9 Months

There is something so incredible about having a baby and being able to watch them grow and learn and develop....My love for Laedin somehow grows with each passing day and I am often reminded of how much more my Heavenly Father loves me! I mean it really is a beautiful picture of the gospel when I think about how the Holy God of the universe through the life,death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has adopted me...a helpless sinner.. as his very own child!

My handsome boy is officially nine months old and is the strongest baby I've ever seen. His favorite solid foods are bananas, pears, raspberries and avocados. He's still getting used to texture but does really well as long as what we give him is soft (and usually sweet haha). He has an adorable little tooth on the bottom and it looks like the one next to it is getting ready to come through as well as one on top (I REALLY hope so because he's been pretty cranky this week!). He likes to climb steps or really anything and walks along furniture really well. He slams his hands on the couch or whatever he's pulled up on. Maybe he'll be a drummer like his daddy. He can stand on his own for a little bit but hasn't walked on his own just yet. He loves to put a toy in each hand and just push them all over the apartment. It is so entertaining! He growls a lot still and just recently started to wave hello or goodbye. He loves to play peek a boo with the curtains....he'll hide behind there and i'll say "wheeere is laaedddiinn??" and he'll giggle then quickly pull the curtain back so I can see him. Oh he melts my heart.

My baby is sick this week with a cold and I wish so badly I could take his sickness for him. The Lord is giving me a lot of joy in caring for his needs and nurturing him and helping me to prefer my little child above myself. I find myself having to confess selfishness and anger when he wakes up way too early in the morning and I'd rather just sleep! I'm so thankful for Jesus. He loved perfectly. And because I am trusting in Him I have a new heart and I have the Holy Spirit working in me to help me to love like He loved!

I am ready for Ryan to not being working overnight shifts anymore but the Lord sees fit to have his schedule that way for this season in our lives. I miss my husband. Right now he is taking a break from classes but over the fall will be taking a CNA course. I can't think of anymore updates. Jellybean just woke up from a nap so I need to go. Here are some pictures from the zoo....

Birthday!

I LOVE my birthday. The Lord has been so kind and made me feel extremely loved and blessed yesterday. My twin sister and I are 23 now!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLO!
Growing up every year on our birthday my mom made sure we would wake up to streamers on our door- I LOVED this! It made us feel extra special :) Apparently I've told my sweet husband about this "tradition" and this year he out did me in love!
I woke up to streamers, balloons, and ROSES!

In the morning I hungout with Laedin. He is pretty entertaining these days. I seriously cannot get enough of him. In the afternoon I had a job interview for a nanny position. Then I hungout at home with my boys - Oh! We watched White Collar! I am so sad we have to wait until this winter to watch the rest of the season! Great show. My good friend Katie came over and babysat so Ryan could take me on a cute date... first we went to cvs so I could coupon :) (saved over $20!) Then we went to BD's Mongolian Grill for dinner. Our waiter was terrible but the food was delicious. We sat outside and the weather was PERFECT and the sun was setting. It was gorgeous. We picked up a chocolate molten lava cake from Chili's and a redbox and headed home. So thankful for the many good gifts of family and friends God has given me.

I never ever would've thought...

that I would cloth diaper my baby...but now I am and I LOVE IT!

Ok so our #1 reason for wanting to try cloth diapering is to save money. Until recently (when we ran out of babies r us gift cards) I didn't realize just how expensive disposable diapers cost! It. is. ridiculous. Every diaper change is literally like throwing away a quarter!

That should've been enough to persuade me but it wasn't. I couldn't get over the idea of cleaning up poop. Ironically, that is also our second main reason for choosing to cloth diaper. Let me explain...

Laedin was having DAILY poop explosions. Disgusting, I know. People say that when that starts to happen you need to go up a diaper size. Or try switching brands. We did that and nothing changed. A friend of mine who cloth diapers said they never have blowouts. Well that DEFINITELY got me interested but then all I could picture was our laundry basket with dirty clothes and poopy diapers all mixed together and just sitting there until I put it in the wash. Nasty. (And also not what cloth diapering is like, by the way!)

Well, the "up the back blowouts" continued and putting poop covered clothes in the wash was becoming the norm. I was sick of it. The same friend that suggested cloth diapering to me before to contain the poop explosions gave me several homemade cloth diapers and let me borrow a waterproof cover just so I could try it out. I experienced first hand that it wasn't that bad! The research began.

I watched and read COUNTLESS diaper reviews. To be honest, it was almost too overwhelming - There are soooo many different types of diapers to choose from. And then once you decide which kind you're going to go with, there are a ton of different brands to chose from! Around this same time I visited my friend Sarah (who recently started cloth diapering her boys) and she let Laedin test one out while we were there.... Laedin decided to give these things the true test. That's right. He pooped. AND IT WASN'T A BLOWOUT! (it definitely would've been in a disposable) I was sold.

I love cloth diapering. My baby's crap stays where it belongs. We're saving money and his little bum is adorable.

Six Of The Happiest Months Of My Life

Our sweet baby L turned SIX MONTHS yesterday! That is crazzzy! I can't even put into words the joy that our little babe has brought me. I'm still doing a very poor job at keeping up with pictures and stuff ....I've decided that the best I can do is cell phone pictures and videos for now since I always have my phone on me. You will find the pictures on my facebook and the videos on my youtube (link is on my facebook).
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE being a Mom! I am so thankful for my hard working husband so I am able to stay at home with our precious baby. It is incredible. I am still learning how to best manage my time (in between naps and feedings its easy to waste time!) Our days are filled with lots of laughter, reading, singing, praying, eating, laundry, cleaning, playing, working out, planning or running errands and time with friends. Trying to do all of these things in the strength that the Lord provides and not so that I get appreciated or whatever but that I would do it out of service for Him! I've been thinking a lot about storing up treasures in Heaven and not on earth. It can be easy to lose focus.

OH!!! Laedin has decided to start waking up in the middle of the night to eat. For those of you who didn't know...He's been sleeping through the night since 2 weeks old so I am NOT used to this! At first I thought oh no big deal it's probably a growth spurt but now I'm thinking maybe it's from teething? Anyways...trying to break him of that. So far so good. He has woke up and cried himself back to sleep 2 nights in a row. We started Laedin on solid foods this week ...total failure ha! We tried egg yolks first because they're so rich in choline, cholesterol and other brain nourishing substances but first of all - Ryan and I did not even know how to boil an egg and when we finally got it I still don't know if it was right. It was very rubbery. Anyways, it made the babe gag and throw up. Next we tried bananas. He made very sad faces and didn't seem to want that either. I think we might try to mix it with my milk or something.
Our little dude is looking more like his Daddy every day. He can now sit up all on his own really well and is so close to crawling. He gets on all fours and rocks back and forward. I'm so proud of him. He's really fun to watch learn different things and he is the most content baby I've ever seen.

Ryan has started classes and it's been a very easy transition, thankfully. I am still looking for a babysitting job to help us out financially. I have also started couponing! I'm still semi-overwhelmed by it but am slowly learning. I have made several mistakes so far like buying things because I had coupons for them (but forgetting to use the coupons), leaving coupons at home, thinking I could buy the Sunday paper on a day other than sunday, and throwing out coupons that I later could have used to get free stuff. BUT ITS OK! I will be a couponing pro in no time. I Will power through. Ha ha ha.

My twin sister is engaged!!! And I get to be her matron of honor!! :) Her and Bryan have set the date for Cinco De Mayo of next year.... I cannot wait! Marriage is one of the sweetest gifts from God! But it is important to see it as that. A gift from our Creator. God would never give us anything better than Himself. Ultimately, we are made for God and are designed to find our complete joy in Him. So while marriage is an unbelievable delight, it is simply pointing to God who alone can truly satisfy.

My nephew Brandon is going home from the NICU tomorrow!! Praise be to our great God!

Easily Distracted

In the same way that my sweet baby boy can be easily distracted by something as simple as a rattle, I find my heart and mind easily distracted by the things of this world. Lately I've been asking myself these kinds of questions....What are you really living for? Do you realize that your life is a vapor..here for a little while and then gone? What are you doing of eternal value?
I'm a stay at home mom and constantly needing to remind myself that this world is ultimately not my home! I was created by God and for God. Sooo, through the mundane daily things how can I be making much of my Savior Jesus? He died so that I may live! What does that look like in our home? Well, I would love to say that it causes me to have a content spirit and deep joy even in something as disgusting as changing a diaper or cleaning the toilet. To serve my sweet husband expecting nothing in return or honoring and respecting him with my every word and attitude unconditionally. I would love to say that it means I spend my time looking for ways to bless others and make them comfortable rather than considering myself as more important. But I have to confess that I fall very short of what God has called me to be...as a wife, mother, and friend. I find my thoughts very self-focused, my heart judgmental and arrogant, and my actions more hurtful than helpful. Praise be to God that He uses weak sinful people like me! God's Word says that when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I have been trying to live up to Gods standards all on my own and have been failing miserably. He has given me the Holy Spirit so that I can turn from these selfish sinful ways and walk in holiness by His grace. Oh how I pray that my life would be marked by prayer and that I would meditate on God's Word day and night! We truly are dependent on Him for all things.

Lets see...what has been going on in our lives... Laedin has found his voice! It is so great watching him discover all the different sounds that he can make. My favorite is his belly laugh :) We have thankfully moved into our two bedroom apartment sooner than we had expected to. Laedin loves having his own room and we do too! My older sister Karen has had her twin boys (who weren't due until July) Alexander died in utero and the Lord is currently preserving Brandon's precious life in the NICU. It is so hard to see loved ones go through such difficulty but I trust that God can use even the most painful trials for good. I mean, I think of how He sent His only Son to die a terrible death so that we can have our sins forgiven! His ways are not our ways- they are much higher and wiser. My parents are moving to Arizona - Wow. Hard to believe but its true. Ryan still works funky hours and weird shifts at two different hospitals. He is registered to start school the beginning of June. Crazy! Not sure if I'm ready for it but I know the Lord will sustain us!
No pictures for now. Sorry!

Spring is here!

I am loving the change in seasons and the warmer weather! Baby Laedin is THREE months old!! People say it goes by fast and let me tell you ...it is definitely the truth! It's crazy how big he is getting! I am so thankful that I am able to stay at home with him. I didn't know I could have so much fun with a baby. Haha.
Laedin is staying awake more during the day and still sleeping through the night. He's been laughing a lot more and figuring out how to hold things and play with his hands. He likes to stand up when on your lap and he's gotten a lot more cuddly too - he likes to hold on to me like a koala bear. Laedin finds the dumbest things interesting and its adorable. Like, he will stare at the corner of the couch and crack up or at the lights in the ceiling. He's a goofy kid. He's very observant and I can tell he's learning so much every day.
While our son has been doubling in size we've been keeping pretty busy. Our good friends Mark and Anna Gronnote were letting us live with them for a few months before moving to Boston. Well, our plans have changed. We decided to stay in Louisville until Ryan finishes nursing school (which he starts this fall). About a month ago we moved into a 1 bedroom apartment (with the plan to move into the first available 2 bedroom in the same complex ...probably in June). While we've been getting settled in to our new place we've also made a couple trips - Ryan, Laedin and I visited the Cormier side of the family for 5 days and the following weekend Laedin and I visited my family in Michigan. It was so great to spend time with them - and hard to live so far away. Laedin loved all of the attention he got :)
I've been so bad about taking pictures but here are some!

sitting in his swing

chillin on papa

he loves kisses

just like mom....can sleep anywhere

playing with nana

airplane

snoozing with mama

showing off that dimple

tummy time

Six Weeks Already!!

It's hard to believe that my little Laedin is already 1 1/2 Months old! Holy. Cow. There aren't words to describe the pure joy I've experienced by being a mother. God is so kind to give us this sweet gift! And it is such a good reminder everyday of our dependence on God for life and breath and everything.

I am so thankful for how easy the transition into parenthood has been - I'm not gonna lie, our baby is kinda abnormally good. He sleeps at night, eats really well, and when he is awake is happy and alert. It's so cool that God knit Laedin together in my womb and is growing him more each day. What an awesome Creator we have!!

I am LOVING getting to know my baby Laedin!! He mostly likes to sleep.....

in my lap...

with mommy and daddy....

in the car....

all day on Christmas....

at the pediatricians...

as a burrito...

with his hand down his pants....