Welcoming a New Year

Best wishes on your 2013!  Here we are saying "Hello New Year! " with cake! My love decided we should celebrate another year of me a day early since work (and school) start again tomorrow.   He's been working all morning in the kitchen on a favorite recipe from America's Test Kitchen, Coconut Cake with Coconut Butter Cream Frosting. My day just got a little sweeter! Yum!  How sweet it is to be loved....

What my Baby Wore Today (Christmas 2012)

When you're home for Christmas...after a late night at Christmas Eve Mass...you wear flannel.

 

Flannel makes me cuter!

Flannel makes me cozier!

Flannel makes me look more like Dad!

As an aside, Mom had me all dressed up for Christmas Eve and two minutes before we were headed out the door  I pooped it all up so I just wore "normal" baby clothes as I'd pooped in the rest of the Christmas attire earlier in the day.  Everyone thought I was the cutest nonetheless but Mom didn't take any pictures.  See what other babies wore at Simple Mama.

Christmas Letter 2012

"For unto us a child is born..."

December 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

These words of the angels certainly ring true in a new way to our family this year as we welcomed a new baby to our home this Holy Season!  What a visual into the lives of Mary and Joseph!  Though I’m not sure what the scene at the stable would look like with a four year old and two year old in tow.  I am attempting to type this with babe in arms and two begging sisters asking for third breakfasts.  Neither childbirth nor parenting is very glamorous and that reality hasn’t changed since Christ’s birth! Yet at Christmas we celebrate the birth of a King born in poverty and recall the love of a Father for all His children that is beautiful beyond our comprehension.

Here in the Snyder home there are glimpses of beautiful love as well…

Kurt continues to provide for our family.  By day he is a John Deere engineer by night a volunteer firefighter and farmer and of course fulltime Dad.  This year, after moving closer to a friend’s farm he helped raise and butcher 300 chickens.  He also worked on perfecting his apple press and cider making skills.  Our orchard had its first ‘record year’!  He kept our yard and garden looking good and has been making numerous home improvements to our house. 

Katie, 4, is our magnificent, independent, performer and artist.  Days with her are full of song, dance and projects!  She’d like to record her day on the smartphone and camera.  Katie has really come a long way in learning, too.  Her favorite pastime of late is writing notes, lists and letters.  Soon enough I’ll be able to pawn this job off on her!  She is an amazing big sister and natural mother.  And just this week Katie won her first game of UNO and teamed up in our Gym class to help me lose her first game of SPUD!

Julia, 2, is adjusting to life as middle child.  She has the best sense of humor!  JuJu has found her voice this past year.  Dad is greeted with a play by play of our day each afternoon.  And with voice has come opinion!  She’s potty training on her terms, dresses herself, can be rather helpful with the baby.  She’s the first to grab a diaper, help burp, and warn of crying.  She loves the game I SPY.  Both Julia and Katie are continually changing identities in their perpetual game of pretend.  They also demand that Kurt and I become players in their adventures- from nights out at Gooch’s, becoming our friends and neighbors families, or making an imaginary family of our own.  It gets to be rather confusing when the call for “Mom!” is not actually for me!

Erik Edward Snyder joined our family on the morning of November 14^th.  What’s the saying, “New house, new baby?”  Kurt was thrilled to have boy join our ranks as he was worried about his continual hair loss from the female drama that is our home. J  And beyond the drama of his birth, Erik is about as low key as they come. He is thus far an easy and happy baby.  Already so alert and gracing us with smiles and an occasional coo his days consist of eat, sleep and poop.  He is the pride of his sisters who beg to hold him and be near him. Weighing in at 9 lbs. 4 oz. he has continued to grow and grow!  Our transition to a family of five was made easier with the help of family and friends.  We feel incredibly blessed and loved!

As for me, I love our new home and the time spent with family in it.  Waking up to this view has yet to get old. There is something to being with the ones you love in the midst of God’s creation each day!  I’m still keeping busy at church, the library, the blog, kids’ gym and art classes, coffee klatch and moms’ group.  I put down countless jars of apples, applesauce, pickles, marinara, and salsa this fall in our canning kitchen.  I am learning to count the things I am grateful for and have noticed so many things I have taken for granted. 

We are sending you Christmas wishes and blessings on your 2013! 

Love,

Kurt, Angie, Katie, Julia and Erik

 

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.

At Home Journal vol. 3

Outside my window: Sunny, chilly and still some snow on the ground!

Clothing myself in: Real khaki pants (as apposed to maternity), a navy blue knit t-shirt, everyday wool socks and a flowered scarf.

Around the house:  things are fairly tidy.  There seems a never ending pile of laundry that has come with Erik's arrival.  And for me the tricky part is we get a better deal on electrical in our cooperative before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m. so I'd like to do all the laundry then...but find myself thinking about it now while the kids nap and I have a moments peace.  I also noticed I have to bring in my planters, now frozen and covered with snow.

The baby: is a darling child and I say that with no sarcasm!  At this point he couldn't be an easier addition to our family.  He has definitely started filling out and you can see it in his legs, cheeks and chins.  He is also staring at me lots when in arms.  I love that curious look!  We had him baptized this past weekend.  Friends of ours agreed to be his godparents and we couldn't be happier- thank you Troy and Rachael.  The baptism itself seemed like a bit of a three ring circus for me, with our kids and their kids but I take comfort in the loving smile of our patient pastor and in that Christ made the sacraments effective.  Welcome to the Church Erik Edward!

The kiddos:  Katie has been all about Advent and the activities we're trying to do as a family this season.  She is still volunteering to hold Erik constantly it seems but I hesitate to go too far when she has him as there is the deep longing to tote him around like a baby doll.  She really enjoyed St. Nicholas Day this year.  And has loved extra time with Gramma in the past weeks.  I think she will be ready for Kindergarten in the fall.  Crazy how big she is getting!  Julia is living up to being two (and a half!) and still adjusting to life with the new baby.  Her tantrums and meltdowns stress me out and her non-stop motion accounts for my lack of energy most nights.  I feel like I need to give her more time but I'm not sure what that looks like at this point.  She is such a funny little girl and I love her dearly...but want to affirm that to her as most of me seems monopolized at the moment.  She is all about Christmas and asks daily if it is today (no concept of time)!  She's been miraculously taking charge of her own potty training.  She'll wear and keep her undies dry until nap time and usually after nap.  We have been struggling at night time though as she takes that opportunity to poop after being laid down for bed (fun!) and ends up leaking out of her diapers by morning sometimes...wondering about pull-ups...we never used them for Katie but she was always dry at night.  Ah, the joys of a mommy journal!  Seems awful similar to my musings from last time!

In the kitchen: we are still enjoying a freezer meal or delivery from friends here and there and I have yet to really delve into cooking much.  Just keeping it simple and pretty hassle free.  Tonight, meatballs and pesto pasta, tomorrow Kurt's aunt is bringing us a meal, Thursday my brother will be coming into town and we may venture out, Friday a kid friendly retirement party, Saturday is up in the air and Sunday we're hoping to Packer Party with some friends!  Ah, life is good!  I am saving up for Christmas time!

Bringing me joy:  countless blessings, time with my parents this past weekend, my brother's upcoming visit, SNOW!

Thinking about: The Christmas pictures my mom and I took the kids to take last week at Sears.  It was not a good experience (though the kids were beyond wonderful and so was my mom!) and now I can't even get the pictures they emailed me a link to to download, grrr.  We'll be going back to Portrait Innovations next year.  A conversation I had with another mom and then talked with Kurt about.  We are sure blessed and I try not to take that for granted. When will we get more snow...can Christmas come any faster?  I am not ready!!!!  And when will I be able to get ready...took comfort in this post.  Should I even attempt a Christmas letter??

Some pictures:

Erik in our family baptismal gown...see the names embroidered 'round the bottom...thanks Gramma Ann!

What are you wearing?  "See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity..."

Hear the sounds of the circus...my monkey in Dad's arms and elephant on my feet?  Though the godparents look like they're paying attention!

Father Bernie and the three he's now baptized.  I think this picture is the best of the bunch!

Katie wanting to be in a picture.

God bless you little buddy!  (See, she snuck into this picture, too!)

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!