Elias loves his daddy and cannot wait for him to get home each day. This is Elias looking out the window waiting for that fateful moment when Mark will walk through the door.
This is what it looks like when Mark comes in!
Come Home
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Category Archives: Mommy Diaries
7 Months
Dear Owen,
You are seven months old! You are sitting up with no problems, rolling over, and getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth.
Watch out world– I think this might be the month you take off crawling.
Not only are you getting more mobile, but you are growing like crazy. You really love to eat! Right before I bring you some bananas or apple sauce your mouth turns into a big square and you get so excited that you sound like a little pterodactyl.
You love to use your two little teeth when you are chomping on your food. This month I gave you a sippy cup and you love to bite it as well.
You take three naps a day. And you have recently started wiggling out of one of your sleeves while in bed so you can put it in your mouth. I think it is time for mommy to get you a cute little blanket or stuffed animal for you to cuddle with instead of that sleeve.
Not only do you love to cuddle with blankets and suck on that thumb, you love to be with people. You love everyone! You are such a social baby. If there is something going on you want to be right in the middle of the action. I love that about you.
You love your brother more and more each month. Recently you have been caught staring at him. I’m pretty sure you are trying to figure out how you can run around like he does. You guys are such good little buddies. He loves you! Elias always asks me if he can “talk-a-Owen.” He loves telling you stories and can make you laugh like no one else.
You not only love people, but you love to grab everything you can get your hands on. You love to grab mommy’s cup, my food, my face, my cellphone… pretty much anything that you can try to grab.
Owen, I love your smile and your personality. You are such a delight to have in our family.
Life as a Wife
When I was first smitten with my husband, I was ready to jump on the back of his stallion and ride off into the sunset. I had no idea where ‘said’ stallion would take us, but I was ready with cheerful abandon. I recklessly let ‘single’ me go, and was ready to revel in the new mysteriously married me.
This week our little stallion has led us to seminary. I’m really getting to experience life as a seminary wife. Although I have been a seminary wife for a few years–and Mark has been able to take a lot of classes where we live– there are a few times he has to go to Louisville to take classes. I am having so much fun getting to be with him. And I love getting to know the school a little better.
We love campus! They have an awesome buildings, pools, as well as open fields, walking paths, kid play areas, etc..
Mark showed us around a little bit between classes.
After a little tour, we ate lunch together outside.
I am so glad that we get to be together, and that I am getting to know a little more about Southern.
p.s. Don’t forget to enter our fun giveaway. I’ll be announcing three winners on Saturday.
Sloppily Floundering
Elias almost died again!
He didn’t mean to but when he stepped into the pool–that didn’t have a step–he went straight under water. He chaotically sank. Before I could blink, piranha mouth was emerging from the water with horror on his little face. Elias sloppily floundered through the water until I (with Owen in my arms) had to jump into the kiddy pool and save him. I grabbed his little arm and yanked my little doggy paddler above water as quickly as I could.
Completely soaked and still choking Elias looked at me with a quirky smile and said, “I fell down.” I wanted to burst into tears and laughter all at the same time. “I saw that, son…” was all I said. After that the intensity withered, and we were able to enjoy the sun, splashing, and laying out.
Zoo Day
I love summer because we get to go to the zoo with our friends, Lauren and Ezra!
When we visit the zoo Elias enjoys seeing the animals and tries to make the noises the animals make. He is at the perfect age to really enjoy the zoo. Owen enjoys riding in the stroller and crawling all over when we have a picnic lunch.
Recently our zoo added a splash pad, and that made my little water bugs very happy. When we go to the zoo, we usually go all morning and then stay for lunch. After looking at animals, playing in the water and then having lunch everyone is usually ready to go home for naps.
Big Mama
Elias calls me “big mama!”
I shared how I felt about that here. Well all of this “big mama” talk it is getting out of control. Lately, every time we are in the car Elias will lean over to Owen and say, “big mama!” This of course makes Owen laugh hysterically. Enjoy this little video, filmed by none other than “big mama.”
Brothers Are For…
Brothers are for loving.
Brothers are for staring at.
Brothers are for sitting on.
Brothers are for high fiving.
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! -Psalm 133:1
P.s. If you have a few extra minutes and want to win some awesome stuff head over to Casey Leigh’s blog. Pencilled Daydream is giving something away!!
21 Things To Do This Summer
- Go to the pool.
- Go on a picnic.
- Go to the park.
- Go to a library class.
- Play in the sprinklers.
- Read together. (Join the summer reading programs at your library.)
- Go out for ice-cream.
- Have popsicles.
- Have a water balloon fight.
- Go on a bike ride.
- Take a hike.
- Have a day at the lake.
- Go to the zoo.
- Go to a splash pad, or a water park.
- Look at the stars together at night.
- Go for a walk.
- Catch fireflies.
- Have a BBQ.
- Play in the rain.
- Play a game together. (basketball, football, foursquare, hopscotch, soccer, race)
- Make a lemonade stand.
25 Ways To Encourage A New Mom
So many of my friends are having babies! And there are even more coming. Today I thought it would be fun to share 25 ways to support and encourage new mommies. I remember how blessed I was when I had Elias and Owen, and would love for more people to feel the same kind of encouragement.
25 Ways To Encourage A New Mom
- Take her a meal.
- Listen to her.
- Don’t compare her kids to others.
- Fold her laundry.
- Tell her what a great mom she is.
- Don’t act like she should have all of the answers. Remind her that where she is weak, Jesus is strong.
- Support her in following her husband’s leadership. Each man has different ways of leading his family.
- If you feel the need to ask about how much sleep she had last night… ask something like: “Did you get more than a minute of sleep last night?” This will make her feel better about the fact that she only got twenty minutes of sleep all night long.
- Babysit for her. Let her take a nap or have a few minutes to shower alone.
- Clean her house. Put the dishes away. Vacuum. etc..
- Bring her a fun little surprise. Coffee, cupcakes, cookies, candy…what does she like? Bring it to her.
- Promise her that she will be able to go to the movies again one day.
- Tell her how great she looks for having just had a baby.
- Leave when the baby goes down for a nap. She needs a nap too.
- Bring a gift for her and the baby.
- Promise her that she will get out of the house.
- Promise her that she will sleep again.
- Don’t tell your stories about how your baby was the perfect sleeper, never fussed, and always cuddled.
- Only visit when it is convenient for Momma and baby.
- Send her a little card of encouragement.
- Call and ask if she needs anything from the store.
- Pray for her.
- Don’t expect her to fulfil her normal social obligations. She needs a little time to adjust to her new life with a baby.
- Make yourself available for her to ask you questions.
- Tell her that she is the perfect mother for this baby! God has fully equipped her to care for this little one.
Summer Fun
Today was the perfect day to take the boys to the splash pad. The sun was bright and water felt just right. While we were there we had a little family picnic.
