Home Journal vol. 6

3-13-13
Outside my window: Sunny, nearly snowless, though I thought I caught on the news last night that it was a bit nippy. I haven't ventured outside my home since Saturday so I really couldn't tell you but I wouldn't mind finding out! Seems springy-er. Its amazing what a few hours north will get you though, my dad was busy plowing 9 inches of snow this Monday!

Clothing myself in: Smart-wools, Brown boots, dark blue jeans, gray top and tank (the top is maternity but still fits nice) I had on a sweater but was sweating and the finishing touch-- one of the girls just gave me a Hello Kitty sticker.

Around the house: We're recouping from having a really sick kid so though I've been trying to keep a handle on things there is a pile of unfolded laundry waiting me in the living room and some folded clothes to put away in a basket hiding in our bedroom. I think I just finished washing the last of the sheets and blankets. I've got the crock-pot on supper duty. I'll just boil up some noodles before Kurt get homes and throw a veggie in the microwave. Presto! The girls are progressively messing now that Julia is feeling better and Katie has a playmate again.

The baby: Has been as usual wonderful! He's continuing to be cheerful, easy going and such a love. I think he gets that from his dad. I was/am a bit concerned that he'd catch our in house bug but am putting hope in my antibodies and that yummy mommy milk. In the wee hours of last night I woke up panicked after he'd spit up that he was going to start throwing up. Kurt calmly reminded me that it could have been the Hoisen sauce I had with my chicken last night. I think he was right- note, lay off the Hoisen (but oh was it tasty!).

He hasn't hit any milestones of note but he turns 4 mos. this week. I still haven't got any stats on the boy but we'll finally be heading to a well child check-up next week. Barring another flu outbreak.

The kiddos: As aforementioned, Julia caught some sort of stomach bug which started with throwing up on the kitchen floor on Saturday and proceeded to escalate to throwing up quite frequently (every 20-30 min.) into the wee hours of night. God bless Kurt for taking the late hours so the baby and I could sleep. It continued on into Sunday with a high fever that hung around till Monday. Yesterday the fever went down some and we attempted to get her to start eating again (which has proven difficult). Today she's ornery and very vocal...a good sign, no fever and she hasn't thrown up in 48 hrs. Katie has been missing her sister A LOT! She's been pesky and antsy. I am glad to know how much she really enjoys her days playing with JuJu. I can't quite imagine the transition to Kindergarten when Julia will miss her undoubtedly more! She is definitely showing more signs of readiness for more learning. Her current habit is copying words/letters she sees and asking what she wrote. (Examples include- AFV (from the TV show), days of the week from the calendar, dedications and words from favorite storybooks, etc.) I also caught her sounding out letter sounds as she wrote. We made a school visit the end of February (I know, I need to post more regularly) and it went well. We'll go back again in May for an afternoon in the classroom.

Alright...I got interrupted by a child, then white smoke, then a feverish baby and now we'll try and finish it today...as the avoiding sickness did not occur and my fevering baby is currently sleeping peacefully I am not making guarantees.

In the kitchen: I made General Tao's chicken (w/ Hoisen sauce) this week for the first time. It was a modified healthier recipe from Cooks Country magazine. Yesterday we had crock-pot roast today it's become beef stew. Tomorrow something without meat.

Bringing me joy: The news of Pope Francis! It was great to share the moment of his announcement with Katie. And to celebrate as a family! Especially enjoyed Simcha Fischer's Papamoon article this a.m. Only a fever- as in the baby hasn't thrown up (yet) and this brings me copious amounts of joy. The thought of getting a haircut. Funny how just thinking about it makes me happy. I'm in that post-pregnancy stage of hair loss by the handful. I will be ecstatic to get out of the house and have someone chop it! The sacrament of Reconciliation.

Thinking about: Making a good Lent, worries about sickies, praying more often, loving my family each day to its fullest. And with that, the baby is stirring.

That Little Boy of Mine

One of the coffee klatch ladies wrote this up in her congratulations card for Erik...so sweet.  They sang it for us while I was still expecting!

That Little Boy of Mine
(Bonnie Owens)

A tiny turned up nose,
Two cheeks just like a rose,
So sweet from head to toe,
That little boy of mine.

Two eyes that shine so bright,
Two arms that hold me tight,
Two lips that kiss goodnight,
That little boy of mine.

No one will ever know
Just what his coming has meant
Because we love him so,
He's something heaven sent.

He's all the world to me,
He climbs upon my knee,
To me he'll always be,
That little boy of mine.

Journal vol. 2 November 30, 2012

Outside my window: Cloudy, foggy, the thermometer is inching towards 40 degrees

 

Clothing myself in: black yoga pants, purple top with purple scarf and a black cardigan

 

Around the house: There are bits of chaos everywhere 'cause I can't quite keep up with the girls playing, changing clothes and leaving little piles here and there.  It isn't too bad other that the kitchen floor that I can't stand to look at ugh.  My mom (God bless her!) cleaned it when she was here and it hasn't been cleaned since.  Its been on my list.

 

The baby: Erik is cute, cuddly and pretty low maintenance for someone that counts on you to feed, change, and do everything for him.  He's sleeping at the moment.  I wanted to post these pictures on their own for What my BABY wore today over at One Simple Mama's blog but this will have to suffice for this go round because I just haven't been able to take the time to blog more this week.

 

Erik's wearing a Gerber white longsleeve onesie topped with a Carter's monkey onesie from Gramma and gray pants with monkey socks that I neglected to get in the picture.

But I did get one with his eyes open...though he doesn't look happy about it.

 Or if you prefer what he wore Sunday for his first Packers loss...

Packers waffle weave top and shirt with Packers socks that have probably been passed on from cousins who are now in college.  Evidently these socks are timeless in the fashion world!

 The kiddos:  I've been wanting to record a few Julia 'isms for the record here...lately if she can't have what she wants she'll reply, "waah!" it sounds like a fake baby cry but just spoken not cried.  She also will come in the door greeting everyone, "Hello, hello, hello!" in a sing song voice.  It's a hoot.  She's nearly potty trained but not poopy trained.  Tips?  She's done undies on her own terms since just before Erik's birth.  Usually keeping them dry all day long with little reminder to use the bathroom as she wants to do that 'myself'.  Other than the quantity of toilet paper used, this has been working for us.  The problem is she'll ask for a diaper to poop.  Ugh.  And she's not dry at night yet but that I don't mind diapering her for. 
Katie is the epitome of a big sister.  She LOVES holding the baby.  And volunteers constantly.  She'd like  to carry him around the house but is not allowed, yet.  She seems to have adjusted really well to having a baby around.  Though she has her moments of 'normal' 4 year old sass and has been timed out a time or two. 
The biggest struggle we've had is bedtime.  It's a work in progress.

In the kitchen:  We've been blessed with bountiful baby meals! Not having to plan meals has been wonderful! And delicious!

Bringing me joy:  Baby noises, sibling love, the coming of Advent, company coming to visit and meet the baby, my gratitude journaling, and physically feeling good.

Thinking about: getting ready for Advent/Christmas.  We need to get the stockings out for St. Nick's visit next week and I need to get to the store-- preferably without the girls.  We're also hosting Snyder Christmas and I've got some plans to decorate and get some space ready for Kurt's extended family--5 siblings, in-laws, 14 cousins and us! We're pretty ready for Advent...thanks to Monica's chain and the wrapped books I worked on earlier in November.  Dug out the wreath hopefully the candles will make it till Christmas.

Pictures to share:

Welcome Baby Erik!

 

He's here!!!  And here are a few pictures from his first day with us.  I know an aunt who wanted to see some more pictures.

 

Erik Edward  11/14/12, 4:52 a.m. 9 lbs. 4.9 oz., 21 1/2 inches long

The family of five!

Big sisters!

 

Proud as can be, Dad and Katie!

My little girl.

Gramma Ann and Erik
Do you see the sticker Julia brought him?  Too, cute!

The girls and Gramma also brought him this outfit.  It went great with the John Deere bedding at the hospital! 

All is well here.  Just taking it easy and getting used to a baby in the house again.  We're adjusting.  He is a sweet thing and is determined not to stay a baby for long.  Lots of eating and sleeping makes you grow!

At Home Journal (vol. 1)

So, I'm sure I won't be the last to try this but a few friends have been doing some online journaling and I thought I might give it a go.  I've never been much for journaling but  sometimes it would appear especially as things continue to be busy around here that it may be the way to get a blog post out and still keep family and friends updated. We shall see...

October 30, 2012
Outside my window:  Well, its chilly!  Fall in WI is definitely here to stay.  I'm grateful for the sun and the clear blue sky especially after all the Sandy Storm news from out east.  Guess, I'm also happy enough to be land locked.

Clothing myself in: maternity jeans, black long sleeve cotton top and gray and black scarf tied in a Celtic knot. 

Around the house:  Well, the girls are in the midst of playing house and they aren't the tidiest players.  So the living room even though I've picked up things numerous times in there is cluttered, again and so is the kitchen table, the counter tops and the sink.  I've got to empty the dishwasher before Kurt gets home.  That should help somewhat...at least in the kitchen.

The baby:  I know, everyone is interested but the baby has definitely dropped and I have to go to the bathroom constantly it seems.  And this kid is certainly the most active child thus far.  Maybe it will have some sort of kicking in its future?  Yikes.  I actually got on the computer to print out an updated copy of our birth plan to bring to the clinic next week...yeah, I got side tracked.

The girls:  Have been playing really well together A LOT lately.  Mostly it is imagination play... they and their babies take on countless names identities and adventures.  Sometimes including, train trips to Grammazona (Julia's version of Arizona), bands, fire departments, dance parties, school...with names like Hannin, Mike, Kale, Totty, Lily, Ike and Nina.  They totally crack me up...of course, my identity changes, too,  usually I'm Gramma though.  Which gets confusing when they call for Mom and I'm not the Mom they want, oops!

This week is 'G week' for us...we've been talking goats and had grilled 'G'eese sandwiches for supper last night.  It is also green week at the library story hour which coincides nicely!

In the kitchen:  We've continued to process tomatoes (7 pints this weekend) and apples (still waiting in the canning kitchen...there may be a few fruit flies enjoying my procrastination) from our harvest.  I was pleasantly surprised with the quantity and quality of our late tomatoes this year.  Kurt, Dad and I picked a huge tote full for green ones before our first frost and nearly all of them in the past month have now turned a beautiful red.    I made some homemade tomato soup yesterday that was in my opinion delish!  Though it gave me terrible heartburn...

Bringing me joy:  I've not had nearly the back pain this pregnancy as the last!  My Kurt is so sweet and patient with me these days.  What blessing!  Also, the girls are so excited for Halloween- Katie, Captain Hook/pirate and Julia, Tinkerbell and the All Saints party we're hosting at our home on Thursday- Katie, St. George and Julia, St. Bernadette.  I'm handing out treats and wondering if there are any very pregnant saints I could be on Thursday without much effort...hmmm, two years ago my friend and I went as Elizabeth and Mary and acted out the Magnificat...I thought about the woman in Revelation *including wailing and moaning aloud!  But the costume is tricky for that one.  Ideas?

Thinking about: The election and upcoming birth of this baby...

Picture to share: Felt like this was out life here for awhile...just fruity!  Isn't this a pretty piece to have in the kitchen though?

Ok, best print out that birth plan and order a car seat online!  Tata!

My Latest Fav Site

Divine Office - Liturgy of the Hours - Breviary - Free Audio - Bible - Prayer
Elizabeth Foss mentioned the app for Divine Office recently in a post...which was Divine Providence in my world as I have been feeling the call to go deeper in prayer after the worst Lent spiritually in my memory to date.  Anyway,  I've been too cheap to buy the app just yet but I have however been LOVIN' the web page.   This bookmark has been getting lots of use.
I used to pray the Liturgy of the Hours frequently before children so praying them in the midst of distraction and at infrequent nap and quiet times has been a new experience.   And at times a great challenge -- do I forgo that much needed first trimester sleep for a 5:30 a.m. wake-up before Julia?  Or attempt to pray Morning Prayer over the dirty but now deserted breakfast table with the crying of small children in need of adult mediation from time to time?  What do I do when eldest refuses to nap or be quiet in the afternoon?  And when I am sorely tempted to nap myself?   We're working through these kinks slowly. 

Regardless, I am excited to be praying the Psalms again!