Karis has lots of thoughts on parenting. A few weeks ago she told me that she was never going to have her children clean up and that she would wait until after they went to bed and then clean up for them. I told her I would be sure to write that down and show it to her children when she asked them to clean up. So now she has come up with a new list of "Rules" for her children, she wrote them out for me.
1. Bring your bowls to the sink.
2. Clean up your toys when you're done.
3. Do not tease.
4. Think of others first.
5. Ask only once.
6. Read your Bible every day.
7. Don't tackle Daddy when he gets home.
8. Always go to Grandma's on Wednesday.
Not bad, they sound a lot like the rules I'm always harping on.
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
It's a...
I took this paper to the doctor on Friday morning and asked her to take a look on the sonogram, fill out the paper and put it in a sealed envelope...we opened it as a family when I got back...we are THRILLED!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
7 to 7
7 years
7 monthsMy oldest and my youngest are both getting teeth. One of my favorite things right now is listening to Karis talk with a lisp. She sounds like a little kid and I love it! Even though she is seven she is one of those kids who is 7 going on 17. She starting talking in full sentences when she was less than a year, her vocabulary is quite large and she rarely has a lack of words and I am often quick to forget that she is only 7. Hearing her talk with a lisp is GREAT! It helps me remember that is only 7 and really it just sounds so cute. Honestly, I just look at her and smile all day long (because that's how much she talks). She is SO cute!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Fear
After our exciting day when the tree fell in our yard, Cia has developed an intense fear of a tree falling on her. This makes it difficult for her to play outside. She is okay if there is not wind and the tree aren't moving AND someone is outside with her BUT if the trees are moving at all she is not going.
So the other day when there was no wind and Erik and were working on a project outside she was walking across the backyard and an acorn fell about 40 feet right on her head- how funny is that!
So the other day when there was no wind and Erik and were working on a project outside she was walking across the backyard and an acorn fell about 40 feet right on her head- how funny is that!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
School Days
We have started school again here at home. This year Karis is in first grade, Jotham is in kindergarten, Mercia is in distraction, Jedi is in the pack n play, and Lord willing Titus is sleeping.
We started unofficially a few weeks ago, just to sort of break me into the idea again. Yesterday was our first official day and the following is the text I sent Erik "I think we should send them to school because there is no way I can do it." That was at 10 am and we hadn't done a bit of school work yet- on our first day! But God gave grace and the day got better and today actually went well. I am desperately aware of how much I need the Lord to sustain me for each moment of the day and the amazing thing is he sustains me. As he says in his word, ""My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
These are sweet words to my soul!
We started unofficially a few weeks ago, just to sort of break me into the idea again. Yesterday was our first official day and the following is the text I sent Erik "I think we should send them to school because there is no way I can do it." That was at 10 am and we hadn't done a bit of school work yet- on our first day! But God gave grace and the day got better and today actually went well. I am desperately aware of how much I need the Lord to sustain me for each moment of the day and the amazing thing is he sustains me. As he says in his word, ""My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
These are sweet words to my soul!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Your Future...
Titus, your future bride awaits you...
Titus & Autumn
She may be a little older but she is darling!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Dramatic Pause
I've been attempting to encourage the kids to be grateful and instead of just saying, "Jesus, help me to obey." to actually thank him for something... anything! So this morning I loved Jotham's prayer and the dramatic pause that was included.
"Father, thank you for my sisters. {Long Pause- probably coming from the surprise of thanking God for his sisters, which seemed unintentional.} Father, help me to be kind and love and protect my sisters. Amen."
Amen!
"Father, thank you for my sisters. {Long Pause- probably coming from the surprise of thanking God for his sisters, which seemed unintentional.} Father, help me to be kind and love and protect my sisters. Amen."
Amen!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Lemonade Stand
When the kids were at my parents house in NJ Karis had a lemonade stand. Guess how much she made in just a few hours? $28 dollars!!! Granted this is the beach and she was on a street with a lot of foot traffic. She was only charging 25 cents a cup but most people gave her a dollar and wouldn't take change. One man gave her and Jotham each a dollar just for being cute. She did pay Jotham $2 for helping, she is a very generous employer.
Photo Shoot
Our great friend Jonalee took some photos of our family and our little man a few weeks ago. Check out her talent here.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
100.9
This is the number that put Titus (& me) back in the hospital for a couple of days at least.
Yesterday morning when he woke up he felt warm and as the day went on it continued when I took his temp at 1 pm it was 100.7, which for a newborn is considered a fever. About 20 minutes later it had gone up to 100.9, I called our doctor and he told me to bring him to the ER. His temp here was the same and they began to do a "work-up" on him, urine sample, blood tests, spinal tap. Our poor boy was a trooper though it all. Mommy was a bit emotional and Daddy was our rock through it all.
Last night the spinal tap came back with high white blood cell indicating that there is an infection in his spinal colomn, which could mean menigitis. He seems to be responding well to the antibotics they have him on (no fever since the middle of the night).
Please pray for our little guy (& me). There is a chance that we could be here for 14 days. I'm living in the hope that it won't be that long.
Yesterday morning when he woke up he felt warm and as the day went on it continued when I took his temp at 1 pm it was 100.7, which for a newborn is considered a fever. About 20 minutes later it had gone up to 100.9, I called our doctor and he told me to bring him to the ER. His temp here was the same and they began to do a "work-up" on him, urine sample, blood tests, spinal tap. Our poor boy was a trooper though it all. Mommy was a bit emotional and Daddy was our rock through it all.
Last night the spinal tap came back with high white blood cell indicating that there is an infection in his spinal colomn, which could mean menigitis. He seems to be responding well to the antibotics they have him on (no fever since the middle of the night).
Please pray for our little guy (& me). There is a chance that we could be here for 14 days. I'm living in the hope that it won't be that long.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Here he is...
We came home from the hospital last night. It is SO good to be home as a family. Loving our little man.Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Birth Story: Titus
The story of Titus' birth starts with knowing that he was breech. For us this means attempting to do an External Version in the hopes of avoiding a c-section. This was scheduled for early Tuesday morning with the same doctor who successfully "turned" Jedi. I should also say that I was COMPLETELY dreading the version and everything else to with labor and delivery.
We arrived at the hospital and was brought back to the pre-op because if the version was not successful or was too distressing to me or the baby I would be brought immediately into the OR for a c-section. As I mentioned I was dreading every aspect of labor, even getting the IV in. So they put it in and I thought, "That wasn't so bad." Then they gave me fluids and put in the epidural, which I was also dreading, and I thought "That wasn't so bad." After the epidural my blood pressure went down and I needed some medicine to help. Then they gave me another drug to completely relax my uterus.
My version with Jedi was successful and quick BUT very painful so I was expecting a lot of pain but in God's kindness when the doctor starting working on my belly I couldn't feel it at all- truly amazing because she was really working on my belly. Unlike Jedi, it was not quick. After a few minutes with no movement they stopped to check the baby's heart rate, which was really low. The doctor looked at Erik and gave the, "This is not going to happen look." The nurses started prepping me for surgery, the OR was ready to take me and then Erik said, "Doctor can you give it one more try." She said, "Let's see how quickly the baby recovers." He did recover pretty quickly and she called in a PA to help work on my belly for try number 2. Again she started working on my belly and I couldn't feel it (praise God). After several minutes she got his head down, checked his heart rate which was OK BUT right next to head was his foot. Can you imagine how uncomfortable that position must have been!?! So now, his head is down but I still can't actually deliver him. The doctor then proceeded to stick her whole hand inside me and tried to push his foot out of the way, after a few minutes he pulled it up and the version was done! Amazing. There was a moment in there, can't exactly remember when that the doctor was asking for his heart rate and nobody seemed able to find it, after 10 seconds the doctor in a firm tone says, give me that (meaning the sonogram thing) and she found in right away, I think the other people just didn't know where to look BUT it was a pretty intense moment for Erik and I.
Next they broke my water and discovered he had passed the meconium, which can add complications later. They started pitocin and continued to monitor me in the pre-op room for another 20 minutes or so, trying to make sure we were both OK and stable and then they moved me over to labor and delivery. I think we got to L&D around 11:45 ish. I was around 3 cm and they would gradually increase the pitocin making labor harder and harder, at this point I did NOT say "Oh that wasn't too bad." I started saying, "I can't do this, I can't do this." When they checked me at around 2:50 I was 7 cm and then 10 minutes later I could feel his head ready to come out and I was 10 cm. I started pushing, and said again, "I can't do this!" But in God's kindness after 9 minutes of pushing he came out, covered in meconium (yuck). They had to have the NICU doctor there to check him and then they had to do "deep suction" out of his lungs and he was having a hard time clearing this lungs for about 45 minutes and I had to wait to feed him because of this but then he just started breathing fine and was great.
Through all of this I have come away again freshly reminded of God's faithfulness and kindness. In my lack of faith and in my complaining HE is faithful, HE never changes. As I was getting my very first bag of fluids in the pre-op room I listened to this song by Matt Redman, which encouraged my soul and brought my eyes upward:
We arrived at the hospital and was brought back to the pre-op because if the version was not successful or was too distressing to me or the baby I would be brought immediately into the OR for a c-section. As I mentioned I was dreading every aspect of labor, even getting the IV in. So they put it in and I thought, "That wasn't so bad." Then they gave me fluids and put in the epidural, which I was also dreading, and I thought "That wasn't so bad." After the epidural my blood pressure went down and I needed some medicine to help. Then they gave me another drug to completely relax my uterus.
My version with Jedi was successful and quick BUT very painful so I was expecting a lot of pain but in God's kindness when the doctor starting working on my belly I couldn't feel it at all- truly amazing because she was really working on my belly. Unlike Jedi, it was not quick. After a few minutes with no movement they stopped to check the baby's heart rate, which was really low. The doctor looked at Erik and gave the, "This is not going to happen look." The nurses started prepping me for surgery, the OR was ready to take me and then Erik said, "Doctor can you give it one more try." She said, "Let's see how quickly the baby recovers." He did recover pretty quickly and she called in a PA to help work on my belly for try number 2. Again she started working on my belly and I couldn't feel it (praise God). After several minutes she got his head down, checked his heart rate which was OK BUT right next to head was his foot. Can you imagine how uncomfortable that position must have been!?! So now, his head is down but I still can't actually deliver him. The doctor then proceeded to stick her whole hand inside me and tried to push his foot out of the way, after a few minutes he pulled it up and the version was done! Amazing. There was a moment in there, can't exactly remember when that the doctor was asking for his heart rate and nobody seemed able to find it, after 10 seconds the doctor in a firm tone says, give me that (meaning the sonogram thing) and she found in right away, I think the other people just didn't know where to look BUT it was a pretty intense moment for Erik and I.
Next they broke my water and discovered he had passed the meconium, which can add complications later. They started pitocin and continued to monitor me in the pre-op room for another 20 minutes or so, trying to make sure we were both OK and stable and then they moved me over to labor and delivery. I think we got to L&D around 11:45 ish. I was around 3 cm and they would gradually increase the pitocin making labor harder and harder, at this point I did NOT say "Oh that wasn't too bad." I started saying, "I can't do this, I can't do this." When they checked me at around 2:50 I was 7 cm and then 10 minutes later I could feel his head ready to come out and I was 10 cm. I started pushing, and said again, "I can't do this!" But in God's kindness after 9 minutes of pushing he came out, covered in meconium (yuck). They had to have the NICU doctor there to check him and then they had to do "deep suction" out of his lungs and he was having a hard time clearing this lungs for about 45 minutes and I had to wait to feed him because of this but then he just started breathing fine and was great.
Through all of this I have come away again freshly reminded of God's faithfulness and kindness. In my lack of faith and in my complaining HE is faithful, HE never changes. As I was getting my very first bag of fluids in the pre-op room I listened to this song by Matt Redman, which encouraged my soul and brought my eyes upward:
How Great Is Your Faithfulness
Now unto the king who reigns over all,
and never changes or turns
Unfailing justice, unfading grace,
Whose promises remain,
Yes, Your promises remain.
The heavens ring, the saints all sing,
Great is your faithfulness
From age to age we will proclaim
Great is your faithfulness,
How great is your faithfulness. Yes
Everything changes, but your stay the same;
your word and kingdom endure
we lean on the promise of all that you are,
and trust forevermore
we will trust forevermore
From generation to generation
you never fail us oh God
Yesterday and today and tomorrow
until the day you return
Introducing...
Titus Ephraim
Born 6/29/2010 @ 3:09 PM
Coming in at a HUGE 9 lbs. 3 oz. and an average 20 inches.
In God's kindness the doctor was able to turn him into the right position (with some difficulty) and I was able to deliver him vaginally. I'm sure I will post his birth story at some point but right now we are resting well in the hospital.
Born 6/29/2010 @ 3:09 PM
Coming in at a HUGE 9 lbs. 3 oz. and an average 20 inches.
In God's kindness the doctor was able to turn him into the right position (with some difficulty) and I was able to deliver him vaginally. I'm sure I will post his birth story at some point but right now we are resting well in the hospital.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bathtime
Hey Buddy, bathtime for you is over, you are already wearing your pjs.
This is what happens when you try to put away the laundry while one kid is in the bath and the other is crawling around (ie. kid crawling takes a second bath and makes more laundry).
Monday, June 21, 2010
Cherry Picking
Karis' favorite fruit are cherries, she loves all fruit but she really loves cherries. Since she has a such a cheap maybe I should frugal mom she rarely gets them. But a local pick your own happen to have sweet cherries this year (which for our area is pretty rare) so a few Saturday's ago I branched out of my comfort zone and took 4 kids cherry picking.
We had a lot of fun picking A LOT of cherries and the result was many evenings of full bellies and also a sweet cherry pie. Karis was actually a GREAT picker, very helpful, unlike my other assistants who only ate cherries and complained about how hot it was.
On another note, I decided to buy a Cherry Pitter
and this is now my favorite little kitchen gadget, guess I might have to start buying cherries after all.
We had a lot of fun picking A LOT of cherries and the result was many evenings of full bellies and also a sweet cherry pie. Karis was actually a GREAT picker, very helpful, unlike my other assistants who only ate cherries and complained about how hot it was.
On another note, I decided to buy a Cherry Pitter
and this is now my favorite little kitchen gadget, guess I might have to start buying cherries after all.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Nesting
Quote:
"Nesting brings about some unique and seemingly irrational behaviors in pregnant women and all of them experience it differently."
Umm...yes
This week I have painted a room, pulled out all baby gear & clothes (or rather sent my husband into the attic to find them), washed them (along with the rest of the family laundry), made curtains, changed outlets and light switches, hung an screen on our awning, moved all of Jedi's things in Jotham's room, scrubbed the floor in Titus' newly painted room. I feel an uncontrollable urge to get things done. Am I being irrational?
The official date of delivery at this point is June 29th. Our little man is breech (this is the 3rd one who is) so the doctor will do an External Cephalic Version and if successful then I'll be induced right after, if not I'll have another c-section.
We all can't wait to meet our new little man.
"Nesting brings about some unique and seemingly irrational behaviors in pregnant women and all of them experience it differently."
Umm...yes
This week I have painted a room, pulled out all baby gear & clothes (or rather sent my husband into the attic to find them), washed them (along with the rest of the family laundry), made curtains, changed outlets and light switches, hung an screen on our awning, moved all of Jedi's things in Jotham's room, scrubbed the floor in Titus' newly painted room. I feel an uncontrollable urge to get things done. Am I being irrational?
The official date of delivery at this point is June 29th. Our little man is breech (this is the 3rd one who is) so the doctor will do an External Cephalic Version and if successful then I'll be induced right after, if not I'll have another c-section.
We all can't wait to meet our new little man.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Beach
Last week we went to the Jersey Shore (our favorite place to be) and had a very relaxing time enjoying time with each other and Erik's parents.
A few pictures from our time:
Annual photo with Grammer & PPaw, we love you thanks for having us!
Eating a "Pig" at Yum Yum's:
Getting ready to join the ranks of men in family who love to dig holes on the beach.
A few pictures from our time:
Annual photo with Grammer & PPaw, we love you thanks for having us!
Eating a "Pig" at Yum Yum's:
Getting ready to join the ranks of men in family who love to dig holes on the beach.
Climbing that dune to see the wonderful sea.
