Classic

This is the blog post where we see a child fascinated with a piece of trash more than any toy that's available in the house. It krinkles. You can shake it.

Be careful - it sometimes pokes.

It peels apart.

Smells like chocolate...

and even tastes like chocolate! Hooray for Easter trash!

Carseat Pic!

I remembered! :)

Glorious Before and Afters...

Well, here's to a day of money well-spent and money well-saved. Naomi's room is very bright. It might not look like it, but even when the blinds are closed, the light in this room along with the decor is quite pervasive. Her naps are usually just under two hours, which, coming from my mother's house - is SHORT! The only thing I've thought might help is to darken the glare from the windows. So, I bit the bullet. Yes, it cost me nearly $200, but Pottery Barn Kid's blackout shades have changed my life. (Our windows wouldn't work with cheaper versions of pull-down shades, mind you. I tried! But my child almost slept for three hours this afternoon! You can't see her, but she's sleeping in the picture even! Woohoo! I'd say that's money well-spent!

As for saving, I bought a used Britax carseat last summer (that had never been in a wreck, of course) for $20. A little run down and loved on by the Wilson family, but perfectly safe.

Used thirty or so Clorox wipes on the frame and ordered a new seat cover online for $50. What would have been $200-250 easily cost me $70! Yippee skippee! Gotta love a good deal.

Next comes a picture of baby Omi in her big girl seat! If only I will ever remember to take the camera out to the car to get it!

Eight Months!

Our baby girl turned eight months old today. I have to confess, when someone asked me yesterday how old she was, I said precisely, "Seven months." Because until the moment it happens, I am not willing to go there! I want her to stay exactly where she's at for as long as it takes. When it's time to celebrate milestones, I'm so grateful to do it, but I am not the mom who is wishing the time away for the next stage! For that reason, I actually believe that these eight months have taken their time in passing. I hear so many parents talk about how these early weeks fly by and on one hand, they certainly have. But at the same time, I have tried so hard to soak in every minute and I'm so thankful that it hasn't seemed to pass before me without realizing it. I love it. Every second. Today, we celebrated the big eight by... exploring our shadows. She kept reaching out to touch the carpet and grab ahold of her moving reflection.

We tried bananas with mango for the first time - another hit!

We took a bath and as is the newest custom, sucked and chewed the washcloth the entire time. Still waiting on the arrival of those first teeth!

And we crashed. Being eight months old is tiring work.

Sweet dreams, big girl. We love you and thank Jesus for you every day.

New Toy!

I opened a new toy for Naomi that Grant had picked out at Target when I was pregnant. After I filled the toy with air I told the baby, "It's a lion! The lion says 'ROAR!' Like the Lion of Judah!" My friend Jenny was there. She said, "If that's the Lion of Judah, then we're all in trouble!" Lol.

What a week...

This has officially been my first week operating as a fully sick mom. Not that I've not nannied kids while being sick before, but the perk there was that I got to go home at 6pm and I got paid for my troubles. Not this week! Fever, aches, chills, delusional dreams - all of these symptoms called for numerous viewings of Baby Einstein's "Baby MacDonald" DVD for both Naomi and I. I could set that thing on fire! On the other hand, I have the most compliant child I've ever met, so I'm counting my blessings. And there have been some milestones in the last 72 hours to report as well! Early today, Naomi was flat on her tummy and I looked up to see this: She learned to get into a sitting position from laying down! She did it the whole livelong day! You could tell she was so happy to have the option of getting back up after being on her tummy. Oh, the tricks to freedom! The next picture isn't of a milestone, just a sweet one of her sleeping. She always sleeps like this. Waist up, on her tummy; waist down, on her side. Ha! Looks so uncomfortable to me, but one time I flipped her legs so that she was all on her front side and I lived to regret it. Totally woke her up for good from a nap. Never again!

And a sloooow walk around Target while sick led to Naomi's first Mum-mum - a fabulous first rice cracker for babes. It was a total hit. Not that we have a picky eater on our hands... she hasn't flinched at one food yet!

Here's to a week with no Delsym or Aleve, getting out of the house, and being able to kiss my baby's cheeks!

Swings!!!

One of my favorite things to do as a child was to swing - I believe I have passed on this gene to Naomi. We took her to the park for the first time on Sunday and she LOVED it. I think she would have sat in that swing for hours! If you look at her face in this picture, she is letting out a loud, sharp, shrill scream as a demonstration of her excitement. She kept announcing with these short bursts of noise - she wanted all in the park to know - that she was happy as could be!

We flipped her around after a while because the sun was so bright in her eyes. I loved how she held onto the swing like a pro. Ha! I believe we will be making many trips to the park this Spring and Summer...

First cracker...

"What's this? Am I supposed to do something with it?
I think I know exactly why you gave this to me, Mom:

to give it to Kona."

Yes, last week, the dog had her first cracker. Maybe Naomi can have her first in a few weeks when she realizes it's for her. :)

St. Pat's!

Marrying a man who looooves St. Patrick's Day means that there's gonna be a party! Last Thursday, we had tons of fun when we turned our Bible study night into a St. Pat's bash. Wherever you sat at the dinner table, you had to wear the hat that was at your place setting. The meal was complete with key lime stuart's sodas and shepherd's pie!

The best-dressed attendee: Naomi in her PRECIOUS St. Pat's tutu from Mimi. Up close, there is a plastic shamrock hot glued to her green hairbow.

Blarney showed up for the occasion, needless to say! We read the true story of St. Patrick, the priest who ministered the gospel of Christ all over Ireland, which prior to his missions, was a country of Druids and pagans. He used the shamrock on the island to explain the dimensions of the Trinity to the lost, the reason the symbol has carried through to this day! If that doesn't make you want to celebrate March 17th (the day St. Patrick supposedly died), I don't know what would! A "preguest" picture... look closely and see Kona in her festive t-shirt that says, "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" What a fun night!

The legacy lives on... in Kentucky!

About twenty years ago - whoah, that makes me sound old to myself! - my family and I gave my mom the greatest Christmas present. We got her a license plate that reads "BESTMOM." Ever since, that has been her name to family, friends, and all of the jealous onlookers in traffic who think to themselves, 'Why didn't I think of that?!'

Three weeks ago, I carried the tradition on. I went by myself to the DMV to register my car and the idea came to order Grant his own special license plate! Today, we went together to register the wagon and he said, "Hmm... I wonder which license plate I should get!" (He was looking at the poster of cheesy options excitedly.) The woman that helped us was the same lady I worked with when I ordered his plate before. She looked at me, smiled, and disappeared to the back. Returning quickly, she flashes the plate and says, "BAM! That's the plate you're getting!" Lol. It was hilarious! All the women working there were laughing.

Needless to say, he loooves it. And needless to say, he deserves it.

There's No Going Back...

Our home is officially transforming into Babyland! With an infant, I think you can manage to keep things fairly under control, still sporting breakables on tables and allowing electronic cords to lay wherever they wish. But the day has come for us where that's all about to change. As of yesterday, all of our outlet covers have been replaced with these great sliding-door versions. Tonight, Grant is going to lower the mattress in the crib. :( Note the lamb mobile was completely knocked over to the side by Little Miss Curious during today's nap...
The living room looks like it spewed forth an array of brightly colored plastic toys and anything that rattles/shakes/lights up. The floor outlet you see behind the baby has days that are numbered and the grown-up decorations on that bottom shelf are likely to be replaced with baskets of toys in a day or two.
It seems as though Naomi is even laying claim on some of the living room furniture! She loves to sit in this chair, lean forward and bounce against the back of it.
It's such a joy to watch her develop and discover her world. And for that, we are more than happy to trade in the glass vases and candles for cabinet locks and baby gates.

Great books!

Patricia A. Pingry is one of my new favorite people. Her line of books is wonderful - they are sweetly written accounts of the holidays. I picked up The Story of Saint Patrick's Day when I was pregnant and thought it was so great. It tells the real account of St.Patrick, who happened to be an incredible man of the Lord. I saw the Story of Easter at Meijer the other day and after reading it, dropped all $6.99 of it right into my cart. One of the reasons I like it the most is that Jesus is actually the color of a person of Middle Eastern descent! Go figure! He's not a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American?! Lol. I love the "Little People" nativity set for Christmas, but call me crazy... I don't think every imaginable race was represented that night! Maybe politically correct should sometimes be substituted with "historically" correct!
Okay, off my soap box. :) Try Patricia Pingry's books out. She not only tells the history of many holidays, but also has Bible stories and accounts of many of the U.S. presidents as well. They are so well written and nice and short for the itty bitty listener!

Someone's getting excited!!!

That's right, folks! St.Patrick's Day is on its way and it has taken the Yeamans' household by storm! I try and be a good wife and actually decorate for the green day, though never in my wildest dreams did I think St.Pat's would become so important in my life! Here are some pics of Naomi practicing for the seventeenth...
Yes, we did buy that $3.00 Irish girl headband. Who could resist that?! And below, her jammie says, "Daddy's Lucky Charm." But every time she gets a big smile going, she gets excited and scrunches her hands/arms across her chest.

See?
Take three!And a couple other pictures from the day... she is crawling backwards EVERYWHERE. And often managing to get herself stuck in the process!

This one's for Aunt Julie.

*Lindsay, you're included in this by default of course! We found matching onesies for Lillian and Naomi before we knew Ruthie was a girl!

Selah

I was a part of the most incredible ministry experience today. Two of my friends asked if I would host with them a day titled "Selah" for four women. "Selah" basically means to "stop and listen," a hebraic concept. Four stations were set up all over their house, including: individual places to eat breakfast and lunch, a massage/spa/shower area, a station to be prayed over by my friend (Jenny) and myself, and an actual prayer room on the lake (you can see the small, one-room building where this is housed out the window of the picture). The purpose of the day was to create a space and environment that was full of peace and quietness, an environment in which the Lord could usher in His presence and speak His heart to these women. Each woman got to have about an hour at each station. We would quietly go to them at certain times and take them to the next station, with everything planned so that each woman never saw any of the others. It was an amazing day.
I found myself tearing up in the kitchen after the first woman arrived in the morning. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so tangible and my heart was awakened at the privilege of being a part of this experience. To hear how this time touched them was a joy and the fruit was evident. The last few years of my life have been quite self-focused, both because of circumstance and poor choices. I've known it for a long time and in the last few weeks, the Lord has nudged me out of this place. He is showing me that true abundance is found when we give. Financially, emotionally, physically, mentally - no matter what way it fleshes out, when we give out of our hearts, we actually find ourselves living fuller, richer, and more satisfied lives.

Proverbs 11:24-25
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.

At Least She Was Breathing

I left the baby with Grant the other day. He's had her by himself lots of different times and he does a fabulous job with her! She loves her daddy. He feeds her. He makes her laugh. He puts her down for naps. And, oh dear. He dresses her. Naomi is currently in 12-18 month clothes. I came home to find her in the following:
-a 6-9 month onesie
-a BOY'S 9 month sleeveless shortall that says "Happy Camper" on it - it's been in the 40s here. hmmm.
-light green leggings that happened to be folded together with their really cute, matching top
(that apparently did not get chosen)
-clashing lime green socks with a bow on top
I love my husband. But if anything happens to me, would somebody PLEASE come over to dress my baby girl every morning?! :)

7 Months - DOWN!!!

Naomi is sitting up so well all by herself! (This was a purposeful lean, I believe...)

She LOVES to eat her cereal and veggies! Peas, squash, and green beans are favorites - WOOHOO!!!

Sitting in the grocery cart has opened a whole new world of happiness!

So have cowboy hats. :)

And rasperries!

Mom, this pic's for you, so you can see her (slowly) growing hair.

Grant was reading something on the kitchen table and she just curled up into him like that. Sigh. Sweet girl.

And finally, a shout out to Allie Kate and her mom, Jenny. What would we do without the blessing of your fashion plate of a closet?! Every morning, I can't pick what to put her in! THANK YOU!!!