and Jackson and I eat lunch.
1:00pm - Jackson goes down for a nap and I get some alone play time (SIGH).
1:30pm - Micah nurses and we have one on one play time.
3:00pm - Micah goes down for a nap and I have a little time to do devotions, rest or plan supper.
4:00pm - Jackson wakes up from his nap.
4:30pm - Micah nurses.
5:30pm - I start getting supper ready.
6:00pm - Colin comes home from work and we have supper and Micah goes down for a nap.
6:30pm - Colin and Jackson have one on one play time.
7:15pm - Wake up Micah and Jackson starts to get ready for bed.
7:30pm - Bible time with Jackson and Micah.
7:45pm - Jackson in bed and Micah gets ready for bed and nurses.
8:00pm - Micah in bed.

That's pretty much how the week went this week. It gets more complicated when you add in going grocery shopping and the library, which I'm so proud that I accomplished this week as well. I was also able to clean my entire house and do all the laundry this friday too (my sister and her brother-in-law are visiting this weekend) which I haven't done since before Micah was born.

Colin and I celebrated Valentine's last night by getting a babysitter and going out to eat. I was so excited because Micah and Jackson had had a GREAT day of naps and playtime and I got cleaning done and Colin came home early from work it was a GREAT day!! We enjoyed a wonderful meal at a very nice restaurant, but the babysitter called and said that Micah wouldn't take the bottle I prepared for him. Luckily we were pretty much done with dinner and didn't sound like Micah was too fussy. So, we finished up and headed home to feed Micah. We hadn't tried giving him a bottle since he was about 10 weeks old, so I wasn't sure how he'd do with it. We were able to successfully give Jackson a bottle at least once a week, so that freed us to go on dates whenever we wanted or needed to. This will be our next goal for Micah!!

Good week all in all!!

20 Children's Books

Jackson and I LOVE going to the library and Santa Maria just got a brand new library this past summer so we have been VERY spoiled. We go to the library at least once a week to check out half a dozen books at one time. Of course, we read them all in one day and continue to read them over and over again throughout the week. WE LOVE BOOKS! So, we decided to put together a list of books that we thought were worth checking out again. This is mostly a list of library books, so it does not include any of the books we own (with the exception of the Bible Stories and Curious George) and therefore there are some classics that did not make this list. It was hard to decide on only 20 books and of course I have two boys so most of these are boyish books, but I think they'd still be fun for girls too. Anyway, I hope you enjoy our list and get a chance to check them out at your local library some time! "But you don't have to take my word for it!" (Sorry. Just had to slip that Reading Rainbow flashback in there!)





"365 Bible Stories for Young Hearts"
We bought this book for Jackson when he was VERY little. Colin and I love this book because it has a concise Bible story every day, but it doesn't water down the true Bible stories ... yes it even includes stories like Jezebel getting eaten by dogs. It also includes some interpretation of the Bible stories, but for the most part they are just telling the stories from the Bible.





"The Complete Adventures of Curious George" by Margaret and H.A. Rey
One of Jackson's all time favorite books. Of course you have to look past some of the cultural norms of the 1950s like George smoking a pipe before he goes to bed, but it's a classic and every kid can relate to being curious and sometimes a little too curious.





"Digger Man" By Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha
This book is a part of a series of books by Andrea Zimmerman. A cute story about a boy who imagines what it would be like and what he would do if he had a digger. We read this when I was pregnant with Micah and it sparked conversations about what it would be like to be a big brother as well.




"Hot Air: The Mostly True Story of the First Hot Air Balloon Ride" by Marjorie Priceman
A very fun tale of the first hot air balloon ride in France. There are actually very few words in this book except for the very beginning and end of this book which makes it fun for the imagination. I love at the end of the book the brief history of the actual invention of the hot air balloon.








"Can You See What I See Trucks and Cars" by Walter Wick
A great eye spy book for young readers. Jackson could look at this one for HOURS ... luckily we checked it out when he was potty training and it was small enough for him to hold while he was on the potty.







"C is for Caboose: Riding the Rail from A to Z"
A great book for parent and child with fun railroad trivia and historical photographs.









"Walter the Farting Dog" by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray Illustrated by Audrey Coleman
My mom actually introduced Jackson to this book. It's a very whimsical book about a gassy dog and how one can turn a problem into a solution.







"Mother, Mother, I Want Another" by Maria Polushkin Robbins Illustrated by Jon Goodell
A cute bedtime story dedicated to Moms! Gotta love these stories!












"A Vistor For Bear" by Bonny Becker Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
A wonderful story about friendship! We love that it uses words like "impossible, intolerable, insufferable." The characters are very memorable ... Jackson and I have played Mouse and Bear many times since we've read this book.










"Together" by Jane Simmons
Two dogs become best friends despite their differences. Great message!









"The Three Silly Billies" by Margie Palatini Illustrated by Barry Moser
A spin on the traditional "Three Billy Goats Gruff" that includes Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk and several other classic stories. The goats are a bunch of surfer dudes ... fun!











"Llama Llama Red Pajama" by Anna Dewdney
One of my favorite books. It has a fun cantar and rhyme and a great message for bedtime. My favorite line is when the mama says, "Llama, Llama what a tizzy! Don't you know you're mama's busy?"











"Truck Driver Tom" by Monica Wellington
This book's story is just mediocre, but the pictures are really fun. It combines photos with drawings and is sort of like an eye spy book as well.












"Don't Forget I Love You" by Miriam Moss Illustrated by Anna Currey
Another Mommy story about a little bear dawdling on his way to school and even though Mom's in a hurry she's never too busy to say "I love you."










"Mind Your Manners B.B. Wolf" by Judy Sierra Illustrated by J. Otto Seibold
An after the happily ever after story about the big bad wolf going to a tea party at the library and how he makes up a song to remember his manners. So fun! I love trying to make up a melody for the songs in these types of books! Uncle Josh read this one to Jackson and came up with a great tune ... too bad I can't remember it!










"I Stink" by Kate and Jim McMullan
A book about a garbage truck filled with lots of onomatopoeias and the words are also illustrated. For example, the word "crushed" looks crushed. It's very fun and I found it was a great way to get Jackson to get interested in learning how to read words. This book is one in a series of books. We also checked out: "I'm Mighty" about a tug boat and "I'm Dirty" about a digger!
































"Every Friday" by Dan Yaccarino One of Colin's favorite books about a dad taking his son out for breakfast every Friday and the rituals they experience on their walk to the diner.












"Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" by Mo Willems
A fun book that breaks the fourth wall (if I may use theatre terms) and talks to the reader. It's the reader's responsibility to keep the pigeon from driving the bus NO MATTER WHAT the pigeon says. This is one in a series of books as well: "Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!" "The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!" "The Pigeon Has Feelings To!" "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!" "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!"











"Falling For Rapunzel" by Leah Wilcox and Lydia Monks
We mostly like this take off of the traditional Rapunzel story because it has underware in it ... just read it ... you'll love it!











"Why Do You Cry?" by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise
A little boy is turning five and doesn't want any cry babies at his party. He invites only his friends who don't cry ... well ...you'll see what happens when you read it ... moms make sure you remember a tissue ... it's very sweet.









"Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm" by Jerdine Nolen and Mark Buehner
A very imaginative book ... I'll admit that it's a little strange in parts, BUT very imaginative ... AND there is a hidden cow, chicken, pig, cat and dinosaur on every page even the cover and back of the book.