Independence Day

Handprints
Family
Pool
Face-plant
Fireworks

So, I'm thinking about starting up the blog again.  My idea is to post 5 words at the end of the day that will intrigue you, while giving myself a little something to remember when I try to elaborate my 5 words in the morning.

Yes, this sounds like it will require some discipline, so we'll see how it goes!

Ordinary Days - {January 8 2013}

What a funny little face!

Bright-eyed and Bushy-tailed

A little fever this morning :-(

Soups On

Just a normal day, but full of blessings nonetheless!

The kids are learning to eat more veggies...I added plenty of carrots, celery, and onions to tonight's Chicken Noodle Soup!

Caleb's 7th Birthday

Caleb chose to celebrate his 7th birthday at the bowling alley this year.  It was a small gathering, but intimate and fun!

We always have a difficult time deciding many of the details of his party.  Do we have it at home?  Do we invite school friends?  Do we celebrate it during around his actual birthday on December 30th or wait until Mid- January?  This year was no exception.

Unfortunately, not a single friend from Caleb's class was able to attend his party, but we enjoyed time with family and close friends instead.

Because of low attendance, the adults got to enjoy bowling a game also!

Sarah and Chandler

Me Bowling

Chandler and Amanda 

Chandler, Granana with Norah, Caleb, and Chris

Sarah

Caleb

Caleb and Chandler

Peyton and Caleb

Chris, Caleb, and Grammy

Lucky Seven

Top View 

Sarah enjoying pizza with Granana and Norah

Caleb blowing out this seven candles

Peyton and Caleb

Chris, Grammy, and Norah

Happy Birthday, Jadie!

Happy 33rd Birthday to my fun-loving hubby of almost 9 years!  What a fun time it's been!

Slow Down

Today I tried to enjoy being still and in the moment.  After I picked Caleb up from school, we got out of the car and spent some time at the school playground.  I visited with a couple of the other moms and nursed Norah while Caleb played with some friends.  We took our time.  We stuck around for almost an hour.  I enjoyed the slow pace and the warm weather.

When we got home, we went on a walk to find a rock for Caleb's homework.  They are studying rocks and soil this week.  Sarah was so cute holding my hand all the way around the block and trying to keep hold of 3 or 4 rocks in her other hand.

I have run out of quality food to make for dinner, but we had a few breakfast items to put together instead.  A slow, but good day.  Thank you, Lord.

Our Day - {January 20th}

6:40 am - My alarm goes off.  I walk to Caleb's room and turn on the lights.  I steal his covers and lay down in his bed, kicking him out to get himself dressed.

7:55 am - I drop Caleb off at school with a hug and a kiss.  I love that little man!

9:30 am - I throw some chicken a BBQ sauce in the crock pot for dinner.  This recipe was delicious!

10:00 am - I try to accomplish a few household chores.  Laundry, washing dishes, etc.  I get stressed out.

12:45 pm - Jadie, Sarah, Norah, and I arrive at the neurosurgeon's office.  I nursed Norah and talked with Sarah about pictures in magazines.  The receptionist commented on Sarah's large vocabulary.  I cuddled both girls and played with Sarah for almost an hour.

1:40 pm - We were finally called back and Jadie had his staples removed from having back surgery!

2:15 pm - We return this mop to Target.  It broke after a single use.  I'd say it was more useless than useful.  I wish we'd have done a little research ahead of time.

3:05 pm - As Sarah sleeps in the car, we arrive at the elementary school to pick up Caleb.  We let the kids play on the playground for about an hour.

4:00 pm - I begin working on dinner.

6:00 pm - Our friend, Sheena, joins us for dinner.  We enjoyed this:

And this:

And these:

And these:

8:30 pm - Jadie and I watched "Courageous" with no interruptions.  I almost can't believe it!  What a great end to a long day.

I hop you had a great day, too!

Nanna's Clock

I ran across this scrap of paper recently.

I wrote this down as I walked through my grandmother's house after her funeral.  The stove was the first thing I looked at when I walked through the door.  Nanna was always cooking up something delicious.  I pictured her standing at that stove, boiling potatoes or cooking up some Velveeta Shells & Cheese.

As I stood there, the clock on the stove caught my eye.  I can't remember if it was a digital or analog clock, but that's not really important.  I just remember being caught off guard by the time displayed on the clock.

3:16.

The clock was no longer ticking.  It had stopped keeping time, just like Nanna.  I was taken aback by the grace of God.  As far as I remember, my Nanna was a believer.  A feeling of excitement came over me.  This small, insignificant detail brought had me joy and peace.

And it still does today.

Thankful 2011

Although my body has endured the birth of 3 children, I'm thankful for a husband who says I'm beautiful.

Although I try to control how she "parents" my children, I'm thankful for a mom who always looks forward to visiting me and my family.

Although I don't see her as often as I'd like, I'm thankful for a sister who always makes it seem like we haven't missed a beat.

Although we're only in their home a few times a year, I'm thankful for grandparents who always make us feel at home.

Although I'm overly critical of him and downright bossy sometimes, I'm thankful for my firstborn, my Caleb.  I'm very proud of your sweet spirit and your eagerness to learn.

Although I get tired of her frequent whining and her shrill screams, I'm thankful for my spirited and very verbal middle child, my sweet Sarah.

Although she can't seem to sleep for more than 4 hours during the night, I'm thankful for my healthy, growing baby girl, my Norah Beth.

Today's Highlights

• Jadie and I both told Caleb he was not allowed to turn in his homework today, despite Caleb's pleas to do so.  His handwriting was downright sloppy.  A do-over is mandatory.
• I got both of the girls bathed and a shower for myself in under one hour.  Holla!
• Mary and Beth invited me out to lunch!
• I climbed to the top of the play place at Chick-fil-A to assist a screaming Sarah, only to have her finally slide down once I was to the top.  Every inch of that equipment was GREASY.  Grossness.
• I swung by 1660 ESPN Radio to pick up two free tickets for Jadie to go to the Baylor Men's Basketball game against ACU.  I thought for sure they'd be gone since they were only giving away two tickets total and it had been announced almost 30 minutes prior.  Score (for Jadie)!  Another evening home alone.  No complaints here.  The game starts at 7:00 pm and I put the kids to bed by 7:30 pm.  True alone time, here I come!

Norah's Birth Stats & Story

Here are the stats:

• Norah Elizabeth Freeman
• September 27, 2011
• 12:14 pm
• 6 lbs at birth
• 5 lbs, 14 oz at time of discharge
• 19.5 in long
• 12.75 in head circumference
• dark brown/black hair
• Special fact: Her birthday is the same day my daddy died 4 years ago.  So bittersweet.
• 4 hour, 44 minute labor (we delivered less than an hour after breaking water)
• no epidural = alert baby and mommy

Praying for:

• My blood pressure, still working its way back down to normal
• Stable milk supply for nursing
• Norah's overall health and weight gain
• Sleep: these night time nursing sessions are killing me

Just so you're forewarned, I am including as many details as possible.  I want to be able to read this in the future and have the whole story to come back to!

We went in at 7:30 am on Tuesday, September 27 for an induction.  At that point, I was 38 weeks, 4 days.  I was dilated to 4 cm with 75% effacement.  I expected to have the Dr. Rister come in and break my water at 7:30 am, but that didn't happen.  The Labor & Delivery nurse was training a new nurse, so things moved along at a snail's pace.  When the doc came back at 8:10 am, the nurses still didn't even have my IV in.  At that point, Dr. Rister had to go to his office for his regular day of OB/GYN appointments.  Sigh.

The IV insertion was quite an experience.  The nurse in training was sweet and gentle, but she pushed that IV needle into and back out of my vein.  Painful.  Very painful.  Made me jump out of my skin.

Once that was finally over, I had several hours ahead of me until I'd see my OB again.  Sad face.  So, the nurses started my Pitocin drip to get the labor moving along.  The contractions felt like menstrual cramps that became more intense as time went on.  This entire process of labor was annoying.  I know, I'm complaining about something that most women experience for hours on end.  It's just that I counted on things moving a lot faster, because I'd expected to have my water broken before then.

The nurse checked me for dilation around 11 am.  I was dilated to 7 cm and 90 % effaced.  She also noted that my bag of water was bulging.  And so that is what I'd been feeling for the last few weeks.  I had mentioned to Jadie and a few friends on several occasions that I could feel "something" pushing out.  It didn't feel like Norah's head or foot or anything, just an uncomfortable bulge very near to the exit area.  :-)  So that's what it was!  Bulging bag.  What a ladylike term.

Dr. Rister returned around 11:20 am to break my water.  Finally!  This really got things moving, as I expected.  Over the next 45 minutes, my contractions became more painful and I opted for an IV drug called Fentanyl which I could take 3 times at 20 minute intervals.  It may have taken the edge off, but I still felt just about everything.  The nurse checked me after about 30 minutes to check progress.  I was dilated to 9 cm, but she discovered that Norah's head was blocking the remainder of my water from coming out.  She shifted her out of the way a bit, released the rest of the fluid and I immediately dilated to 10 cm.  It was go time!

Dr. Rister came back to our room and told me to start pushing with the contractions.  I couldn't get myself coordinated for the first two cycles.  My body just couldn't figure out how to push.  It was probably due to the fact that I was delirious from the Fentanyl.  Once I got things coordinated, she was out after only 2 pushes!  What a relief!

Norah's birth was much kinder to my body than Caleb's or Sarah's.  I'll be sure to thank her for that later.  She managed to make her way out without the need for an episiotomy or any tearing.  Praise the Lord.  This means that recovery has been quicker and less painful as well.

The craziest thing to me is that today, on October 5, we're still 2 days away from her due date.  How in the world do women make it to 40 weeks?  I've got to give them credit!

Picky Eaters

These tips from Mayo Clinic sound logical to me...and I can see I may need to reconsider some of my methods.

Taken from this children's health article.

I wonder if any of these tips would work for Jadie, too?  Or if not using these techniques when he was younger has led to some of his selectivity when it comes to food?  I guess I'll never know.

No. 1: Respect your child's appetite — or lack of one

If your child isn't hungry, don't force a meal or snack. Likewise, don't bribe or force your child to eat certain foods or clean his or her plate. This might only ignite — or reinforce — a power struggle over food. In addition, your child might come to associate mealtime with anxiety and frustration. Serve small portions to avoid overwhelming your child and give him or her the opportunity to independently ask for more.

No. 2: Stick to the routine

Serve meals and snacks at about the same times every day. Provide juice or milk with the food, and offer water between meals and snacks. Allowing your child to fill up on juice or milk throughout the day might decrease his or her appetite for meals.

No. 3: Be patient with new foods

Young children often touch or smell new foods, and may even put tiny bits in their mouths and then take them back out again. Your child might need repeated exposure to a new food before he or she takes the first bite. Encourage your child by talking about a food's color, shape, aroma and texture — not whether it tastes good. Serve new foods along with your child's favorite foods.

No. 4: Make it fun

Serve broccoli and other veggies with a favorite dip or sauce. Cut foods into various shapes with cookie cutters. Offer breakfast foods for dinner. Serve a variety of brightly colored foods.

No. 5: Recruit your child's help

At the grocery store, ask your child to help you select fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. Don't buy anything that you don't want your child to eat. At home, encourage your child to help you rinse veggies, stir batter or set the table.

No. 6: Set a good example

If you eat a variety of healthy foods, your child is more likely to follow suit.

No. 7: Be creative

Add chopped broccoli or green peppers to spaghetti sauce, top cereal with fruit slices, or mix grated zucchini and carrots into casseroles and soups.

No. 8: Minimize distractions

Turn off the television and other electronic gadgets during meals. This will help your child focus on eating. Keep in mind that television advertising might also encourage your child to desire sugary foods.

No. 9: Don't offer dessert as a reward

Withholding dessert sends the message that dessert is the best food, which might only increase your child's desire for sweets. You might select one or two nights a week as dessert nights, and skip dessert the rest of the week — or redefine dessert as fruit, yogurt or other healthy choices.

No. 10: Don't be a short-order cook

Preparing a separate meal for your child after he or she rejects the original meal might promote picky eating. Encourage your child to stay at the table for the designated mealtime — even if he or she doesn't eat. Keep serving your child healthy choices until they become familiar and preferred.

If you're concerned that picky eating is compromising your child's growth and development, consult your child's doctor. In addition, consider recording the types and amounts of food your child eats for three days. The big picture might help ease your worries. A food log can also help your child's doctor determine any problems. In the meantime, remember that your child's eating habits won't likely change overnight — but the small steps you take each day can help promote a lifetime of healthy eating.

Sarah Loves Her Daddy

Sarah Turns Two