6 months

Everett David, you are 6 months old!! Despite my daily pleas to quick growing up so quickly you continue to grow grow grow. I am so thankful for your joyful demeanor. The Lord truly blessed my soul when He gave you to me. You are the light of my life and I love you in a way I didn't know was possible!

Here are your stats:

*You're holding steady at about 16.5 pounds. You had a stomach bug this past week that caused you to lose a little weight (lucky, ha!). When I took you into the dr. your weight seemed to have stayed the same since I took you in for your 4 month appointment (which was when you were about 5 months).

*You wear a 6-9 months size in clothes and a size three diaper.

*No teeth yet, though you are teething like crazy!!

*You enjoy rice cereal and we'll be introducing some solids this week.

Here is a picture of you and your big sister at the same age, do you think you look alike?

I don't really see it as much as I did when you were younger. You guys definitely have the same nose and mouth but very different eyes. One thing is for sure, you're both so darn cute!!

This past month of your life has been an exciting one! You experienced your first Superbowl, the NE Patriots (Daddy's favorite team) against the NY Giants. Sadly, the Giants won.

I bought this Patriot's onesie for your Daddy's first Father's Day when you sister was in my tummy. It was fun to see you wear it again, just like Emersyn did for her first Superbowl. Only for her first Superbowl, the Patriots weren't even playing! I like your tough guy face in the picture above you. It looks so silly on your normally jubilant face.

I loved your little football socks.

You are quite the ladies man, almost always surrounded by beautiful girls. We had some friends over for dinner a couple weeks ago and took some cute pictures of you and Emma. Emma is only 6 days older then you are!

You two are sure to be good friends.

Your favorite person in the world (other then mommy of course) is your sister. Whenever I even say her name your eyes light up. We usually call her "sister". I wonder if you'll call her by a nickname the way my brother did when I was growing up. To this day when David calls me Patti it gives me the creeps....he has called me Sis for nearly 25 years, why change it up now??

You and Emersyn have such a special bond. I love watching you both become better friends and playmates.

Here you are looking darling as ever in the bathtub. You got a LOT of baths this past week with your stomach bug.

You celebrated your first Valentine's Day! Your great grandma Inglis sent you this cute card.

You still love being swaddled and have started falling asleep to your special lullaby CD that says your name in the songs. You like personal space when falling asleep and prefer just to be laid down to fall asleep instead of cuddled. Emersyn was the same way. I miss the days of you snoozing in my arms.

You are so unbelievably handsome.

Mommy nearly blacked out when she saw how darling you were in this hat at "Crazy 8" at the mall. I just had to get it for you and you will wear it for Easter. You haven't had any hats really other then your cute beanies. I need to not try hats on you because I'm pretty sure I will have to buy whatever you try on due to your cuteness!!!

Here you are hanging out with Daddy and laughing at your sister.

I took you to the Dr. this past week for your stomach bug. We had to wait an hour to see the dr. since they were running behond. The dr. was so apologetic, especially since once he finally saw you and determined there was nothing they could do for you since this is a virus. I told him that I didn't mind waiting since I got some cute pictures of you checking yourself out in the mirror. Sometimes you smile SO big that I think your face is going to explode from joy!

I booked the park for your first birthday this past week. I can't believe in 6 months that big day will arrive, wow. I am excited to plan a special celebration for your party. The theme will coordinate with your nursery, just like Emersyn's first birthday party will. I wonder if Miss Rachelle will help me design custom birthday invitations like she did so cutely for your baby shower (just putting that out there early Rachelle!!). :)

I am so excited to introduce you to some of your extended family in California next month. I am sure you will bring them the same joy that you do to your daddy and I. This will be your first trip on an airplane!

I thank God for you every single day and pray that He uses me to be the best mommy I can be for you and your sister. I love you sweet boy!!!

Love, Mama

Fun but not relaxing :)

A few weeks ago I went on a little getaway with a friend and our FOUR kids. :) Several months ago my friend Sarah asked if I wanted to go with her to central Oregon to redeem a LivingSocial deal that she had purchased and been unable to use. She said we could take our boys, relax in the deluxe suite by the fire, maybe get some pedicures, etc. It sounded blissful and of course I said YES YES YES, I would LOVE to go!!!!

A couple weeks before we were to leave, she called me and suggested that we bring our girls with us.

Really? Hmmm. Well........I suppose.....

It's not that I don't adore my daughter, because I do. And it's not like I didn't want her to go with us, I just thought it would be SO different then if we just took the babies. Like, a lot more work different. Sarah really really wanted to take them though so I agreed (and secretly prayed she would change her mind, ha!!). I knew that we would have a good time, it just wouldn't be as relaxing as I might have liked.

I got to thinking though and our trip is a lot like parenting in general. It's a whole heck of a lot of fun but far far far from *relaxing*. Parenting takes effort. God didn't bless me with these kiddos to just hang out with and then send on their way once they turn 18. He gave me them to invest my time, love, energy and finances (right?!) in while they are still *mine*.

We had a great trip and priceless memories were created. I am so blessed to have a friend with kiddos so close in age to mine and everywhere we went, people would ask "did you plan to have kids so close in age". Sarah and I used to walk through the mall and people would ask us the same thing with our girls. Fun memories and still more yet to be made.

Everett and Benjamin. They are seriously the sweetest boys EVER.

The girls LOVED this statue of a chipmunk in our room. Emersyn named her Mary and we talked about Mary during the whole trip. It was funny.

Keeping her baby warm. It was VERY chilly!!

My beautiful babies on the shore of Suttle Lake.

Lifelong friends!!

Ellie and Ems at their first playdate, Ems was 11 weeks and Ellie was 7 weeks. I looked at this picture info and ironically, it was three years ago TODAY!

I feel like I have been so blessed with easy babies. (Knock on wood, I know Everett is still young). People see how old Everett is and comment on how tired I must be but if I'm tired, it's my own fault. My kid sleeps 8-9 hours a night, I cannot complain. The preschool age though is by far the most challenging age that I have experienced. But again, parenting is fun but not relaxing. I have been married for 8 years now and it has FLOWN by. I've been a mama for 3 years and again, it has gone by faster then I ever imagined it could. I am so burdened to pray that my parenting years won't fly by and yield no fruit. I am notorious for living vicariously through anticipating the future. I'll think to myself, "I really need to start working on reading more bible stories to Ems" or "I need to be better at taking pictures of Everett" and just thinking those thoughts almost makes me feel better to the point of then forgetting to follow through with what I planned. I don't know if that makes sense but I've been that way my entire life. I always have an excuse. It used to be "when I have a house of my own, I'll be more organized" or "when I lose weight I'll be more involved or confident". And in the meantime, time ticks on whether I like it or not and whether I achieve anything or not. But now, it's not just me that's affected, it's these two precious children that have been entrusted into my care. In my worst nightmares, I look at my teenagers and think, why didn't I take the time to invest in your future when I had the chance?

My daughter is a special little girl I a believe that God is going to use her to be a leader. However, there are times when I am dealing with a situation and I see the ugly things in myself shining through in her. Recently, she has become rather easily angered and it's like she'll go from zero to raging mad in no time. She gets frustrated with things easily and often times she's tired and that leads to aggression which pretty much brands her with a scarlet letter on her forehead as a child that hits or pushes. I am not saying that those behaviors are acceptable, because they aren't but more often then not, I project my own insecurities in parenting onto her and my pride is the one that issues a punishment, not my heart. I worry more about what other moms think of me versus what I know is right in my heart.

An equation that I have a tough time accepting sometimes is that good parenting doesn't equal perfect children. And also, making a poor choice doesn't equal a naughty child, it's a naughty action. Yesterday I had a rough day with Emersyn and she did something that made me really mad because she knew better and it upset me. I do my best not to parent in anger though, that is something I am very aware of in my life. I took some deep breaths and proceeded to head home. When we got into the house I had a discussion and told Emersyn, "you ARE a sweet girl and mommy will always love you. you just made a bad choice and because of that, you have a consequence. I know you can make a better choice next time" and that was that. No grudges. No further guilt. Emersyn IS a good girl and she deserves a mom that will have her back at all times, not just when she is being sweet and loving. That is always the hope of course, but even at her ornery times she is just as *good* as when she is on her best behavior.

Emersyn is my reminder of how much I need Jesus these days. And I am grateful to her for that and promise to do my best for her. Sometimes I have to remind myself, "YOU'RE the one who wanted to be a full time stay at home mom!!". I'm telling you, the working world is a piece of cake compared to parenting. For reals.

I'm rambling I know, but hey, it's my blog. I can do that. :)

I'll leave you all with a picture of my amazingly sweet and cute baby boy. I could literally black out from joy every time I look at this. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude to God for giving me this precious precious boy.

Smiley Boy

Everett David...

He lights up my life, looks into my eyes and makes me swoon....and he burps and toots like a full grown man. It makes me laugh out loud literally. How can big sounds come out of such a sweet little boy??

I just adore him.

One Month

Dear Everett,

This past weekend you turned one month old, I can hardly believe it! We were fortunate enough to be able to celebrate your one month birthday in Sunriver with some close friends and it was so much fun.


Everett, I am so in love with you. I can't believe that God gave you to us, even when we were not expecting you! I am so humbled by God's provision in my life and you are just another physical manifestation of God's love for me.


You are just the sweetest baby and you remind me a lot of your sister, both in your looks and temperament. I'm not sure how much you weigh or how long you are right now, I'll know more at your next dr's appointment in a month. You are still in size one diapers and in 3 month clothing, although the 3 month jammies with feet barely fit you. You are looooooong and lean. You are so handsome and I just love your dark hair. Your daddy was hoping you would have dark hair like your mommy and sure enough, you do.


You have started being awake more and I just love looking into your big dark blue eyes. I wonder what color they will turn? Dark like your sisters or light like Daddys? We'll just have to wait and see.


I love getting you dressed each morning. I thought boy clothes were going to be so boring but I truly love going through the cute outfits and picking out something for you to wear. I feel just like I did with Emersyn, like I have my own real life doll to dress and I love it.


You are a good eater and I thank the Lord that nursing has come easily to both you and I. You like to eat every 2-3 hours or so but can go longer stretches in the morning. You will sleep in almost as late as I will let you but I often have to wake you up so you can eat something before we head off to wherever we're going that day. You only wake up once or twice in the night and I am grateful for that. There have been some rough nights where you've been kind of fussy but I think that usually has to do with me eating something I probably shouldn't have for dinner, like onions or broccoli. Naughty mommy. :) Sometimes after I feed you at night, I just snuggle you and pray for you. Even though I'm tired, I treasure those snuggles together and know that before I know it, you are going to be a fiesty toddler, just like Emersyn.


You have had a lot of fun during your first month of life. Your sister turned three and you got to celebrate her birthday when you were just 5 days old. You went to your first amusement park for her celebration. You've been to a baby shower, to two of your sister's friends birthday parties, visited your great grandparents in Albany, showed a house with me and acted as my real estate assistant, been out to eat several times, been to church several times and been to many playdates as well.


I can't imagine our family without you Everett. We love you so much and are having so much fun watching you change and grow. Emersyn is OBSESSED with you! She loves kissing you and snuggling with you. The first thing that she wants to do every morning is give you hugs and kisses. Whenever we pray for her before she goes to bed, she reminds us to pray for you too and then she will often pray for you. She prays, "dear Jesus, thank you for Everett, make him strong, in Jesus name, AMEN". Emersyn loves it when you lay on her bed with her and you guys snuggle before she goes to bed. She loves rocking you in your swing and giving you your binky. You are lucky to have a big sister that loves you SO much. Your daddy and I pray that you grow into be the best of friends.


I love you so much Everett David. I'm so thankful that you are my son.

Love,

Mommy

It's a BROTHER for Emersyn!!!!

(Proof that he's a boy!!)

Can you believe it?? I'm going to be a little boy's mother!!!!! It's still all surreal...in fact, this pregnancy in general is pretty surreal. :)

At 4:30 we headed into our ultrasound appointment. Emersyn sat in the lobby with Brett's mom, my brother and sister-in-law who were anxiously awaiting the good news. The tech asked right away if we wanted to find out the gender and we said absolutely. She got all the goop on me, started rubbing her magic ultrasound wand around and pretty soon we saw it. Brett said, "well that looks like a boy to me" and sure enough, there were no lady parts to be found like in Emersyn's ultrasound. To be honest, I was shocked. Not because I didn't want a boy, but just because I wasn't expecting one!

He was pretty cooperative during the ultrasound, except that he kept putting his little arm over his chest and hiding his heart from the tech who was trying to make sure there were four chambers (and there were).

I'm really really excited. We have some work cut out for us. We will be painting the nursery, shopping for nursery bedding, selling Emersyn's nursery bedding, shopping for big girl bedding, panting Emersyn's room, etc......it's going to be a lot of fun and quite the adventure.

Everett David, your daddy, sister and I love you more then you can even imagine. We can't wait to meet you!!!!