The other night, I was looking for an old blog post on one of my old blogs. It was ASTONISHING to me to see how prolific my posting was at that stage of my life. Truly amazing. I had that much time? And that many thoughts of my own? And that much time?! It made me nostalgic for the days I was bursting with something to say that didn't revolve around nap schedules, or illnesses, or grumpiness about something in my life.
A friend recently told me she wants me to start posting more. I can't promise how frequently I'll find time to sit down and write, especially because of some changes over the last year that make me more circumspect in how much I share, but I'll try. I'll try to update more than once every few months.
So, in that spirit, here is a brief update on some of my goals I wanted to hit before I turned 30, as well as some highlights from the last few months.
1. Get my nose pierced. - Didn't happen because I didn't quite hit goal weight.
2. Lose 15 pounds. - I lost 13. I was within 2 pounds when I got pregnant.
3. Run a 5k. - Definitely did not. I walked 4+ miles once!
4. Have a fantastic 5-year anniversary trip. - Accomplished! We went to Puerto Vallarta, and it was wonderful.
5. Get pregnant. - Check :)
6. Go skiing at least 2x this season. - Fail. I still have yet to ski since becoming a Colorado resident.
7. Get our family healthier. - Check. One sick visit for Seh and none for Adrian or I. Thanks to the oils, we're able to manage most bugs at home and knock them out quickly.
8. Go to a concert at Red Rocks. - Did not :(
9. Get paid to take some pictures. - YES!! I shot 3 weddings this summer and officially launched my wedding photography business.
10. Decorate our bedroom and make it cozy. - Check. I painted this summer, got new bedding and got new nightstands.
11. Be a confident and frequent baby-wearer. - Notsomuch. I wore Seh a little, but just got a Mei Tei to start practicing with for #2.
12. Family beach trip. - Nope. Hoping for August/September 2015.
13. Buy a new computer. - Check. This was a must-have when my old Macbook crashed.
14. Read my Bible more diligently. - I suck at this.
15. Go to a Rockies game as a family. - We actually did a couple! First time was RIGHT behind the visitor's dugout. Fantastic seats, but a little nerve-wracking with a baby!
16. Cook 5 nights a week most weeks. - I'd say "check." We've been eating out less in the evenings.
17. Get a kitten or puppy :) - Many tears over this, but no. A says maybe this time next year.
18. Develop a weekly housecleaning schedule. - Check. I don't stick to it, but I have one!
19. Do some crafts I've been delaying (i.e., wall art for our bedroom). - Check. Now to HANG said wall art.
20. Find a couple of local beers I actually like. - Check. There was a pumpkin one I loved and I LOVED the smell of 43 Elbows at Rock Bottom. Now to try it when I'm not with child!
21. Go paddle boarding this summer. - Check! I tried at a river festival and it was really fun!
22. Eat at some of the local, legit Hispanic restaurants in our neighborhood. - Sadly, no.
23. Work up to walking to the zoo regularly to use my zoo pass. - I walked to the zoo once. So, check? I did go to the zoo a bunch.
24. Get a library card and use it. - Check! And we usually walk to the library.
25. Get my hair cut more than once this year. - Fail. I think I got it cut once.
26. Try a new restaurant during Restaurant Week. - Double fail since they did 2 restaurant weeks.
27. Have a veggie garden again this summer, and actually harvest and eat the produce. - Check. We ate peppers, basil, kale, and chives!
28. Go for a hike. - Check? We went up to Boulder Canyon, which was part hike/part stroller derby.
29. Eat at Civic Center Eats this summer. - Fail :(
30. Go to Jazz in the Park once. - Fail :(
So there ya go. Some accomplished, some not. The last few weeks have been full of a lot of wallowing (on my part) about turning 30, the holidays coming and going in ways I didn't expect and the passage of another year. However, as I look back over the goals I set for 2014, I'm pretty proud of where we ended up. The year started with so much uncertainty, but we did some big things along the way. A started a new career, I began staying at home and working on building two businesses, we hosted ALL of our family here over Christmas, our daughter is growing well and is a joy and delight, we have another baby on the way, we began paying on debts and we began to develop some structures and stability in our life.
Of course, 2015 will bring with it new challenges, new decisions for our family, new joys and new growth. I'd be lying if I said I was excited about all the new year has in store, but honestly, I'm a little trepidatious. So, for today, I'll snuggle in, enjoy the snow outside, continue listening to Christmas music, make some candies, snacks and dips, and try to truly live in the moment and enjoy this last day of 2014.
Merry Christmas, y'all, and happy new year!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
So Long, Sweet Splash
I'm so sad to share that my sweet little Splasher Dasher passed away this evening. I've had her more than eight years. She's been with me the longest of my little family. Before Selah, before Adrian, before Ben....there was Splash.As I looked for photos of her, it allowed me to reflect on what a full life she's had - especially for a turtle!
Spring of my junior year, my friend Jason took me canoeing during a fraternity party called Splash. While we floated the river, I decided I wanted a turtle and I grabbed a baby one off a log - enter Splash. I knew nothing of caring for a turtle, figuring out what sex it was or even what breed. That day began a new adventure for me - turtle husbandry.
She lived in my dorm room closet for a year and a half - successfully, hiding from the RAs during room checks and surviving in a rubbermaid tub. After graduation, she got a (boy)friend and a lovely real tank. She was living the high life.
She set up shop in Denver in the living room where she could watch the snow fall on the train tracks. When we bought a house, she and Scooter got a room of their own, full of sunshine. Out of the two turtles, Splash (who was wild-caught) never could catch a minnow to eat, but always chased them as if to make friends. Make friends she did. She has always been willing to stick her neck out and greet people, to eat from our fingers and to live in our dining room so I could nurse her to health.
A few months back, she had a bacterial infection that required me to give her oral medication twice daily. Although she didn't love it, she's the only turtle I know of who would let me open her mouth. I thought she was back to herself months ago after the vet gave her a clean bill of health, so when Adrian came home tonight to find her gone, it was unexpevted. No excited swimming, no nibbling from our hand.
Splash was full of personality. She was a turtle yes, a pet, but a family member. We both are seriously going to miss her, but I'm so thankful I had her with me for the last 8 years. I'm glad I grabbed her off that log, glad I didn't let her go into the wild like people suggested, glad she was my turty friend.
Splashy, you will be so missed.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Cookie Butter and Survival
There's a difference between knowing something and KNOWING something, amiright? Like, knowing cocoa cookie butter is bad for my figure and KNOWING it is after eating two jars and stepping on the scale. Obviously we're talking hypothetically here.
Before Seh was born, I knew I'd have rough days as a mom. Tonight, I KNOW rough days as a mom are a reality, but it doesn't make the feelings any less shocking. It's just been one of those days. Some days I feel like I'm kicking butt and rocking this stay-at-home mom gig. Those are the days when I shower and brush my teeth before 5; when we get dressed up cute and hang out with people or Selah charms the Chick-Fil-A employees; when I make money for our family instead of just spend it. Those days I feel like I'm making wise choices, raising an amazing little girl and really figuring life out.
Today was not one of those days. It was one of THOSE days. The days where I look back and think, "What did I do productive today? Why don't I have anything to show for my day?" Even worse, I'm thinking, "How did things regress so far in a day?" (Things just autocorrected to thighs. Yes, yes those regressed too, today, thank you cookie butter.) It was one of those days where I truly felt like I was just trying to survive until the end of the night. That's a sucky feeling.
My normally happy-go-lucky little was a little whiny headache today. She pitched fits when I held her, didn't hold her, fed her, didn't feed her, looked at her, didn't look at her...you get the idea. Then, she pitched fits because she banged her head pitching a fit. The one comical thing was that by about 5 o'clock she learned to pitch her fits somewhere where there was a soft spot for her head - on a blanket in the basement, against the back of the couch... There was very little time spent smiling and playing and entirely too much spent screaming and throwing her head back. There was also entirely too much time spent researching car seats (that don't fit) and anniversary spots (that don't work), for me to feel good about how my time has been spent.
#firstworldproblems and #peoplewouldkillformylife
Yes, I know. And yet, it doesn't make the discouragement from having "one of those days" any less. Why is that? Is it because I place my value and identity on shaky foundations? How cute my daughter is, how well she behaves, how clever I am, how perfect I orchestrate things? Is it because I lose sight of who I am in Christ and the hope that he's called me to? I'm finding it far too easy to skate along on my parenting skills, my accomplishments, my wisdom. Today was a good reminder that those things don't count for crap. All that I can count on are God's perfect parenting example, Christ's accomplishments for us on the cross and the Holy Spirit's wisdom which he graciously imparts to me.
Life is hard work. I was going to say parenting is hard work (and it is), but truly, life in every stage is difficult. Regardless of having kids, not having kids, having a spouse, not having a spouse, having a tough job, not having any job....there are ALWAYS "those days." The sooner I'm able to see that as a product of our fallen world, and less an indictment on myself, the sooner I can look to Christ for satisfaction and identity and not to my accomplishments, the better "those days" will become...and the better my thighs will fare!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
A Year of Joy
Sometimes, in the middle of big life events, you feel the time pass second by second. It drags on and on and on, as if you were aware of the passage of every single second.
This is not one of those life events.
Engagement - six months, passed at a normal rate of speed. Pregnancy - nine months, passed at the speed of a snail. Selah's first year of life - twelve months, passed at supersonic speed.
I cannot seem to wrap my mind around the fact that a year ago, I was pushing and sweating and thinking I was about to meet my son. We chose not to find out gender beforehand, but I was SO SURE that when Adrian laid the baby on my chest, he would tell me, "It's a boy!" How wrong I was. How wrong, and how totally unprepared for the blessing of a baby girl.
After waffling back and forth for a day, trying to decide on a name, we named our tiny, skinny, long little lady Selah Grace. Literally, "Pause and reflect on God's grace." In the midst of the hospital busyness, the hectic-ness of trying to coordinate information and plans and details with everyone, the chaos of life with a newborn that became our new norm - we chose to pause and reflect on God's grace.
In the months since, life has only become more busy. There is Selah's schedule; there is A's work schedule; there is my "schedule" which is usually dependent upon the other two; there is the schedule of our commitments to jobs, church, family, friends. Far too often, Selah's name has become just that - a name, void of the richness of its meaning. So today, on Selah's 1st birthday, I want to intentionally pause and reflect on God's graces to us over the last year in our daughter.
Aside from the obvious beauty that she possesses (apparently we grow 'em big AND beautiful), Selah has a beautiful spirit. She is funny, kind, generous and so friendly. Not a day passes that she doesn't gift us with a wave and a smile, a wide-open toothy kiss, just because. She has begun "social laughter" anytime someone else laughs. Although it's adorable, it's her belly laughs when she sees Benny or when Adrian chases her or when I surprise her by doing something weird, that are truly wonderful.
Selah has such a generous spirit, a gift that reminds me daily of how generous God the Father is to us. She loves to share her snacks with Ben (much to my chagrin) and if we ask, she will usually share her toys with us. She gives kisses freely and smiles with ease. This friendliness is one quality of hers that terrifies me, but that I absolutely love. Whenever we're in public, she is the first to wave and small and chatter to complete strangers in what I call the "the ministry of baby." I know she brightens people's days just by her sweet smile and friendly spirit. It scares the crap out of me. What if someone takes advantage of her friendliness? Will her innocence and openness with everyone be cause for heartache when she is rejected someday? I so long to protect her from the harsh realities and evil of the world, but I know I cannot.
Each night when we pray for her, we ask the Lord to protect her, not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. We pray that God is her strength and her refuge when her kindness and others' harshness causes her pain. As she grows, we ask the Lord to always give her that sweet, caring, sunny spirit that she possesses and to use it for the Gospel. Most of all, we beg the Lord to draw her close to Him at an early age, and to be her perfect Father all her life.
We are so, so, so, so, so grateful that we get to be Daddy and Mama to this precious blessing. I was terrified to become a mom, and God has been exceedingly gracious in letting me be mom to this one. She has made this parenting journey an absolute joy. Because she reflects Jesus (without even knowing it), she is a joy - our beautiful, kind-hearted, sweet, funny one-year old. My heart is full.
This is not one of those life events.
Engagement - six months, passed at a normal rate of speed. Pregnancy - nine months, passed at the speed of a snail. Selah's first year of life - twelve months, passed at supersonic speed.
I cannot seem to wrap my mind around the fact that a year ago, I was pushing and sweating and thinking I was about to meet my son. We chose not to find out gender beforehand, but I was SO SURE that when Adrian laid the baby on my chest, he would tell me, "It's a boy!" How wrong I was. How wrong, and how totally unprepared for the blessing of a baby girl.
After waffling back and forth for a day, trying to decide on a name, we named our tiny, skinny, long little lady Selah Grace. Literally, "Pause and reflect on God's grace." In the midst of the hospital busyness, the hectic-ness of trying to coordinate information and plans and details with everyone, the chaos of life with a newborn that became our new norm - we chose to pause and reflect on God's grace.
In the months since, life has only become more busy. There is Selah's schedule; there is A's work schedule; there is my "schedule" which is usually dependent upon the other two; there is the schedule of our commitments to jobs, church, family, friends. Far too often, Selah's name has become just that - a name, void of the richness of its meaning. So today, on Selah's 1st birthday, I want to intentionally pause and reflect on God's graces to us over the last year in our daughter.
Aside from the obvious beauty that she possesses (apparently we grow 'em big AND beautiful), Selah has a beautiful spirit. She is funny, kind, generous and so friendly. Not a day passes that she doesn't gift us with a wave and a smile, a wide-open toothy kiss, just because. She has begun "social laughter" anytime someone else laughs. Although it's adorable, it's her belly laughs when she sees Benny or when Adrian chases her or when I surprise her by doing something weird, that are truly wonderful.
Selah has such a generous spirit, a gift that reminds me daily of how generous God the Father is to us. She loves to share her snacks with Ben (much to my chagrin) and if we ask, she will usually share her toys with us. She gives kisses freely and smiles with ease. This friendliness is one quality of hers that terrifies me, but that I absolutely love. Whenever we're in public, she is the first to wave and small and chatter to complete strangers in what I call the "the ministry of baby." I know she brightens people's days just by her sweet smile and friendly spirit. It scares the crap out of me. What if someone takes advantage of her friendliness? Will her innocence and openness with everyone be cause for heartache when she is rejected someday? I so long to protect her from the harsh realities and evil of the world, but I know I cannot.Each night when we pray for her, we ask the Lord to protect her, not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. We pray that God is her strength and her refuge when her kindness and others' harshness causes her pain. As she grows, we ask the Lord to always give her that sweet, caring, sunny spirit that she possesses and to use it for the Gospel. Most of all, we beg the Lord to draw her close to Him at an early age, and to be her perfect Father all her life.
We are so, so, so, so, so grateful that we get to be Daddy and Mama to this precious blessing. I was terrified to become a mom, and God has been exceedingly gracious in letting me be mom to this one. She has made this parenting journey an absolute joy. Because she reflects Jesus (without even knowing it), she is a joy - our beautiful, kind-hearted, sweet, funny one-year old. My heart is full.
Return to Regularly Scheduled Programming
For those of you who like to read about things other than babies on blogs - hang tight. We will return to our regularly scheduled programming after today's post about my girl's 1st birthday.
I can't promise I won't ever post about her - it's my life, after all, but there will be a return to topics other than if she rolled or walked or puked this month :)
Thanks for bearing with me over the last year!
I can't promise I won't ever post about her - it's my life, after all, but there will be a return to topics other than if she rolled or walked or puked this month :)
Thanks for bearing with me over the last year!
Monday, July 21, 2014
Cruising Up On a Year
"It hardly seems possible, but the big day is drawing near."
As I sat down to FINALLY write Selah's 11-month update, the Baby Center Bulletin for this week came in with this as the subject.
"Hardly seems possible" is right! I am in shock that my sweet, itsy bits baby is only a few weeks away from turning 1 year old. She hit the 11-month mark last weekend, and we celebrated with lots of outings :)
My sweet friend Erin was in town so we were out and about all weekend! Selah got to see white-water rafting for the first time as we watched people in Idaho Springs. She went to the Cherry Creek farmer's market for the first time and she went to school (for an hour while I volunteered) for the first time!
She is still growing like a little weed, and it's a fairly apt comparison. She is tall and thin and reedy and bendy and resilient. She also keeps popping up where she doesn't belong...in the bathroom, behind furniture, through doors she has learned how to open :) She is so determined.
Along with the determination has come discipline, as she decides to do things that aren't good for her or that are in direct defiance of what we tell her. With the discipline this month have come fits. She pitches them at the drop of a hat lately, and I frequently find myself thinking she would make great entries into the "My child cried because...." site.
When I won't let her stick my phone in her mouth - fit. When she watches her dad or I walk away - fit. When she wants to be independent and I won't put her on the ground - fit. When I take her bottle away or when I try to keep giving her her bottle - fit. She has found her voice and cries and bucks when she's unhappy, but she also chatters and screeches and calls out to to people (and Ben) when she's happy. She is vocal.
Selah has learned how to dance this month and when music comes on, she starts bopping around. She also understands the word "clap" now and tries to say it. When she says "clap" (which, incidentally also sounds like her "quack") she'll start clapping her hands and bopping. Likewise, if she sees a bird or duck she will make the "clap/quack" noise. We took her to the Dragon Boat festival this weekend and she saw lots of ducks, so there was a lot of clapping, quacking and squawking going on.
Speaking of boats and water, I think we have a beach baby on our hands! She loves to be in the pool and swim, something we discovered while she and I visited TN. After a few mouthfuls of water, she likes to stick her head in the water and try and drink :/ Ummmm.....We have a baby pool in our yard that she likes to crawl around and sprawl in. Still no independent walking, but lots of speed crawling (in and out of the pool), cruising and hand-held walking.
In addition to pool water, she's becoming a champ at drinking out of her sippy cup and regular straws. This has been helpful as one whole meal is replaced by solids now, so she's eating solids and drinking from a cup like a big kid *tear*. Some of her favorites lately are (still) sweet potatoes and avocado with lime juice, but she also really likes bananas, strawberries and black beans (mashed with avocado). She eats her Puffs dipped in hummus sometimes, loves mashed potatoes, and desperately wants to try everything on our plates. When we don't give her cart blanche to steal our food she pitches a fit. Obviously. She is an adventurous eater, though, and hasn't shown any signs of allergies, except some painful pooping. She definitely has a poop face. It's hilarious :)
So, that's about it this month for our sweet baby girl! Hard to believe in mere weeks I'll be posting her 1 year update. Crazy, crazy, crazy. Time to kick party-planning mode into high gear!!
 |
| We adore this little lady. |
Monday, June 16, 2014
Selah's Ten-Month Update
If I felt like time was flying before, Selah's ninth month of life moved at supersonic speed, bringing us to 10 months!
She's as funny as ever, with personality galore still and an attitude starting to come out. This month, she started truly pitching fits when we take something away that she wants or won't let her do something. Thankfully, she saves most of the attitude for Adrian and I, so the adoring public still thinks she's an angel ;) Truly though, she still is an incredibly sweet baby - just developing more of a determined attitude lately!
We went to Wyoming for Memorial Day, where she had a blast chasing the cats and playing with straws. Around that time, she developed a love for riding on her daddy's shoulders and a hatred for riding in the car. When she's had enough of being in the car/carseat, she starts crying. A lot. Smart girl though, as she can tell when we're slowing down and speeding up and what that means for her! Speeding up elicits wailing, while slowing down gets giggles and squeals in anticipation of coming out of her carseat.
Selah is SUCH a ham. Frankly, I'm worried that she is developing a "performer" attitude where she will need to be the center of attention. Not a cute trait to have as she grows up. We're working on her being just friendly for friendliness' sake, but also learning to be amused and happy by watching and learning rather than performing. She certainly is an attention-grabber though. Everywhere we go in public, she crinkles up her nose and smiles and waves and giggles - sometimes at nothing more than her own reflection :) That hasn't changed. She looooves to see herself!
Along with her personality, her little brain and problem-solving skills are definitely developing. You can almost see the wheels turning when we change up her toys or when she is trying to figure something out. For example, she knows she's not supposed to push the blue buttons on the DVR. After being reprimanded for that numerous times, she started crawling on top of the DVR and sitting there without touching the buttons. When I put a basket in front of the DVR to block her access, she figured out how to crawl behind it and started trying to pull wires out the back :/ Oy vey. I should have started having babies earlier in life ;)
Selah's started to transition herself to 2 naps a day, although depending on our schedule, we still try and give her 3. Speaking of three, her third tooth popped through a couple weeks ago! She's now a triceratooth (?) with two on the bottom and one on the top. This one didn't seem to cause as many sleep disruptions as the previous two, for which I'm thankful. Although, I think my use of the essential oils is also helping me sleep through :)
This week, Selah will experience Southern living and humidity for the first time!! She and I are flying to TN to spend a week with my parents and introduce her around. We're really excited, although I think we may die from the heat and humidity. My Colorado native does not do heat! Hopefully she'll do just fine with planes and travel though. I'm nervous, but also thinking that as long as there are people to wave at, she'll do just fine. Any tips for me as we fly, though?
I think that's about it for now! Without further ado - here's her 10 month photo!
She's as funny as ever, with personality galore still and an attitude starting to come out. This month, she started truly pitching fits when we take something away that she wants or won't let her do something. Thankfully, she saves most of the attitude for Adrian and I, so the adoring public still thinks she's an angel ;) Truly though, she still is an incredibly sweet baby - just developing more of a determined attitude lately!
We went to Wyoming for Memorial Day, where she had a blast chasing the cats and playing with straws. Around that time, she developed a love for riding on her daddy's shoulders and a hatred for riding in the car. When she's had enough of being in the car/carseat, she starts crying. A lot. Smart girl though, as she can tell when we're slowing down and speeding up and what that means for her! Speeding up elicits wailing, while slowing down gets giggles and squeals in anticipation of coming out of her carseat.
Selah is SUCH a ham. Frankly, I'm worried that she is developing a "performer" attitude where she will need to be the center of attention. Not a cute trait to have as she grows up. We're working on her being just friendly for friendliness' sake, but also learning to be amused and happy by watching and learning rather than performing. She certainly is an attention-grabber though. Everywhere we go in public, she crinkles up her nose and smiles and waves and giggles - sometimes at nothing more than her own reflection :) That hasn't changed. She looooves to see herself!
Along with her personality, her little brain and problem-solving skills are definitely developing. You can almost see the wheels turning when we change up her toys or when she is trying to figure something out. For example, she knows she's not supposed to push the blue buttons on the DVR. After being reprimanded for that numerous times, she started crawling on top of the DVR and sitting there without touching the buttons. When I put a basket in front of the DVR to block her access, she figured out how to crawl behind it and started trying to pull wires out the back :/ Oy vey. I should have started having babies earlier in life ;)
Selah's started to transition herself to 2 naps a day, although depending on our schedule, we still try and give her 3. Speaking of three, her third tooth popped through a couple weeks ago! She's now a triceratooth (?) with two on the bottom and one on the top. This one didn't seem to cause as many sleep disruptions as the previous two, for which I'm thankful. Although, I think my use of the essential oils is also helping me sleep through :)
This week, Selah will experience Southern living and humidity for the first time!! She and I are flying to TN to spend a week with my parents and introduce her around. We're really excited, although I think we may die from the heat and humidity. My Colorado native does not do heat! Hopefully she'll do just fine with planes and travel though. I'm nervous, but also thinking that as long as there are people to wave at, she'll do just fine. Any tips for me as we fly, though?
I think that's about it for now! Without further ado - here's her 10 month photo!
 |
| Growing out of this basket... |
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Why I Talk About Essential Oils
About a year ago, I was introduced to essential oils. Like any bad introduction, not much was told to me about oils or this oil in particular. It left me feeling....awkward. I was told this oil would help me feel strong and courageous. I was about 7 months pregnant, so courage wasn't high on the priority list. What I wanted was help with swollen feet, heartburn, feeling gigantic and SLEEPING. I wish a proper introduction had been made, for it might have saved me a lot of issues and time.
Fast forward several months, and a different friend posted about how that SAME OIL helped with her husband's snoring! I figured my husband would like it if I stopped snoring (and crazy-talking in my sleep, but that's for another day). So began my relationship with Young Living essential oils. I started researching what they were, what they did and how I could get my hands on some. Like a good little (ex)journalist, I wanted to get to the bottom of the story, so I researched for mooooonths.
Back in April, I finally ordered my starter kit. The day it arrived, I had what I am pretty sure was strep. Fever of 103, swollen glands, sore throat. I was miserable. When my oils arrived, I began ingesting them, putting them on my neck and throat, diffusing them into the air...and by Saturday (3 days later), I was golden. Granted, I was also a little cranky and detoxing, due to the overkill on how much I used right off the bat, but the fever, sore throat, swollen glands were all gone. Since then, I've been getting more and more familiar with the oils that came in the starter kit. We're learning how to replace medicines with oils, treat common things more naturally and I'm loving it. Call me Granola Girl ;) (But don't, because compared to other Denverites about as non-granola as they come!)
So, just as an idea of some things to do with the kit oils and an introduction to what comes in the kit, here are a few of the things I have used oils for the last month:
So, I am hooked, to say the least. I'm really excited to order more on Friday! I'll be getting some cedarwood for sleep (and hair regrowth for Adrian...shhhh), Progessence Plus to manage my migraines and hormones, more Thieves, orange and grapefruit!
Sorry if this sounded like a sales pitch. After months of researching and my husband being super skeptical, I was soooo excited to find that the oils actually worked for us for really practical things. If you have an issue you're trying to find a solution to, let me know. I'd love to research and help you find an oil that addresses that, you know, because I'm a stay-at-home-mom with a ton of time on my hands ;) But for real, just wanted to share some of the really practical ways that YL oils have helped us! I'm going to be doing a couple classes in June (in TN and CO), so if you're interested, come to one of those and let's chat!
Fast forward several months, and a different friend posted about how that SAME OIL helped with her husband's snoring! I figured my husband would like it if I stopped snoring (and crazy-talking in my sleep, but that's for another day). So began my relationship with Young Living essential oils. I started researching what they were, what they did and how I could get my hands on some. Like a good little (ex)journalist, I wanted to get to the bottom of the story, so I researched for mooooonths.
Back in April, I finally ordered my starter kit. The day it arrived, I had what I am pretty sure was strep. Fever of 103, swollen glands, sore throat. I was miserable. When my oils arrived, I began ingesting them, putting them on my neck and throat, diffusing them into the air...and by Saturday (3 days later), I was golden. Granted, I was also a little cranky and detoxing, due to the overkill on how much I used right off the bat, but the fever, sore throat, swollen glands were all gone. Since then, I've been getting more and more familiar with the oils that came in the starter kit. We're learning how to replace medicines with oils, treat common things more naturally and I'm loving it. Call me Granola Girl ;) (But don't, because compared to other Denverites about as non-granola as they come!)So, just as an idea of some things to do with the kit oils and an introduction to what comes in the kit, here are a few of the things I have used oils for the last month:
- Stress Away: This, combined with lavender, is like "lights out" for us. Also great in a bath when you get threatened with a lawsuit or find yourself snapping at your husband for no reason....hypothetically.
- Lemon: Good for detoxing your body and/or weight loss. I put it on my swollen glands and also drink it in some water to help detox.
- Purification: Put it on scrapes and cuts on my hands. I put some in my face cream to help clear up acne. I've also diffused it to make the air in the house fresher.
- Frankincense: LOVE THIS. It's good for skin issues, so I put it on a sun spot on my face and in my cream that I am applying to my post-baby belly stretch marks.
- Joy: Put it over your heart or in an Epsom salts bath.
- Peace & Calming: A looooot of people find this helps them sleep. For me, it jazzed me up a little. I prefer to put it in an Epsom salts bath to help relax.
- PanAway: Super pain oil! (PanAway/PainAway). This helps kill aches and pains!
- Peppermint: I use this a ton. It's great for bringing down fevers (I heavily diluted it and put a drop on Selah. It brought her fever down 3 degrees in 40 minutes). It also works wonders on headaches and migraines for me. When I start to wean Selah, I can apply it to my chest to help dry up the milk supply.
- Lavender: A MUST-HAVE for us. This was the one that hooked us for sleeping! We put a little lavender on our wrists before bedtime and sleep like rocks. It's also great for cuts, itching, bug bites.
- Valor: Lessens my snoring!! I put it on my big toe and instead of a gargling freight train, Adrian reports that it's a nice soft heavy breathing :)
- Thieves: My favorite. Hands down. This one killed my strep, attacks Adrian's colds and I put a drop on my toothpaste every morning to help freshen breath, kill illnesses and whiten teeth. The other day, Adrian asked me if I had used my Thieves. I hadn't (it was packed for a trip!). He said he could tell a difference in my breath having not used it a day.
So, I am hooked, to say the least. I'm really excited to order more on Friday! I'll be getting some cedarwood for sleep (and hair regrowth for Adrian...shhhh), Progessence Plus to manage my migraines and hormones, more Thieves, orange and grapefruit!
Sorry if this sounded like a sales pitch. After months of researching and my husband being super skeptical, I was soooo excited to find that the oils actually worked for us for really practical things. If you have an issue you're trying to find a solution to, let me know. I'd love to research and help you find an oil that addresses that, you know, because I'm a stay-at-home-mom with a ton of time on my hands ;) But for real, just wanted to share some of the really practical ways that YL oils have helped us! I'm going to be doing a couple classes in June (in TN and CO), so if you're interested, come to one of those and let's chat!
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Nine Months Has Come and Gone
Mobility.
That word, more than almost any other, describes Selah more aptly than I would have thought possible of a 9-month old! Mobility and personality. If I thought she had personality before, she has upped the ante these last several weeks.
Seh is a charmer, that's for sure. Give her a room full of people and she will work the crowd for all she's worth. She smiles a ton (an adorable, little scrunchynosed smile that says, "See how fun I am?"), waves at everyone and everything with both arms until her whole body wiggles, bounces and squeals if you sing to her and claps her hands to show how pleased she is with life. She's crawling and cruising and tonight - even standing unsupported.
After moooooonths of her only knowing how to shake her head "no," although she didn't grasp the meaning, she has finally mastered the "yes" nod. And she will bobble her adorable little head around from no to yes and back again until you join in the head shaking.
Speaking of shaking, I think she'll be a mover and a shaker and a real go-getter. The little lady can move incredibly fast. Her favorite things lately to speed-crawl for are Ben (getting closer to catching him), clumps of Ben's hair when he's not around, pens and markers and various specks of things she finds on the floor. Whether she's crawling to something really quickly or grabbing something and crawling away with it, she has definitely figured out how to get from point A to point B really fast.
I don't think we have much longer until her speed crawl turns into a speed walk. She has been cruising from the coffee table to the couch, or legs to a toy, for a few weeks now. She pulls herself up on anything that will stay still long enough. One of her favorite bedtime games (when she's supposed to be winding down in her crib) is to stand up, fall down, stand up, fall down. If you see her doing it, she gives a big crinkly-nose grin.
Selah is eating a lot more solids now, including Mum-Mums and some kind of little Gerber snacks. She is holding strong at 2 teeth, but fussiness this last week makes me think #3 isn't far behind. She gets super excited when she sees me grab her spoon for some solids or a bowl for finger foods or snacks. I'm still trying to figure out how to begin easing her into more solids and more normal mealtimes. She does so well with 5 meals a day (nursing) and solid snacks that I'm not motivated or super sure how to get her nursing less and eating more like a kid. Is it too early? With an anniversary vacation later in the year, I want to be sure she'll be OK eating normally and taking fewer bottles. Any tips?
She is seriously the most exhausting and most fun little person to be around, all at the same time. She is such a joy, and so sweet and obedient. God has graciously blessed us. We pray every night that He will pursue her and that she will come to genuinely know and love Him at an early age! Until that day when she meets the heavenly Father, it's (a challenge but) a complete joy to parent her!
That word, more than almost any other, describes Selah more aptly than I would have thought possible of a 9-month old! Mobility and personality. If I thought she had personality before, she has upped the ante these last several weeks.
Seh is a charmer, that's for sure. Give her a room full of people and she will work the crowd for all she's worth. She smiles a ton (an adorable, little scrunchynosed smile that says, "See how fun I am?"), waves at everyone and everything with both arms until her whole body wiggles, bounces and squeals if you sing to her and claps her hands to show how pleased she is with life. She's crawling and cruising and tonight - even standing unsupported.
After moooooonths of her only knowing how to shake her head "no," although she didn't grasp the meaning, she has finally mastered the "yes" nod. And she will bobble her adorable little head around from no to yes and back again until you join in the head shaking.
Speaking of shaking, I think she'll be a mover and a shaker and a real go-getter. The little lady can move incredibly fast. Her favorite things lately to speed-crawl for are Ben (getting closer to catching him), clumps of Ben's hair when he's not around, pens and markers and various specks of things she finds on the floor. Whether she's crawling to something really quickly or grabbing something and crawling away with it, she has definitely figured out how to get from point A to point B really fast.
I don't think we have much longer until her speed crawl turns into a speed walk. She has been cruising from the coffee table to the couch, or legs to a toy, for a few weeks now. She pulls herself up on anything that will stay still long enough. One of her favorite bedtime games (when she's supposed to be winding down in her crib) is to stand up, fall down, stand up, fall down. If you see her doing it, she gives a big crinkly-nose grin.
Selah is eating a lot more solids now, including Mum-Mums and some kind of little Gerber snacks. She is holding strong at 2 teeth, but fussiness this last week makes me think #3 isn't far behind. She gets super excited when she sees me grab her spoon for some solids or a bowl for finger foods or snacks. I'm still trying to figure out how to begin easing her into more solids and more normal mealtimes. She does so well with 5 meals a day (nursing) and solid snacks that I'm not motivated or super sure how to get her nursing less and eating more like a kid. Is it too early? With an anniversary vacation later in the year, I want to be sure she'll be OK eating normally and taking fewer bottles. Any tips?
She is seriously the most exhausting and most fun little person to be around, all at the same time. She is such a joy, and so sweet and obedient. God has graciously blessed us. We pray every night that He will pursue her and that she will come to genuinely know and love Him at an early age! Until that day when she meets the heavenly Father, it's (a challenge but) a complete joy to parent her!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Motherhood
A lot has been written about motherhood. Far wiser minds than mine have attempted to capture the essence of this sacred union between a mother and child, and have come far closer to expressing it with eloquence and grace. I don't want to re-invent the wheel, just make some observations on this thing called motherhood, since Mother's Day was yesterday and Selah hits 9 months tomorrow. Many would say that means I've been a mother for 9 months now, but I'd argue that motherhood began before that. Yesterday I got a lot of "Happy 1st Mother's Day!" which, while I appreciate the well-wishes, rubs me a little wrong. The idea that motherhood begins when you hold your child doesn't take into account the months, sometimes years, that have been spent preparing for this high calling that God has planned for you and that motherhood begins well before you actually get to hold the baby in your arms.
For the women who are adopting and have yet to meet their child - are they not yet a mom? What about women who have suffered the heartbreak of a miscarriage (or several)? For women who have labored and given birth to a stillborn baby, are they not mothers? Why then, are the nine months of a woman carrying a child close to her heart, rearranging her life, her priorities and her thinking, not considered part of motherhood?
You don't become a mother just because you give birth. You don't become a mother just because you change a diaper, or nurse a child at your breast, or stay up all night with a sick little one. These things are often part of the mothering journey at some point, but not for all. Likewise, giving birth or changing a diaper or staying up all night doesn't make you a mom. Motherhood is making sacrifices for another, often one who can't give you anything in return. It is a journey of re-prioritizing and making decisions that are for the betterment of a little soul. It is a constant, continual pouring out of yourself - your finances, your health, your free time, your heart.
Before I ever met Adrian, someone told me marriage makes you realize how selfish you are, and that parenting makes you really realize how selfish you still are. Parenting is in a lot of ways, a lot like marriage. It's a call to lay down your life for someone else, often without thanks or reciprocation. However, unlike marriage, you don't get to choose that person you're going to do that for. In many ways, you are called to lay down your life for someone you've never met and frankly, have no guarantee to ever like. And yet - you do it.
You let outsiders in to scrutinize your life, social workers, doctors, random old ladies in the grocery store. You empty your bank account to buy the safest gadgets (and the cutest clothes). You worry over the health of a tiny being you've never met. You give up caffeine, alcohol, milkshakes - things you love. You wake up in the middle of the night terrified that something is wrong with this tiny person you haven't met or named yet. You avoid travel and electric blankets and hot tubs and endure back pain and foot pain - gladly. And that's all before the child ever physically enters your life. You stay up late, get up early, wake up hourly. Feed till you're empty and spent. You take 3 showers a day to get the puke and poop off yourself, do load upon load of laundry, and deny yourself the little things that once meant so much to you.
As I was watching Killers tonight (that old movie with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl? I'm about to spoil it in case you haven't seen it), something struck me. After receiving a positive pregnancy test, she said, "This stopped being about what I want the moment I saw those two lines." Isn't that the truth? From the moment you find out you're entering the road to parenthood - you're a parent and it's no longer about what you want. Responsibility, decisions and sacrifice don't wait until the child has arrived and breathed our air for a certain amount of time. It begins with the beginning - conception, but that doesn't mean it suddenly becomes about what the baby wants. There's rampant idolatry in our country where our children are concerned. How do you find a balance between loving them, caring for them and not idolizing them? Where do you draw the line between being amazed at the gift God has given you, and worshipping the gift-giver instead of the gift? We do anything for our children, forgetting that the ultimate calling isn't to sacrifice for this child solely for them, but so that someday they would come to know Jesus and give him glory in their lives.
I love motherhood. Looooooooove it. Completely surprises me to say that, but it's true. I (mostly) loved being pregnant, the labor experience and the daily tasks of being a mom. If you had asked me two years ago my thoughts on this motherhood thing, I would have told you I was not excited about it. I used to be so independent. So against clingy, needy beings (except puppies). I hate(d) bodily fluids of all sorts and very much valued my alone time. You know what? Having someone depend on me, cling to me, puke on me and want to be with me constantly is surprisingly okay, even enjoyable. I won't say I gave up my cleanliness or independence or solitude willingly, but God is graciously allowing me to change. He is changing my heart.
What a blessing it is to have gone from a woman who feared children, to a woman who worships her child, to a woman who is learning (sloooowly) what it means to worship the Creator and not the tiny creation. I am a far cry from where I'd like to be in all respects, but I praise God that he is molding my heart for Him as a mother - a journey that started 18 months ago.
So, adoptive moms, pregnant moms, moms of 8, moms of babies who are already in heaven, moms-in-the-making (and dads in all stages too), take heart. God has called you to an incredibly tough task: to pour out your life for others, to love them mightily, not to worship them but to point them in worship to the One who poured out his life for us.
For the women who are adopting and have yet to meet their child - are they not yet a mom? What about women who have suffered the heartbreak of a miscarriage (or several)? For women who have labored and given birth to a stillborn baby, are they not mothers? Why then, are the nine months of a woman carrying a child close to her heart, rearranging her life, her priorities and her thinking, not considered part of motherhood?
You don't become a mother just because you give birth. You don't become a mother just because you change a diaper, or nurse a child at your breast, or stay up all night with a sick little one. These things are often part of the mothering journey at some point, but not for all. Likewise, giving birth or changing a diaper or staying up all night doesn't make you a mom. Motherhood is making sacrifices for another, often one who can't give you anything in return. It is a journey of re-prioritizing and making decisions that are for the betterment of a little soul. It is a constant, continual pouring out of yourself - your finances, your health, your free time, your heart.
Before I ever met Adrian, someone told me marriage makes you realize how selfish you are, and that parenting makes you really realize how selfish you still are. Parenting is in a lot of ways, a lot like marriage. It's a call to lay down your life for someone else, often without thanks or reciprocation. However, unlike marriage, you don't get to choose that person you're going to do that for. In many ways, you are called to lay down your life for someone you've never met and frankly, have no guarantee to ever like. And yet - you do it.
You let outsiders in to scrutinize your life, social workers, doctors, random old ladies in the grocery store. You empty your bank account to buy the safest gadgets (and the cutest clothes). You worry over the health of a tiny being you've never met. You give up caffeine, alcohol, milkshakes - things you love. You wake up in the middle of the night terrified that something is wrong with this tiny person you haven't met or named yet. You avoid travel and electric blankets and hot tubs and endure back pain and foot pain - gladly. And that's all before the child ever physically enters your life. You stay up late, get up early, wake up hourly. Feed till you're empty and spent. You take 3 showers a day to get the puke and poop off yourself, do load upon load of laundry, and deny yourself the little things that once meant so much to you.
As I was watching Killers tonight (that old movie with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl? I'm about to spoil it in case you haven't seen it), something struck me. After receiving a positive pregnancy test, she said, "This stopped being about what I want the moment I saw those two lines." Isn't that the truth? From the moment you find out you're entering the road to parenthood - you're a parent and it's no longer about what you want. Responsibility, decisions and sacrifice don't wait until the child has arrived and breathed our air for a certain amount of time. It begins with the beginning - conception, but that doesn't mean it suddenly becomes about what the baby wants. There's rampant idolatry in our country where our children are concerned. How do you find a balance between loving them, caring for them and not idolizing them? Where do you draw the line between being amazed at the gift God has given you, and worshipping the gift-giver instead of the gift? We do anything for our children, forgetting that the ultimate calling isn't to sacrifice for this child solely for them, but so that someday they would come to know Jesus and give him glory in their lives.
I love motherhood. Looooooooove it. Completely surprises me to say that, but it's true. I (mostly) loved being pregnant, the labor experience and the daily tasks of being a mom. If you had asked me two years ago my thoughts on this motherhood thing, I would have told you I was not excited about it. I used to be so independent. So against clingy, needy beings (except puppies). I hate(d) bodily fluids of all sorts and very much valued my alone time. You know what? Having someone depend on me, cling to me, puke on me and want to be with me constantly is surprisingly okay, even enjoyable. I won't say I gave up my cleanliness or independence or solitude willingly, but God is graciously allowing me to change. He is changing my heart.
What a blessing it is to have gone from a woman who feared children, to a woman who worships her child, to a woman who is learning (sloooowly) what it means to worship the Creator and not the tiny creation. I am a far cry from where I'd like to be in all respects, but I praise God that he is molding my heart for Him as a mother - a journey that started 18 months ago.
So, adoptive moms, pregnant moms, moms of 8, moms of babies who are already in heaven, moms-in-the-making (and dads in all stages too), take heart. God has called you to an incredibly tough task: to pour out your life for others, to love them mightily, not to worship them but to point them in worship to the One who poured out his life for us.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Eight Months of Selah Grace
My MIL recently reminded me that since I showed her where the blog is, I haven't done an 8-month update on sweet lil Selah. So, once again, better late than never! At least we're still in the same month....barely, but it counts.
Let's see. Not nearly as much to report this month as last. Seh is crawling like a boss. She doesn't usually move up on all fours, preferring instead to army crawl, but the little one is pretty fast. And determined. She mostly likes to go from the safe place where I put her to someplace far away, preferably full of objects she can put in her mouth and wires to yank on.
Baby-proofing soon is clearly a must.
We dropped her crib down last night to the lowest setting because just recently, she has begun pulling herself up to standing when she's supposed to be laying down. Obviously, that made me super nervous, and I had visions of her pitching headfirst out of the crib onto the hardwoods. Thankfully, A brought out the tools last night and took care of that so we can stop lining the floor with body pillows.
Speaking of standing up, Selah is not only sitting up on her own now (moving from back to belly to bottom), but she is also pulling herself to a standing position frequently. She finds an edge of a table, or a basket or a leg to push off of and away she goes. Pretty soon she'll be figuring out how to do that without any assistance some day soon :(
Selah had her first major fever last week - right before Easter! She was cranky and warm Thursday evening while I had some girls over and I attributed it to her 2nd tooth coming in. Friday, although the tooth was already in, her fever was 101+. We called the pediatrician, who had us come in for a check-up (thank you Lord for health insurance). Although she didn't find anything wrong, the fever last all day Friday and all day Saturday and finally broke Sunday morning. She slept great while fevery, only waking to eat a couple time Saturday, but by the time she started feeling better she was SOOO sleep-full that she didn't want to sleep much Saturday night. Super.....We're finally back on her normal schedule mostly, and I'm so thankful! 12 hours a night with occasional night cries - we're golden. At least until tooth #3 comes in.
So, in the last month or so, Selah has gone to the library for the first time, gone on lots of walks, had her 2nd tooth come in, begun wearing bows, mostly mastered crawling, gotten a fever, celebrated her first Easter, begun sitting up on her own, started pulling herself to standing and eaten rice cereal, squash, mashed potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes. Next on the docket is zucchini! We are all so excited :) She makes noises that sound like "mama," but not with any regularity or any intentionality. I have a feeling though once she really gets to talking there won't be any stopping her!
Anyways, without further ado, here is her 8-month photo!
Let's see. Not nearly as much to report this month as last. Seh is crawling like a boss. She doesn't usually move up on all fours, preferring instead to army crawl, but the little one is pretty fast. And determined. She mostly likes to go from the safe place where I put her to someplace far away, preferably full of objects she can put in her mouth and wires to yank on.
Baby-proofing soon is clearly a must.
 |
| Photoshoot at City Park |
Speaking of standing up, Selah is not only sitting up on her own now (moving from back to belly to bottom), but she is also pulling herself to a standing position frequently. She finds an edge of a table, or a basket or a leg to push off of and away she goes. Pretty soon she'll be figuring out how to do that without any assistance some day soon :(
Selah had her first major fever last week - right before Easter! She was cranky and warm Thursday evening while I had some girls over and I attributed it to her 2nd tooth coming in. Friday, although the tooth was already in, her fever was 101+. We called the pediatrician, who had us come in for a check-up (thank you Lord for health insurance). Although she didn't find anything wrong, the fever last all day Friday and all day Saturday and finally broke Sunday morning. She slept great while fevery, only waking to eat a couple time Saturday, but by the time she started feeling better she was SOOO sleep-full that she didn't want to sleep much Saturday night. Super.....We're finally back on her normal schedule mostly, and I'm so thankful! 12 hours a night with occasional night cries - we're golden. At least until tooth #3 comes in.
 | |
| Smiley Selah |
Anyways, without further ado, here is her 8-month photo!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Selah's 7-Month Update
 |
| 7-month shot |
Win? Selah turned 7 months and celebrated a ton of milestones! Here goes the past month (and a half...) of her life quickly!
She turned 7 months on the 13th, and between her last update and now, she has had a tooth break through, started to crawl, transitioned out of her swaddle, seen a herd of elk, gone to Summit Kids for the first time, gone to her first movie, started solids, had her baby dedication and slept 12 solid hours straight through the night. Whew. What a month!
It has been a crazy whirlwind here. Spoiler alert: A got the job he has been working toward since October! So, with the news of his impending start date and secure employment, we tried to do some things we've been putting off as a family. This culminated in lots of chaos around the VanderHouse as we tried to fit various memories in before a new chapter began for our family.
 |
| Contemplating elk...or her tooth...or food. |
The last week and a half or so has had its share of changes. She started rice cereal, did it like a champ after the first try (at first she wasn't impressed), but now she's eating some squash and seems to love it. Next up are carrots and sweet potatoes, in that order. It will be a miracle if this child likes and craves vegetables, so I'm trying to hold off on the sweet stuff I'm sure she'll enjoy!
.jpeg) |
| Not impressed with her first go-round with solids (rice cereal). She's a fan now. |
 |
| Showing off her snaggle tooth! |
So, that's about it from the VanderHouse for now! Here are a few more 7 month pictures!
 |
| Parent Commissioning at church with our friends Angie and Cedar and Melissa and Zoie. |
 | ||
| Getting commissioned to send our littles as arrows into the world for God's glory. |
.jpeg) |
| At her first movie! I think she enjoyed it. |
.JPG) |
| The Lego Movie at the Alamo for Baby Day :) |
.jpeg) | ||
| When we put her in this bouncer, she transforms into the happiest little nutcase. We sure are fond of her. |
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Week 1 Behind the Lens
If you didn't read my last post, I'm trying to challenge myself this month to A) Be more intentionally creative in the everyday B) Take my camera along more often for pictures, rather than just using my phone and C) Blog once a week.
So, the end of week 1 rolled around, and I'm improving but not doing so hot with the whole thing. Last week was an insane week of emotions, not all of which can be expressed through the camera lens. I tried a little bit, but there will be another post coming soon with all of that!
So, here, without much ado, are the photos for March 1-7! Sadly, though I took a picture each day, they were sometimes with my phone. Also sadly, it is now March 11, so I'm a little behind on this first post...Better luck next time.
 |
| March 1 - Icicles on our roof after more of our crazy weather. |
 |
| March 2 - Sweet baby Seh fell asleep clutching my thumb. Love those precious moments with her. |
 |
| March 3 - A beautiful day to enjoy the Botanic Gardens for free with my loves. Reminded me of the changing of the seasons and how God is nurturing and growing life even when all appears dead. |
 |
| March 4 - God has provided, unexpectedly and abundantly, once again. What a reminder of his faithfulness on a dark day. |
 |
| March 5 - The day Adrian got "the call." We were thrilled...and humbled...and awestruck...and weepy. SO many emotions in the span of an hour. |
 |
| March 6 - We were like two tired, grumpy gorillas at the zoo. Thankful the Gospel allows us to reconcile with one another. |
 |
| March 7 - After a busy, exhausting, bursting-with-emotions kind of week, enjoying some silly downtime with my girl. |
So, there's the first week. Like I said - I failed much of the time to stick to using my camera, but I'm hoping this month will challenge me to look at things a little differently, more creatively and more mindfully of God's goodness in our lives.
Stay tuned over the next couple of days for our big news!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Returning to Awe
When I was little, I used to have an imagination.
I was the kid creating elaborate story lines out of the lives of my stuffed animals and Barbies -– stories that had nothing to do with Ken or Barbie's clothes or vehicle choices. I had two guinea pigs (not concurrently) and I remember building intricate cardboard castles for them to live in and chew their way out of. I used to write fiction stories and submit them to young adult magazines for publication. Clearly, I was a nerd, but I was an imaginative, happy nerd, full of naïveté.
I don't know when I lost that imagination and that dreamer gaze. By the time I was in high school, I had focused more on the tangible and what I could see and touch and experience. The world is an enormous, beautiful, interesting place and the people God has filled it with, even more fascinating. I shifted my focus from what was in my head to what was in front of my eyes.
In some ways, I think it has been a good shift. I've never really dealt well in abstractions and uncertainties, and I appreciate the concrete and the genuine. The change of focus and waning of my imagination has led me to see more clearly what is happening in the world around me and to spend less time in my own head. It has challenged me to dig deep to look for the beauty that God has already placed there. It has encouraged me to be more aware of the world and the people in it.
In some ways, it has made me a cynic. If I can't see and experience it for myself, it doesn't have worth to me. It has made me less empathetic, for when people begin talking about dreams and hopes, with no concrete backing, I zone out. I'm finding myself more jaded and only aware of beauty when it slaps me in the face. I've gotten lazy at looking for the preciousness in life.
Compared to the exciting, exotic life I imagined as a child, my life now is pretty mundane. I don't travel frequently. I don't eat new cuisines or at new restaurants. Strangers kind of scare me, so I don't meet many new people or push myself to learn their stories. In a lot of ways, though my head acknowledges that this world is enormous, beautiful and interesting, I have stopped looking for the beauty in the ordinary. My enthusiasm for life, for the gospel, for the gloriousness of Christ has grown dim and dull, and I'm ready for a change.
My heart yearns to be swept up in beauty. I yearn to create again and mimic the Author of Life and Creator. I honestly don't know what that will look like. I'm spitballing here.
This next month has some opportunities for photo shoots on the horizon, so I will hopefully be able to get some imaginative, creative juices flowing with those. I want to blog more, to write and express my heart. It doesn't have to be a big change though, as what I want to recapture is a sense of wonder in the everyday, extraordinary moments. One thought I've had is that this month, rather than trying to Instagram a photo challenge someone else has created, is just to take a picture of something that points me back to the Creator everyday. It doesn't have to be monumental – just something that reminds me of the goodness and wonder and mystery and beauty of God. Maybe I'll blog each week a recap of that week's photos. And as an added challenge, I'm going to try and use my camera, not just my phone.
Am I alone in this desire to create and behold and return to a childlike sense of wonder? If I am, in fact, not alone (as I suspect), how do you challenge yourself to see the beauty in the life God has given you, right where you are?
Sunday, February 16, 2014
6 Months of Selah
Selah celebrated her 1/2 birthday the other day. I'm pretty sure she didn't even know she was celebrating, but alas, it happened! She is now a 6-month old and is closer to a 1-year old than a brand-new baby. C-R-A-Z-Y.
It seems like just a couple of weeks ago that I posted her 5-month update, so there's not a ton new to tell. At her check-up, she weighed in at 17 lbs, 5 oz., (73%) and 27.25 in long (95%). Still a long, tall Sally! She is fitting more comfortably in 9-month clothes than in 6-month clothes, due to her long torso and long legs. She's using those long legs more and more. She LOVES to stand holding onto our legs or hands for support and she will happily bounce for as long as we let her (or as long as her stomach holds out). She does this cute little bounce when I'm carrying her over my shoulder where she uses her arms to pull up and kicks against me to go up and down and up and down and up and down. She also does the bounce when she's laying across us on her stomach. Girl likes to move, and I would not be surprised by crawling at any point.
Speaking of cute things, there are a couple of cute new developments in her repertoire. She has begun sounding out more things, usually "buh" and "mah" sounds. We're trying to teach her to say "Benny" and "Mama" when she's making those noises, but she usually just laughs at us :) Often times it results in her just blowing bubbles and spitting a lot.
Even within the last few days, she has developed a new facial expression that I LOVE. She crinkles up her nose and smiles really big with her mouth wide open. It's maybe a pantomime of our open-mouthed, eyebrows-up face we both do all the time, but Seh has picked up on it and it's so adorable. Still no teeth visible, so for now it's a lovely toothless grin.
This month has brought lots of visits to the zoo, where Selah loves to watch the tigers play, the monkeys hop around and the komodo dragon stick its tongue out. It's actually been as interesting to watch the animals' reactions to her as her reactions to the animals.
She still nurses like a champ and eats 5 times a day, with her nightly bottle up to 9 ounces and occasionally a little extra nursing on top of that. It seems to have helped her settled back into a 11-12 hour sleep pattern!! She goes to sleep by 10:30 pm and sometimes wakes up to play by herself in her crib between 8:30-9 am, but then goes back to sleep until 10:30 when she eats. She is still sleeping swaddled at night, but we're transitioning her out of it by leaving one arm out during naptimes. We've found she frequently rolls over and grabs the bars of the crib when one arm is out though, so his mom bought a breathable liner that I just installed. She got so tuckered out waiting for me to finish that she just put her own pacifier in and went to sleep, no swaddle at all. That's a win!
We need to start her on solids, so we have some rice cereal to try out, but I'm not going to lie - I really am not gung-ho on having her do solids anytime soon. It's so much easier to just nurse her or take a bottle, rather than have to prepare other foods for her. The doctor said she can eat a little of what we eat, mashed up of course, but something about putting bagels and pizza near her doesn't sound wise or healthy :/ I know she gets my diet anyways, but it sure seems different when it's straight up crap without my body filtering it!
Selah is such a delight and joy to us. Adrian's mom is in town and gave us a date night the other night and even though we thoroughly enjoyed and needed the time away as a couple, we both admitted we missed her after a couple hours. Not sure how WE'LL handle a long anniversary trip away this fall! Kidding. Kind of. Beaches and no schedule could make it worth the separation ;) We're so looking forward to all the little milestones yet to come, but we're truly loving this stage she's in right now. She is so fun and such a blessing to us all (except Ben. He's still scared of her).
Anyways, hopefully I'll be able to post about some other stuff going on in our life soon, other than just the joy of Selah!
 |
| Selah at 6-months |
Speaking of cute things, there are a couple of cute new developments in her repertoire. She has begun sounding out more things, usually "buh" and "mah" sounds. We're trying to teach her to say "Benny" and "Mama" when she's making those noises, but she usually just laughs at us :) Often times it results in her just blowing bubbles and spitting a lot.
Even within the last few days, she has developed a new facial expression that I LOVE. She crinkles up her nose and smiles really big with her mouth wide open. It's maybe a pantomime of our open-mouthed, eyebrows-up face we both do all the time, but Seh has picked up on it and it's so adorable. Still no teeth visible, so for now it's a lovely toothless grin.
This month has brought lots of visits to the zoo, where Selah loves to watch the tigers play, the monkeys hop around and the komodo dragon stick its tongue out. It's actually been as interesting to watch the animals' reactions to her as her reactions to the animals.
She still nurses like a champ and eats 5 times a day, with her nightly bottle up to 9 ounces and occasionally a little extra nursing on top of that. It seems to have helped her settled back into a 11-12 hour sleep pattern!! She goes to sleep by 10:30 pm and sometimes wakes up to play by herself in her crib between 8:30-9 am, but then goes back to sleep until 10:30 when she eats. She is still sleeping swaddled at night, but we're transitioning her out of it by leaving one arm out during naptimes. We've found she frequently rolls over and grabs the bars of the crib when one arm is out though, so his mom bought a breathable liner that I just installed. She got so tuckered out waiting for me to finish that she just put her own pacifier in and went to sleep, no swaddle at all. That's a win! We need to start her on solids, so we have some rice cereal to try out, but I'm not going to lie - I really am not gung-ho on having her do solids anytime soon. It's so much easier to just nurse her or take a bottle, rather than have to prepare other foods for her. The doctor said she can eat a little of what we eat, mashed up of course, but something about putting bagels and pizza near her doesn't sound wise or healthy :/ I know she gets my diet anyways, but it sure seems different when it's straight up crap without my body filtering it!
Selah is such a delight and joy to us. Adrian's mom is in town and gave us a date night the other night and even though we thoroughly enjoyed and needed the time away as a couple, we both admitted we missed her after a couple hours. Not sure how WE'LL handle a long anniversary trip away this fall! Kidding. Kind of. Beaches and no schedule could make it worth the separation ;) We're so looking forward to all the little milestones yet to come, but we're truly loving this stage she's in right now. She is so fun and such a blessing to us all (except Ben. He's still scared of her).
Anyways, hopefully I'll be able to post about some other stuff going on in our life soon, other than just the joy of Selah!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Selah's 5-month update
Here is a horrifying scientific fact: 5 months is almost 6 months, which is half a year. This is especially horrifying to me today because as I write this, Selah is not only 5 months old, she is 5 months and 10 days old (thanks procrastination), meaning she is closer to half a year old than ever before. GULP. I am not ready for her to grow up!!
This last month with her has been truly interesting. In it, she experienced Christmas, New Year's Eve, a visit from my parents, a visit with Adrian's parents in Wyoming and much more. She rolls over like a champ most of the time now, can almost sit up on her own, and has developed SO much personality.
We spent a couple of weeks in Wyoming, and while we were there, I really felt like she turned into a child with oodles of personality! It was more than a little scary and I confess - I kind of feel like I don't know her as well anymore. Maybe it was just that she suddenly developed these funny habits that I didn't expect, but she's kind of a different child these days.
For example, she LOVES to be upside down. I mean seriously loves it. It started with her pushing herself backwards off the Boppy with her strong little legs, until her head is hanging over the edge of the pillow and she can see from a new perspective. She also thoroughly loves it when Adrian grabs her by the ankles and holds her up in the air. She arches her back so she can see him and the ground and smiles and coos.
I also have a feeling Seh is going to be mobile much quicker than I'll be ready for. She already scoots herself around in circles with her legs when she wants to. One night during her last bottle, she pushed herself off the Boppy (headfirst) and ended up about 4 feet away on the bed, just scooting on her back. She stands up for several minutes at a time, as long as we hold onto her hands.
Her sleep is so-so. She doesn't wake up to eat, but she's not sleeping solidly through the night either, like she used to. She'll wake up and have her arms stuck halfway out of her swaddle or wake when she wants her pacifier back in. So, we're currently trying to get her transitioned out of the SwaddleMes that she sleeps in. It's been rough going, but she is slowly getting the hang of it. I'm going to try a Snooze Sack when it gets out of the landry. A few nights ago we also moved her bedtime up an hour. This means last bottle at 9:15, and bed around 10. Glory be - she still sleeps till 10 or 10:30! Maybe that means if want her day to start at 9:30, she should go to bed even earlier?
It's been a rough month with her sleeping less well and being more fussy. I know I keep saying it, but I seriously think she's teething. She loooooves her Sophie Giraffe that Grammy and Papa Don got her for Christmas, and freaks out if she drops it. She has also had a couple of "Mama only" meltdowns - once when Adrian wanted to play with her and then Monday night when we had a bunch of people over for his birthday. That was fun :/
Speaking of fun, her vocal range is hilarious. She has ramped up with even more screeches and squawks in (nicknaming her Pterodactyl and Screech), has continued gurgling and cooing, and has added in blowing bubbles and making tooting noises with her mouth. It started really cutely with her cooing and smacking her lips together, then she began spitting every time she did it, and now she just spits a lot and tries desperately to blow bubbles. This, naturally, leads to lots and lots of soaked clothing. She is still in some 3-month stuff if it's long enough, but mostly in 3-6 month and regular old 6-month stuff. Length is the key!
Though she's more mobile, more fussy, more tiresome and more stubborn - she is still a fantastic baby. She rocks at her daytime schedule, is SO smiley the majority of the time and is truly a joy to have around. We love, love, love, love her, so much.
 |
| Christmas Eve |
For example, she LOVES to be upside down. I mean seriously loves it. It started with her pushing herself backwards off the Boppy with her strong little legs, until her head is hanging over the edge of the pillow and she can see from a new perspective. She also thoroughly loves it when Adrian grabs her by the ankles and holds her up in the air. She arches her back so she can see him and the ground and smiles and coos.
I also have a feeling Seh is going to be mobile much quicker than I'll be ready for. She already scoots herself around in circles with her legs when she wants to. One night during her last bottle, she pushed herself off the Boppy (headfirst) and ended up about 4 feet away on the bed, just scooting on her back. She stands up for several minutes at a time, as long as we hold onto her hands.
Her sleep is so-so. She doesn't wake up to eat, but she's not sleeping solidly through the night either, like she used to. She'll wake up and have her arms stuck halfway out of her swaddle or wake when she wants her pacifier back in. So, we're currently trying to get her transitioned out of the SwaddleMes that she sleeps in. It's been rough going, but she is slowly getting the hang of it. I'm going to try a Snooze Sack when it gets out of the landry. A few nights ago we also moved her bedtime up an hour. This means last bottle at 9:15, and bed around 10. Glory be - she still sleeps till 10 or 10:30! Maybe that means if want her day to start at 9:30, she should go to bed even earlier?It's been a rough month with her sleeping less well and being more fussy. I know I keep saying it, but I seriously think she's teething. She loooooves her Sophie Giraffe that Grammy and Papa Don got her for Christmas, and freaks out if she drops it. She has also had a couple of "Mama only" meltdowns - once when Adrian wanted to play with her and then Monday night when we had a bunch of people over for his birthday. That was fun :/
Speaking of fun, her vocal range is hilarious. She has ramped up with even more screeches and squawks in (nicknaming her Pterodactyl and Screech), has continued gurgling and cooing, and has added in blowing bubbles and making tooting noises with her mouth. It started really cutely with her cooing and smacking her lips together, then she began spitting every time she did it, and now she just spits a lot and tries desperately to blow bubbles. This, naturally, leads to lots and lots of soaked clothing. She is still in some 3-month stuff if it's long enough, but mostly in 3-6 month and regular old 6-month stuff. Length is the key!
Though she's more mobile, more fussy, more tiresome and more stubborn - she is still a fantastic baby. She rocks at her daytime schedule, is SO smiley the majority of the time and is truly a joy to have around. We love, love, love, love her, so much.
 | |
| 5 months old!! |
Monday, January 6, 2014
The Passing of Time
Over the last month, I have had several times where I thought I should blog, usually about the passing of time and the new experiences and goals it brings with it.
For example, Selah turned 4-months old last month. Right around the time she hit that milestone, she began rolling over (not always, but she definitely can) and stopped sleeping solidly through the night. I freaked about a 4-month sleep regression and Adrian told me to calm the heck down. Long story short, we dropped a nap and added a feeding and she's back to generally sleeping through the night, with wake-ups to be reswaddled and have her pacifier put back in. I've had every intention since my surgery of getting her on a slightly modified schedule from where she's at, but with each night that she doesn't go back to 11 hours solidly, I get wary of messing with anything. We do not do well without sleep.Anyways, her 4-month appointment brought good news of her health! She's doing great, gaining weight well, has super head control and looks really good. She was 14 lbs, 11 ounces and 25.75 inches long, aka, still long and skinny, but fully within the healthy range.
Also, I turned 29 recently (ah, yes, I blogged that morning :) ). Following in the footsteps of my friends Erin and Lindsay, I thought about doing a "30 by 30" kind of post, with 30 goals I have before I hit the big 3-0 next December. However, as Adrian and I drove around and I bounced my goals off of him, I couldn't figure out 30 to write about.
There's my desire to get my nose pierced. I wanted to do it just for quitting my job and no longer being in the corporate world, but A said I should have a better reason. So my motivation became to lose 15 pounds and then get my nose pierced. So there's 2 goals. I figure I can work on losing 15 pounds (which, as of last weekend, I was down 4, probably from puking a lot Saturday) by trying to run a 5k. So, 3 goals. I want to go on a banging anniversary trip with Adrian in October, but that is complicated by the fact that I would also like to be pregnant again by my next birthday. Sooo, another baby or an all-inclusive vacation? Goals #4 and #5, which may or may not be mutually exclusive.
In no particular order, here are the goals I have thus far:
1. Get my nose pierced.
2. Lose 15 pounds.
3. Run a 5k.
4. Have a fantastic 5-year anniversary trip.
5. Get pregnant.
6. Go skiing at least 2x this season.
7. Get our family healthier.
8. Go to a concert at Red Rocks.
9. Get paid to take some pictures.
10. Decorate our bedroom and make it cozy.
11. Be a confident and frequent baby-wearer.
12. Family beach trip.
13. Buy a new computer.
14. Read my Bible more diligently.
15. Go to a Rockies game as a family.
16. Cook 5 nights a week most weeks.
17. Get a kitten or puppy :)
18. Develop a weekly housecleaning schedule.
19. Do some crafts I've been delaying (i.e., wall art for our bedroom).
20. Find a couple of local beers I actually like.
21. Go paddle boarding this summer.
22. Eat at some of the local, legit Hispanic restaurants in our neighborhood.
23. Work up to walking to the zoo regularly to use my zoo pass.
24. Get a library card and use it.
25. Get my hair cut more than once this year.
26. Try a new restaurant during Restaurant Week.
27. Have a veggie garden again this summer, and actually harvest and eat the produce.
28. Go for a hike.
29. Eat at Civic Center Eats this summer.
30. Go to Jazz in the Park once.
So, there ya have it. Selah's 4-month update and my 30 by 30 goals. Since almost a month has passed, I feel like I should post my progress, but sadly, I'm not exactly notably progressing. 4 pounds down and once to the zoo so far...So, here's to a year of getting stuff done in 2014!
For example, Selah turned 4-months old last month. Right around the time she hit that milestone, she began rolling over (not always, but she definitely can) and stopped sleeping solidly through the night. I freaked about a 4-month sleep regression and Adrian told me to calm the heck down. Long story short, we dropped a nap and added a feeding and she's back to generally sleeping through the night, with wake-ups to be reswaddled and have her pacifier put back in. I've had every intention since my surgery of getting her on a slightly modified schedule from where she's at, but with each night that she doesn't go back to 11 hours solidly, I get wary of messing with anything. We do not do well without sleep.Anyways, her 4-month appointment brought good news of her health! She's doing great, gaining weight well, has super head control and looks really good. She was 14 lbs, 11 ounces and 25.75 inches long, aka, still long and skinny, but fully within the healthy range.
 |
| Four months old! |
Also, I turned 29 recently (ah, yes, I blogged that morning :) ). Following in the footsteps of my friends Erin and Lindsay, I thought about doing a "30 by 30" kind of post, with 30 goals I have before I hit the big 3-0 next December. However, as Adrian and I drove around and I bounced my goals off of him, I couldn't figure out 30 to write about.
There's my desire to get my nose pierced. I wanted to do it just for quitting my job and no longer being in the corporate world, but A said I should have a better reason. So my motivation became to lose 15 pounds and then get my nose pierced. So there's 2 goals. I figure I can work on losing 15 pounds (which, as of last weekend, I was down 4, probably from puking a lot Saturday) by trying to run a 5k. So, 3 goals. I want to go on a banging anniversary trip with Adrian in October, but that is complicated by the fact that I would also like to be pregnant again by my next birthday. Sooo, another baby or an all-inclusive vacation? Goals #4 and #5, which may or may not be mutually exclusive.
In no particular order, here are the goals I have thus far:
1. Get my nose pierced.
2. Lose 15 pounds.
3. Run a 5k.
4. Have a fantastic 5-year anniversary trip.
5. Get pregnant.
6. Go skiing at least 2x this season.
7. Get our family healthier.
8. Go to a concert at Red Rocks.
9. Get paid to take some pictures.
10. Decorate our bedroom and make it cozy.
11. Be a confident and frequent baby-wearer.
12. Family beach trip.
13. Buy a new computer.
14. Read my Bible more diligently.
15. Go to a Rockies game as a family.
16. Cook 5 nights a week most weeks.
17. Get a kitten or puppy :)
18. Develop a weekly housecleaning schedule.
19. Do some crafts I've been delaying (i.e., wall art for our bedroom).
20. Find a couple of local beers I actually like.
21. Go paddle boarding this summer.
22. Eat at some of the local, legit Hispanic restaurants in our neighborhood.
23. Work up to walking to the zoo regularly to use my zoo pass.
24. Get a library card and use it.
25. Get my hair cut more than once this year.
26. Try a new restaurant during Restaurant Week.
27. Have a veggie garden again this summer, and actually harvest and eat the produce.
28. Go for a hike.
29. Eat at Civic Center Eats this summer.
30. Go to Jazz in the Park once.
So, there ya have it. Selah's 4-month update and my 30 by 30 goals. Since almost a month has passed, I feel like I should post my progress, but sadly, I'm not exactly notably progressing. 4 pounds down and once to the zoo so far...So, here's to a year of getting stuff done in 2014!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)