Good Riddance March 2009...

Well, I must say that I could discuss the many reasons that March was not an ideal month...but THANKFULLY it was all periphery for our immediate family and we have a lot to be thankful for.

1. I am SO grateful for the safe, uneventful birth of one of my best friend's babies--sweet Presley Susanne Bray
2. I praise God that our friend Brad is no longer fighting to breathe, no longer in more pain than not and that he is able to run, play and praise God in heaven. I'm thankful that he "fought the good fight" that he was able to hear the words we all long to hear "Well done, Good and Faithful Servant." I'm thankful that his precious wife has wonderful friends and family surrounding her and that somehow she is able to "Praise God in this Storm."
3. I'm thankful that Micah found my favorite pair of heels after much drama and that they are still "wearable" even after being run over
4. I'm thankful that not only are my children healthy, they are safe.
5. I'm thankful that even though I lost my watch in a parking lot, I have birthday money that can at least replace it.
6. I'm thankful that even though I lost my earrings, they still had one pair left at one of the 6 Target's I went to.
7. I'm grateful that even though our car broke down the week we went to Colorado...it was just the battery--and I'm so grateful that it was under warranty...so it didn't cost us a dime.
8. I'm grateful to wonderful friends who will watch my children in a pinch.
9. I'm thankful that Logan was able to learn to ski and was not too stubborn to enjoy it.
10. I'm grateful that Elly's bronchitis did not turn into RSV
11. I'm thankful that even though we've had some major changes at school, everyone has not only pulled together, everyone has sacrificed and gone beyond what anyone would have expected.
12. I'm grateful that I have a wonderful caretaker for Elly and because of that, I'm able to serve 10 children that I adore.
13. I'm thankful that God provides--financially, physically, spiritually during times that life just keeps beating at you.
14. I'm thankful that despite some changes in my extended family--at least some relationships are strengthening instead of deteriorating.
15. I'm thankful that today, despite a 30% reduction in my husband's part of the company, he was able to come home and tell me that HE still has a job.

7 Months old

Our precious Elly is 7 Months old. I think with Logan we said that every phase was our favorite and I don't think that Elly is any exception, other than we don't seem to get to enjoy them quite long enough. It seems like she's gotten so big overnight. She started army crawling at the beginning of March and sitting up without assistance mid-February. She gets up on all 4's and rocks back and forth, but she still isn't going anywhere. She still gives big kisses, big smiles and is such a happy baby. She waves to anyone who comes by and has started waving up and down. I guess that I probably forgot to add that she has been doing the "Miss America" wave since before Christmas...we've been cracking up with it. Also, her tongue is CONSTANTLY out...we get comments EVERYWHERE we go that she is "working that tongue." Her favorite toys, hands down are any type of ball she can get ahold of. She'll have a floor FULL of toys and she's constantly chasing around all of the balls. Its pretty funny since Logan has always loved them so much too.

Logan loves her beyond our wildest dreams--he is so affectionate and thoughtful of her. We moved her to a "big girl" carseat this weekend and he was so excited to get to put her in it. He was telling her all of the things that she would be able to see now. It was so sweet! He can't wait until she wakes up in the morning and often comments that we should just go wake her up because he is ready to play with her. (Obviously, I try to hold this off as long as possible.) He goes with me to get her in the mornings or from naps and he lays in the floor and plays with her. He will go straight to her if she fusses the least little bit and will say things like "Its okay, Elly. What's the matter sweet girl?" My heart melts. We of course have some of the normal "he's a 4 year old boy" things--not inconsiderate, jealous things...just "not thinking" things, like he'll take something close to her and throw it across the room for her to go get...we have to keep reminding him that she's not a puppy dog!

With her illness last week, we had another weight check and she weighed in at 14 lbs. 2 oz. She had lost another ounce, but I think that was mostly due to sickness. We'll take her back next week to see again. Today she feels like a brick, so I'm hopeful that she's gained enough to stop with the weight checks.

Breathing Treatments

Carride To Colorado= 13 hours

4 Family Members in 1 Hotel Room = Tired, grumpy family members
4 Year Old Learning to ski = Happy, Proud Mommy and Daddy

Getting a 6 month old in and out of the snow to take pictures of above mentioned 4 year old = Sweet Baby Girl with Bronchitis

Bronchitis = Breathing Treatments 3-4 times per day

Breathing Treatments = VERY unhappy baby

Here are pictures of her first breathing treatment:

Our First Family Ski Trip

We went skiing with our church youth group for spring break. Jarrod grew up skiing with his family at least once a year, so we were so excited to have the opportunity to teach Logan and go as a family. It was an adventure for sure...a 13+ hour carride, a 4 year old who still needs daily naps and early bedtimes...a six month old plus mom and dad in one hotel room...made for some interesting and less than patient first few days, but in the end it was awesome and we are so grateful that we went.

We have too many stories and too many fun things to tell, but we'll summarize it to say that we were all very grateful that the Sandlin's also were there with us. Logan loves Brylie and he got to spend all of his daylight hours with her--it was a very sad day when she had to leave to go to her grandparents!! They got to have a "movie night" with McDonald's "take out" and popcorn on a towel picnic blanket while watching "Night at the Museum." They played "King of the mountain" and learned to ski together. Such sweet memories!

It was a hard trip on our sweet Miss Priss. She had what I believe to have been altitude sickness the second day, but she got better later that day. By the end of the trip, I ended up staying up all night with her because she was having so many breathing issues. I took her to the doctor on Friday and sweet little thing has bronchitus. Thankfully, it hasn't turned into RSV, so we're giving her breathing treatments and praying that it doesn't.

Here are too many pictures, but trust me...this is very narrowed down.

When we first got to the mountain

Logan and Brylie gearing up for a snowball fight before ski school


Logan and Brylie getting their boots and skis

Our sweet family...isn't Elly adorable in her snowsuit and "fur" hat!!!

Logan's favorite part of ski school: the magic carpet

Jarrod teaching Logan on day 2

He went from holding a pole, to holding a hand

to this...yay Logan!!!

Logan was doing great by day 3...he was finally rested and ready to do something that felt unnatural and a little uncomfortable to him

The 6 month old version of "Pimp My Ride"

These guys were great. They saw me pushing her stroller up and down the hill to take pictures of Jarrod teaching Logan and decided that I needed to try these "stroller skis." I scared more than a few people, thinking that I was going to ski with her in her stroller...seriously, can you imagine? I sat out this year...I was a little too nervous for Jarrod to backpack her, plus I couldn't fathom trying to nurse with all of my ski gear on. But, I still had a wonderful time getting to watch!!!

One story to end with...Logan went to a half day of ski school and child care the first day. They don't offer group ski school until you are 7, so he had an hour and a half private lesson with the other 2 1/2 hours of "child care." When we got back to the hotel, my friend Darla asked what his favorite part of skiing was. He told her "Oh, oh you get to take your shoes off and play in your socks." I cracked up...sounds like a blast to me!

Wordless Wednesday--"My Sweet Thangs"

6 Months

Well, Miss Priss turned 6 months on Saturday. In our family, we generally celebrate half birthdays...however, this Saturday we had a sick Daddy, so we'll have to celebrate next Saturday. I could write all day about how wonderful this little girl is and how much joy she has added to our lives--its been amazing to see how she has been woven into our family. Its hard to believe that its already been 6 months--time is going way too fast with her. Its amazing how difficult it is to be able to cherish each moment, but we are striving to.

I took her to the doctor today and unfortunately, she is losing weight. She weighed 14.2 pounds at her 4 month doctor visit and today she weighed in at 13.8. We are giving her more cereal, mixed with breastmilk, rather than water, more times per day. We will go for a "weight check" in two weeks to see if this is helping. This is about the age that Logan dropped off of the charts, so we expected to see her slowing down a bit, but we didn't expect her to actually be losing any weight. Hopefully some added calories will help her gain back some of what she has lost.

Food...Real Food

Elly had her first taste of cereal last week--Feb. 11. I know, I know...this is late, but I don't like to feed my kids until they are 6 months old. Elly was sooo ready that we couldn't wait any longer--she was watching us eat every evening and mimicking us chewing. She wasn't as thrilled with it as Logan was, but she did like it in the end.