The Ingram Network

Cute Moments with Bible Lessons

2009-02-19T14:33:00.004-05:00

I've been trying to teach Zoe about trusting God when she is scared or upset about something. Recently she learned some of the words to "Jesus Loves Me". Today she seemed to be tired and feeling under the weather and I told her she could pray to God and ask Him to help her feel better. While I was proceeding to pray, she got this bright smiley look and said, "Jesee Love Me I Know". I'm not sure how much she understands, but it does warm this mother's heart to hear it.

Away From Home But Not Exactly Vacation

2009-02-19T13:04:00.010-05:00

Zoe and I have been traveling with Paul while he is working out of town. We left last Tuesday afternoon and went to Harrisonburg, VA. We've never traveled where Zoe remembers it, so she was a little upset that we didn't go back home that night. I think the rush to get ready to leave a day early and all the packing was a little too much for her. She spent the first few days asking/begging to go home. What I thought would be fun and relaxing for us was a big adjustment for her. Zoe does like routine and everything done a certain way, so I should have realized traveling was a big step for her. (Chalk it up to another parenting lesson.) I spent the first few days playing with her and trying to convince her this was going to be fun and this is what Daddy does when he goes out of town and it was ok. We went out Friday night for our Valentine's Day Dinner and spent Saturday doing a little shopping and driving to Lynchburg, VA. Zoe seemed more adjusted by the weekend and I think the idea of seeing the Conleys had her excited. Plus we made sure this hotel had a pool to give her more activities.
We went to church Sunday with the Conleys and Zoe was excited to see the other kids at church. Her behavior in the service was another story (another parenting experience), but she had fun afterwards. So it seemed like a more promising week until Sunday night. That's when I got sick. Poor Zoe had to watch movies and rest with Mommy all day Monday. Out the window went the plans for visiting and swimming, etc although Paul took her that night. On Tuesday I still felt somewhat weak and Zoe was constipated, so we didn't go to a Bible Study like I was hoping. And on Tuesday night, Zoe got sick. So we had to change our plans again for visiting Wednesday.
We did get some swimming in though. Zoe felt better yesterday although she didn't eat much, so I took her to the pool. We also went this morning since she couldn't wait to get in after breakfast. We didn't stay long since she seemed to get tired and only wanted to sit on the chairs after we got there. I'm not sure if it was because she didn't feel well, the heater (which scares her) started running and ran for a long time, or if she is tired. We got to bed very late and she woke up at her normal time. Hopefully she isn't sick because we will have to cancel visiting plans again.
So our time away has gone a little differently than planned. But on the positive side, we were able to be together as a family instead of Paul having to be gone two weeks in a row and it gave me a chance for some relaxation and extra time to spend with Zoe. I also had a chance to catch up on some internet research, etc that I've been trying to do for a while as well as review and write out some personal goals. Its been a profitable time even though it didn't go quite as anticipated. And I feel more rejuvenated to go home and tackle our taxes!

Most Valuable Employee

2008-12-14T14:35:00.006-05:00

Zoe and I want to congratulate Paul for being the Most Valuable Employee of the Year at his company! We attended his annual Christmas party last night and he was recognized and awarded for being the Most Valuable Employee. He was also nominated for Engineer of the Year.

We recognize and appreciate how hard you work for us and we're glad to see you recognized for what you do at work too! We love you and think you're always the Most Valuable Employee! Congratulations!

Zoe's New Friend

2008-12-09T23:53:00.004-05:00

Zoe has recently become enthralled with Tigger. She never expressed any interest in the Pooh movies that I once rented, although I think she did watch Pooh on TV one Saturday morning recently with Paul. Maybe that's what triggered it...she adores her Daddy and loves to be with him. Whenever she gets a chance to talk on the phone she talks about her Daddy. "See my DaDa"..."DaDa at work"...or whatever else she happened to do with her "DaDa". She also constantly asks where he is during the day.
Back to the story after that rabbit trail...because Zoe never watches Pooh, I had no idea she knew who Tigger was. But we went to Blockbuster recently and as we were walking along, Zoe grabbed a Tigger movie off the shelf. At first I was going to make her put it back, but she seemed so excited about her movie that I decided to rent it for her.
We came home and I gave her the option of which movie she wanted to see. Tigger was her first pick. Her "DaDa" got nostalgic when Zoe started watching Tigger. That happened to be his favorite character growing up and his Mom saved the Tigger he had as a child. It sat in our attic until just the right moment when Paul decided to dig it out for Zoe. At first she said "WOW" with great big eyes and a cute little smile. Then for a while it was "Eww, Yuck". I let it air out for a few days and Zoe decided that Tigger was ok after all. She found one of her shirts and Tigger was soon wearing it. Then Tigger needed to wear a diaper. He also needed it changed when Zoe needed hers changed. Tigger got his face/eyes washed, has "eaten" Zoe's food and "drank" her juice. She even mentioned Tigger in her sleep. I don't know how long this phase will last, but Tigger is the only DVD Zoe wants to watch during her TV time. I guess we'll see how long this phase will last, but in the meantime here is a cute snapshot I managed to capture.

2 Year Pictures

2008-11-06T21:52:00.003-05:00

Once again I tried to get Zoe's pics taken and once again she cried through most of the session. Thankfully my Mom went along and she got Zoe to laugh, especially since the photographer kept acting like she just wanted to get it over with and get us out of there. Maybe the fact that she was training 3 new people on their new digital system had something to do with it. Here are the results.

Zoe's Party Pictures

2008-09-25T12:55:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Zoe

2008-09-24T16:14:00.007-04:00

Zoe's birthday was Tuesday and she is now 2 years old. Its been such a fun year watching her learn so many new skills and start talking. She uses complete sentences/phrases and tries to say her ABC's and numbers although it is more jabber than the actual letter or number yet. Her play is becoming more imaginative and its so amusing to watch some of the activities she comes up with. She loves Ben (the dog) and at night she will look to see if he is in the bedroom with her. And he is becoming very fat from all the extra food and snacks she shares with him. Its hard to believe my little girl is 2, but its such fun watching her grow.
We had a party for Zoe on Saturday evening. She loves Curious George (at least she did until she discovered Caillou), so we had a monkey-themed party. I am very fortunate to have a sister who loves decorating cakes and I took advantage of her skills. She came up with a monkey-shaped cake. We had pizza (one of Zoe's favorites), veggies & dip, a fruit dip w/peanut butter in it (great monkey snack), and cake & ice cream (Zoe can tolerate dairy occasionally now).
Paul was able to take Monday and Tuesday off this week. We took Zoe to the Virginia Aquarium on Monday and down to Northwest River Park on Tuesday. She loved both because she was able to be outside a lot. The Virginia Aquarium is under renovation, so they have an exhibit where the kids can play with toy construction equipment. Zoe thought it was great! At the park on Tuesday no one was there, so Zoe had the whole playground to herself.
Having Zoe was one of the greatest joys for us! We love you Zoe and can't wait to see what all you have learned by next year! Happy Birthday!

Summer Fun

2008-07-21T23:15:00.006-04:00

Zoe's Surgery

2008-07-03T08:58:00.006-04:00

Zoe came through her eye surgery with flying colors. The doctor said it went exactly as he hoped and there were no problems with the anesthesia. The nursing staff at CHKD were wonderful. They gave Zoe a sedative to start getting her drowsy while we were still with her so she wouldn't get upset when we left. It made it much easier to get her changed into hospital clothes and check her vital signs. And when the anesthesia nurse carried her into surgery she didn't even cry.
Her surgery was about 1.5 hours and we allowed to be there while she woke up. She was a little unsteady the day of the surgery, so we kept her quiet (she slept most of the day), but she was back to normal the next day.
At her follow-up visit, the doctor was very pleased with the results. Not only were we able to reduce the strength of her glasses, she is already starting to focus with both eyes. Before her surgery, she had the strongest prescription possible, her eyes still crossed even with glasses, and she only used one eye to focus with.
Praise God that this surgery was a success and there were no complications. Thanks also to all of you who prayed for us that day. God answered those prayers and we felt His presence there with us. We are very thankful and truly blessed!

Pictures

2008-05-14T12:04:00.003-04:00

I took Zoe for her 18 mo. pictures recently (she was 19 mo. until we actually had them taken). She is starting to get scared about it and cried through the whole session. I believe she thinks she's at the doctor. The photographer was wonderful though and she managed to get a few pictures of her smiling. I don't think it helped that I tried doing two outfits, but here are the results!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T19:28:00.007-04:00

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew how much I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Someone sent me this via email and I thought it was rather fitting for Mother's Day. Being a mom is so rewarding and one of the greatest blessings from God. I'm so thankful we've been blessed with Zoe and I have the privilege of being a mom! Happy Mother's Day!

Growing Up Too Fast

2008-05-02T17:59:00.006-04:00

I haven't had a lot of time for blogging lately (posting or commenting), but I did want to post an updated picture of Zoe. Its hard to believe she's 19 mos. old. I'm sure I'm a little bit partial because she's my kid, but I think this is one of the sweetest pictures.
Everything is pretty much the same as far as her reflux. She's still unable to tolerate dairy or soy and is on the highest possible dosage of a new medication. And she's still almost off the growth charts because she's so tiny, but at least she keeps slowly gaining and hasn't stopped thriving (she's in the 5th percentile for weight). Praise God between the medication and a bland diet (for the most part), she is doing better and actually has been sleeping through the night. We were able to cancel her endoscopy for now at least (I did not relish the idea of having to give her anesthesia).
Also, her right eye has shown improvement with her glasses, so we were able to hold off on eye surgery and hopefully she won't need it ever. The Ophthalmologist was very surprised the glasses worked, but it was confirmation to me Who is really in control. God has graciously answered our prayers concerning Zoe and so wondrously provided for us and we are so thankful!

What We've Been Up To

2007-12-19T10:15:00.001-05:00

I haven't had a lot of time to post lately, but here is a quick update and lots of pictures of what Zoe has been up to. I started working from home for the same company as Katrina in November and that was a very busy month. It has slowed down this month, but with Christmas shopping and decorating I haven't minded too much.
Zoe went to see a GI specialist in November and he thinks she just needs more time to outgrow the reflux and dairy/soy protein allergy. I have decided to continue nursing instead of going the formula route (the only option since she can't have milk), so I am back on the no dairy/soy diet too. The upside is that I won't have to worry about any extra holiday pounds!
Zoe's cast has come off and she uses her arm as if nothing happened. It has been a lot of fun watching all the new things she is learning. She has started climbing (not so fun) and loves to "help" cook. I give her a bowl and a spoon and occasionally add snacks and she stirs them up.
Paul has been working 60 hour weeks lately and starting tomorrow he is off through most of the holidays. I think he has to work one or two days until after New Year, so I am rejoicing that we will have some family time! Hope all of you have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

And Its A Pink Little Cast

2007-10-22T15:25:00.000-04:00

The orthopedic surgeon was able to see Zoe first thing this morning and his diagnosis was a broken arm. He did not take another X-ray since he thought cartilage was hiding the fracture and it would not show up. I learned something new at least--toddlers very seldom ever sprain anything and toddler's fractures as they are called are fairly common.
And Zoe slept through the whole examination and only woke when they were completing the cast. That was a blessing! She did cry out during the exam when the doctor twisted her wrist (which was his confirmation it was broken), but she went right back to sleep. It may have been the Tylenol I gave her, but I felt like God helped her stay asleep too. For Zoe to sleep like that is unusual, so I was very thankful.
Zoe will have to wear this cast for the next 3 weeks. The cast is much lighter than the splint, doesn't pull her shoulder and accommodates clothing with sleeves. Once the cast was on, Zoe felt the cast and then her other arm trying to figure out what this thing was. It was rather comical.
After we left the doctor's office, I took Zoe to see her Aunt Hannah at work. We got a cup of soup and a muffin to share there and had lunch while Hannah was on break. And I learned one advantage to this cast there--when your child is holding her purse in one hand, she can't grab displays with the other. However the cons outweigh the pros, so I'm glad its only 3 weeks.

Broken Arm

2007-10-21T08:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Zoe was happily playing and carrying a little dress around with her. Somehow in the course of traversing the den with it she tripped and fell. It seemed like just a normal toddler fall that happens all the time. However she started crying immediately and when I picked her up she wouldn't be consoled. I noticed she kept holding her left wrist and she wouldn't use it to reach for anything, so we decided we should get it checked out. After a very long wait (3 hours) at the emergency room, they finally took X-rays. The X-ray tech was pretty sure it was broken based on how it looked and Zoe's actions, so she was very surprised that no breaks showed up on the X-rays. Then the doctor took less than 5 minutes to look at it (they were so backed up that there were no rooms available and Zoe got treated in the hallway) and decided that it was probably broken even though nothing showed up on the X-ray. His evaluation was that she fell on her hand and bent the wrist back causing a hairline fracture. He also said these types of fractures usually do not show up on X-rays until about 3 - 4 days after the break. His assumption was that it will show up on the X-ray done by the orthopedic surgeon. The good news is that no bones were out of place and they did not have to set the arm. The bad news is that they couldn't confirm the break or even where exactly it occurred in her arm although they were pretty sure its broken somewhere. I will feel much better after we see the orthopedics, but in the meantime Zoe has a plaster splint from elbow to wrist and an ACE bandage wrapped around her arm. The nurse thought Zoe would probably have to wear it for 3 - 4 weeks, but its up to the orthopedic surgeon.
She did start playing much more happily with her arm immobilized. She can certainly still get into just as much stuff with one hand as with two. Thankfully it hasn't seemed to phase her. She doesn't have any clothes with sleeves large enough to go over the splint, so hopefully the weather stays warm enough for sleeveless for awhile.
We've also been fighting a cold/flu bug here and Zoe has a very bad cough and runny nose right now in addition to teething and the broken arm. So life has been interesting, but its comforting to know that God never gives us more than we can handle and He is in control of each situation. And Zoe got lots of treats like Oreos, chicken nuggets and french fries out of the deal along with the Honey Grahams her Grandma brought her today and lots of extra attention (like sleeping with Mommy), so I don't think she minds too much (until we go see the doctor again of course)!

And The Reaction to Dairy Is....

2007-10-17T14:17:00.000-04:00

not very good. This blog was intended to be about Zoe, but not always about her dietary issues. Its been two weeks since we started dairy products. She seems to do OK with yogurt and cheese, but whenever she gets milk she has a reaction. It seems the more natural form the milk (less processed) the more it affects her. After another visit with the pediatrician yesterday, she decided its time Zoe visits a GI Specialist.
We've had a lot going on the last two weeks. Zoe had more vaccinations and had reactions to those the first weekend. The next weekend she broke out in a rash and had a fever which I think was another vaccination reaction to either the measles or chicken pox. In between these events, she started getting her two top teeth. And both times she had a lot of exposure to milk, she had very bad diarrhea and even blood in her diaper. And the last two nights were the first Zoe slept more than 3 hours in one stretch in a week. I kept getting up to check on her because it was so unusual!
The GI specialist is going to evaluate her reflux as well which does not seem to be getting better. The doctor recommended either nursing or putting Zoe on soy milk until we figure out what's going on with the cow milk allergy. Zoe has been starting to wean herself, so it may soon be the soy milk. The doctor does not think I need to stop dairy again. Zoe can have foods with milk in them (like breads, etc), just not the actual milk and be careful with cheese and yogurt. I am not looking forward to this visit since some of the tests are quite invasive, but maybe we will get some answers. I am thankful for good medical care and that we have a chance to find out what's going on.
So that's the latest update. Zoe is happy and healthy otherwise. She is starting to do some cute things and its so much fun to watch her figure out what's going on. One advantage to having the loft is the great laundry chute it makes. The other day Zoe saw me drop the clothes over the rail. She decided she wanted to help so she marched in the bathroom, grabbed a few clothes and headed off to the loft. Now that's another of her favorite "chores". I'm waiting until she has to do those things--I'm sure it won't be fun anymore!

Home For Sale

2007-10-03T00:41:00.000-04:00

We've had our home on the market now for approximately 2 weeks For Sale By Owner and I have finally completed the online listings. I thought I may as well use my Blog for free advertising as well! So if any of you know of someone looking to buy in this area, I know of a very nice one for sale.
We are praying for wisdom as we take this step that God will work everything out in His time and according to His will. (He always does anyway, but sometimes it hard not to get impatient.)
I've included the links to the online sites if any of you are looking or know of someone who is looking to buy. Most of all we ask that you would pray for us that we would follow God's leading and everything would go smoothly.

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/rfs/438615214.html

http://www.infotube.net/search_detail.php?u=EMINGRAM&photo=1&Adnumber=184043

http://www.owners.com/Search/ShowListing.aspx?id=1949617&loc=MA

Zoe's Birthday

2007-09-29T23:16:00.001-04:00

I wasn't sure about doing a theme for Zoe's birthday since I know Zoe won't remember it, but it turned out to be a lot of fun! I went with a Teddy Bear theme and it worked out very well. My sister had a bear pan for the cake, so that was an incentive for the bear theme too. I'll let the pictures tell the story, but I felt very fortunate to find teddy bear plates & napkins at Wal-Mart on clearance. We also had french bread and spaghetti since they are Zoe's favorites. It was a special day!

What Would You Eat?

2007-09-29T15:42:00.000-04:00

Zoe had her one year appointment this week. Other than the fact that she remembered what happened about a month ago when she had the flu, it went very well. She cried during the weight check and when the doctor examined her like she knew something bad was going to happen. Then she got happy until the nurses came in for the shots and she realized she wasn't home free after all.
Dr. Barkeley said we should start introducing dairy into her diet now. I have been nursing her 4-6 times a day partly because of the allergy issue. Once we know if she can tolerate dairy products, I will start weaning her.
We went to the store afterwards for a few groceries and it felt very weird not to have to worry about ingredients. I also had to resist the temptation not to buy everything in sight that I haven't been able to eat. I finally decided on taking it slow and starting Zoe on yogurt once she is over the effects of the vaccinations. And I decided it is probably better for me to gradually ease into it also and not overload her system since she still nurses a lot. So I left the pizza behind and put the ice cream back and settled on yogurt and milk and cheese.
I haven't given Zoe any dairy directly yet, but I have started eating foods with cheese on them again. And Paul ordered pizza for us last night since I hadn't had pizza with cheese for nine months. I did not eat much, but it tasted wonderful! And I went to a brunch this morning and ate small portions of Quiche and Cream Cheese Danish and a few other items. This is actually taking some getting used to since I either brought my own food or drove the hostess crazy trying to find out what was in the dish and its become somewhat ingrained.
I am taking my time with this because I don't what to eat too much and start enjoying it again only to find out Zoe is still having a reaction. And I almost feel guilty for eating "good" food again. However I am definitely enjoying it! I'm curious to know what would your first food be if you had to be without dairy or soy for awhile and then were allowed to have it again?

Happy Birthday Zoe

2007-09-23T23:23:00.000-04:00

Today is Zoe's first birthday! She was born on September 23, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. She weighed 6.0 lbs. and was 18" long. Its hard to believe it has been a year and yet we can't imagine life without her. It has been such fun watching all the stages! God has so abundantly blessed us and we are so thankful! She is definitely a bundle of joy!

Happy Birthday Zoe!

Labor Day Weekend

2007-09-18T11:52:00.000-04:00

Labor Day Weekend 2006 was spent preparing for Zoe. Its hard to believe it was a year ago, but I went for an ultrasound that Saturday because I was measuring small and the doctor thought we should make sure everything was ok. I was about 36 weeks and the concern was that Zoe was an IUGR (intra-uterine growth restriction) baby. Basically it looked like my placenta was wearing out and Zoe was not getting nourished. This could also potentially cause a stillbirth baby. The ultrasound did not have the greatest results so I got sent to the hospital for a non-stress test. That came back ok, but the doctor was considering bedrest so Paul and I went shopping and bought lots of groceries "just in case".

Thankfully I never had to go on bedrest, but I did have to go to the hospital once a week for non-stress tests and to EVMS for a high-risk pregnancy ultrasound. That in itself was interesting since they could actually measure the blood flow from me to Zoe. Anyway long story short, it was after the ultrasound at EVMS that the doctor decided to induce at 38 weeks. And her birth is another story in itself, but it definitely made for an interesting holiday last year.

So for Labor Day 2007 I had a pretty boring weekend planned--run the vaccuum, catch up on everything I was behind on, take it easy, etc. God saw fit to alter my plans. Friday morning Zoe just wanted to be held which was rather unusual. Normally she is squirming to get down and play. I didn't really think too much about it at first--just thought maybe she was tired or it was her reflux. We had taken her to the doctor a few weeks ago because she had started waking every 2-3 hours and would not settle down during the night. This had been getting progressively worse as she got older (I have since read that often happens as more food gets added to their diets). We had stopped treating for reflux after the milk and soy allergies got resolved and she stopped throwing up as much, but her pediatrician thought we should start treating it again as well as get some labs done. All the tests came back normal (praise God!) and the medicine worked wonders. Zoe slept all night the very first day we gave it to her. But I digress. By Friday afternoon Zoe had a fever. I called the doctor on Saturday and they told me to monitor her and call in on Tuesday if she wasn't any better. I did nothing but hold Zoe all weekend. She wouldn't sleep unless she was with me, so I took naps whenever she did since we were up and down all night. Monday I thought she was getting a little better, so we went to my parents for a cook-out. Monday night she thrashed around and cried and I couldn't get her calmed down (until we left for the hospital) so we took her to the CHKD emergency room.

We spent all night there while they checked for a urinary tract infection, ear infection, chest x-ray, etc. This involved a catheter which they missed on the first try and had to be repeated an hour later. Finally they determined it was a virus and told us to follow up with the doctor the next day. I'm glad we have a children's hospital locally, but it was much more reassuring to see the pediatrician the next day. She told us it was a GI virus that was lasting about 6-7 days. The big concern was that Zoe had not had a wet diaper for 12 hours, so we had to force her to drink from a syringe. The doctor wanted her to have 2 wet diapers by lunch the next day. She encouraged me to nurse her more since that had helped one of her other patients. Also, the doctor thought we were just getting to the worst of the virus. If she meant that's when Zoe would be the most miserable, she was right. Her tummy seemed to bother her more and she broke out in a rash all over her body. I was so thankful Wednesday morning when she wanted something to drink. And that was Labor Day 2007.

Zoe is finally over all the sickness although she's been a little cranky so I think she may be teething. Our next big event is preparing for her birthday on Sunday. We've selected a teddy bear theme and since Zoe likes spaghetti the menu was easy. I had hoped my child would not be such a picky eater, but the only vegetable she will tolerate is corn. Paul will feed her peas and green beans just to watch her spit them out (and to try to get her to eat them).

Below are a few pics of Zoe when she was sick. One nurse who did the successful catheter was so sweet. She gave Zoe the book she is playing with, got me a pillow so I could rest, and put on a Thomas movie for Zoe. She also sang to Zoe while we did the catheter and it calmed her down.

She Walks!!

2007-07-28T11:42:00.000-04:00

Zoe started taking a few steps about two weeks ago. She gradually began walking 4 - 5 steps from furniture to toy, etc. and occasionally would walk across the room. Today, I guess she decided walking is her preferred mode. She doesn't fall as much and if she does, she gets up and walks. Its like she figured why crawl when I can walk? The funny thing is we really did not coach her very much. She just started taking steps on her own and now she's off.

I haven't figured out how to upload the video of her walking yet (if any of you have tips let me know), so I posted a picture of her doing another favorite pastime--watching Charlotte's Web. I rented it and she was so enthralled with the animals, that we finally bought a pre-viewed one.

Couldn't Resist

2007-07-23T15:30:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures of Zoe eating rice. She prefers to feed herself, so I put it on her tray and let her scoop it up with her fingers. She eats much better when I let her do it herself, so it was worth the rice in her chair, down her outfit, on the floor...and she seemed to enjoy it much more this way.

My Favorite Subject

2007-07-12T15:02:00.000-04:00

Just thought it was time for an update on Zoe and some of her adventures. She is now 9 months old and weighs in at 16.5 pounds and is 28" tall. She is in the 25th percentile for her weight and 50th -75th percentile for her height. Based on her parents I thought this would be reversed. She has begun standing on her own and pushing her toys across the floor while walking. Maybe running behind her toys would be a better term--she can definitely move. Thankfully she hasn't learned how yet, but she tries to climb over the baby gates. Some of her favorite places to play are in the dishwasher, the refrigerator, the Tupperware drawer, etc. She loves to feed herself, especially bananas. They squish and are wonderful to put in your hair! And it often means she gets a bath which she loves-or just her face washed which she hates.
She still has the milk allergy, but I don't think its nearly as bad anymore. The church nursery accidentally gave her cheese goldfish and although she got a little fussy, it didn't last too long. She has a very sensitive stomach though and often gets irritable whenever we try a new food. Or maybe she is just trying to get out of eating her vegetables! Since she is eating solid foods now, its hard to know if its what I ate or what she ate. She only has one tooth, but I think a second one may be coming in. She loves to torment the dog, so we finally put him in one area of the house and Zoe in the other. He probably wouldn't have any hair left otherwise. Below are a few pictures of her latest escapades.

My new toy from Grandma

Trying to escape

Trying to get my other spoon

Oh well, guess I'll just play with this

All ready to cook

Let's Ride!

I love furry things!

See I'm a big girl!

I've Been Tagged....

2007-06-25T16:13:00.001-04:00

I've been tagged to do this by Shannon and Karis. After posting these rules, each player proceeds to list 8 relatively random facts/habits about himself/herself. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names.

1. I did not know how to cook when we got married. I knew a few basics like meatloaf, meatballs, cornflake chicken, macaroni and cheese, gourmet potatoes and mashed potatoes, but that was about the extent of it (and it was not the style of cooking Paul was used to). My Mom gave me a cooking magazine subscription and Paul (who had worked in restaurants) did a lot of the cooking. I'm not sure what we ate that first year, but I remember trying to cook chicken breasts once for company and I think its the worst thing I've ever served to a guest. Thankfully now cooking is often relaxation for me.

2. I love being organized. I have a harder time staying this way since I have Zoe, but I still like a place for everything and everything in its place. This could also be why I like doing our finances--I love to have things in order.

3. I have Old Order Amish relatives that still drive in buggies and don't have electricity. My grandparents lived this way when my Dad was born.

4. I have a fear of heights and I hate going up open flights of stairs. Once when we were on an anniversary trip, we went to a place called Chimney Rock near Asheville, NC. After we paid $12 for each of us to get in, I realized I had to cross over an open flight of stairs looking down around 2,000 ft. below. I decided to do it since it cost money, but I stayed in the middle of the rock so I wouldn't get dizzy looking down.

5. We did not have a television growing up. As a result, we kids loved to read and my poor Mom would have to fuss at us to put our books down and get our chores done. I have a lot of books now that I was given as gifts and have read and re-read many times. My dream is to have a room someday that I can use just as a library. Right now I have books in my den and the loft and the dining room....

6. I like NASCAR races. I'm not sure why, especially considering the fact we did not have TV when I was growing up and it wasn't the kind of thing my parents would have watched if we had. I like Tony Stewart as a driver though and it gives me lots of debates with my brother who likes Dale Earnhardt, Jr. I should point out that I don't follow it religiously, but I do like to watch the races.

7. I like to camp and hike. We used to go a lot more soon after we were married and want to start going again with Zoe. Our last hike was down Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. We took a shuttle to the top and hiked down. We did not know what we were getting into, but it was an interesting experience. Lets just say we could not walk very well the next day.

8. I love collecting crystal and china dishes and cookbooks. I try to limit these items, but I have a hard time resisting inexpensive dishes at yard sales. My Grandma would give us nice dishes or serving pieces for Christmas when I was a girl and my Mom kept them for me until I got married. I am more selective with cookbooks and only get unique or specialized ones, but I love reading them and subscribing to cooking magazines.

Tagged: Shannon Logsdon, Beth Keiler, Marlene, Anita, Andrea, Linda, and Karisa. I've edited the list to 7 and picked on some of you on Xanga. I'm looking forward to seeing your random facts and/or habits.

what i've been up to

2007-05-22T23:55:00.001-04:00

Daddy's Birthday!

2007-05-21T06:35:00.000-04:00

today is my daddy's birthday! mommy had a little party for him on saturday night and my grandmas and grandpa came over with aunt hannah and uncle william. i couldn't eat any of daddy's ice cream cake, but we had a lot of fun. i got to see my first fireworks and although i was a little scared at first i had so many people giving me attention that i decided they weren't too bad (i even took a little nap eventually).
daddy and i have lots of fun. he sits on the floor and plays with me and i even "helped" him fix the chair last week. he gives me shoulder rides when we go out and feeds me popsicles. when i get tired he cuddles with me in the recliner and i usually fall asleep. i always have a big smile and get so happy when he comes home from work.
daddy, i hope you have a very special day (and so does mommy)! we both love you very much! we know you work very hard to take care of us because you love us so much. i think you are the best daddy ever!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

with love from Zoe

What We've Been Up To....

2007-05-19T08:51:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was my first Mother's Day. We had a luncheon here and my family and mother-in-law came over. It was a very special day. At church Zoe thought that I did not need to hear the pastor's sermon and should instead come take care of her. I was three-quarters of the way through the service and my number came up for the nursery. She was tired and hungry and the poor nursery workers could not get her quiet. It reminded me of what this day was all about--the joy (and sacrifice) of being a mother.

I'm learning that being a mother brings sacrifice. Gone are the days of doing anything leisure without a little girl involved. I have to put aside my personal desires when she needs care or thinks she needs attention (another reason why I have so many blog posts in my head and not on this blog)! :-) But being a mother also brings untold joy. Seeing this little child, this precious gift from God is so wonderful. Watching her face light up when I come into the room is such a privilege. Just doing daily activities and having her around makes life a lot more fun. It also makes me so much more appreciative of our mothers and what they have done for us.

Paul also treated me to getting my hair done and watched Zoe while I was there. They went shopping and when I met up with them, Zoe was almost asleep. It was nice to get pampered a little and not have to keep one eye on a baby. Thanks, Dear!

In other news, Paul passed another certification recently. Zoe has started pulling herself up and transferring from coffee table to couch to toy. Last night she pushed a package of paper towels across the floor and walked behind it (that was a first). Also, Paul has taken a few vacation days this week, so we have been chilling a little. For me it has been a great way to get caught up on the things I haven't been able to do when I'm working from home. I also had the chance to go pick some strawberries with Shannon and hope to go again next week for peas. That's been life here. I have lots of pictures of Zoe that will be coming shortly. We are having family over for dessert tonight since there are fireworks at the Jubilee. It will be interesting to see how Zoe likes fireworks. I'll be sure to include that in a future post.

Zoe Crawls

2007-04-26T21:03:00.001-04:00

Zoe started crawling today. I guess now that she's mobile this is how my attempts to photograph her will be. I went shopping with my Mother-in-law last week and she bought this outfit for Zoe, so I thought it would be nice to get a picture. I got pictures, but they were all of Zoe heading for the rocking chair. As you can see, she finally achieved her goal.

Blessings

2007-04-26T13:03:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been challenged to be thankful and count my blessings even when I'm feeling blue, sleep-deprived, and/or overwhelmed. Here are just some of the ways we are so blessed and how God has so graciously provided for us.

A nice home/shelter and plenty to eat
Access to good medical care
Jobs and good health to be able to work
A job where I can stay at home with Zoe
Reliable transportation
Protection in our daily activities (like at 2:30 this morning when I woke up and realized Zoe was next to me in bed, but I couldn't remember putting her there.)
Zoe's first cold is not too bad and we have a helpful doctor's office
Salvation and eternal life in Heaven
We are not persecuted for having the Word of God and we can worship freely

These are just a few of the ways that we are so blessed and there are so many more I could add. We were challenged recently in a sermon to thank God first and then bring our requests to Him. This has helped me to put my requests in perspective and what I'm really asking for. Its also helped me focus on God's continuing work in my life and made me so thankful for what He has done.

7 Months Old

2007-04-23T12:14:00.000-04:00

Its hard to believe that Zoe is seven months old today. She finally figured out how to get on her hands and knees in the last day or so, but her mode of transportation so far has been to roll everywhere. I also caught her trying to pull herself up on her jungle gym today. She had her feet under her, but she couldn't quite get up.

I have also started giving her rice cereal. After we got the allergies resolved around 4 months I held off on starting solids at the doctor's recommendation. The only drawback to not giving her cereal sooner was that she needed a feeding in the middle of the night. We now are giving her approximately 1 tablespoon of cereal twice a day which is about all she will eat. I've tried giving her applesauce and sweet potatoes, but her tummy didn't handle those foods very well. So I am gradually slipping in a few bites here and there. She also does not have any teeth yet.

We started putting her in the nursery at church. The first Sunday she played and had fun, but we forgot to clip on her normal binky on last Sunday and it made a very unhappy little girl. Thankfully I had a spare in the diaper bag. She is also starting to recognize people and gets scared if she hasn't seen someone for a while. Surprisingly she hasn't cried about being left at the nursery yet. She loves other kids though, so I think having 15 - 20 others to play with helps a lot. Its so cute when we go to the grocery store (which she loves). When she sees another kid, she will start smiling.

Being outside is her other big thrill. She will sit outside in her stroller while I do yard work and just play. One evening when she had been extremely cranky all day, I decided to do something therapeutic and work in the flower beds. She calmed right down outside and both of us felt better.

She is becoming a very sweet little girl (no longer a baby). We are working on teaching her no (especially when she pulls hair) and that she will not die if she does not get something right now. This makes the parenting quite interesting, but a joy nonetheless. We count our blessings every day and thank God that we have the opportunity to have this little girl in our lives.

My First Cereal

Not sure what to do with this

Fun with my toys

Ready to go!

I'm so cute!

F.Y.I.

2007-03-27T23:58:00.000-04:00

Zoe got this pacifier at the hospital when she was born and she really likes it. It is soft and does not leave marks on her face. However, the one she has is getting very disgusting, so I started looking at getting another one. I found them at www.gumdroppacifiers.com. They are only $2.25 for each one plus shipping. They come in a vanilla scent or natural. You can also get preemie ones. I think they are definitely worth it.

Happy Birthday Mom

2007-03-27T23:49:00.000-04:00

My Mom's birthday was on Sunday and I got a few pictures of Zoe "helping" her with the card she gave her. Zoe decided she would rather eat it than let her Grandma have it! Of course her Grandma gave it to her--so much for me trying to teach her no! :-)

Final Florida

2007-03-27T22:53:00.000-04:00

Just briefly for the end of our vacation in FL--the company Paul was working for did not have everything ready for him and it delayed him by about a day. We were hoping he would be finished on Thursday, but it took him until Friday afternoon to finish everything. We went to Universal Citywalk Friday evening and had dinner at Margaritaville. They had a Cheeseburger in Paradise on the menu and that's what Paul was hungry for. Our server was very helpful and made sure none of my food had any dairy products.
Saturday we spent at a small zoo. It was not the greatest zoo and Zoe was not the least bit interested (she went to sleep), but it was fun. We wanted to do a river cruise, but that didn't work out.
We started driving home on Sunday hoping to make it all the way, but after about 6 hours Zoe reached her limit. Since we still had another 5 -6 hours we decided to stop. All in all it was a very nice getaway!

Six Months Old

2007-03-23T14:48:00.000-04:00

Today is Zoe's sixth month birthday. Naturally we decided to "celebrate" by taking her to the doctor for her 6th month checkup and shots. Actually she did pretty well. She wasn't quite as enthused about the doctor poking and prodding, but she didn't cry too much after her shots. I think it helped that her daddy was there. She now weighs 14 lbs. 9 oz. and is 25 1/8" long. I think we will be starting her on table food soon. However we may continue to nurse a little longer since she has the dairy/soy allergies. She is definitely eyeing our food though when we eat. She is rolling over, sitting up, and starting to creep just a little. She does very well at sitting in her Pack & Play or on the floor playing with her toys. The biggest thing is that she has trouble going to sleep on her own and only naps about 30 minutes in her crib. I'm probably too soft and have trouble letting her cry it out. Actually I did discuss this with the doctor today and she thinks Zoe's sleep problems may still be reflux-related and she also suggested getting an egg-crate mattress to make her crib softer. We are going to continue giving her Mylicon gas drops since they seem to settle her down and help her sleep before we start medication for the reflux again (which created its own round of problems). She will go to sleep on her own sometimes, but often she kicks and fusses and won't settle down until I give her gas drops. I wasn't sure if she just didn't want to settle down or if something was really wrong, so it was helpful to talk to the pediatrician. I didn't realize Zoe's reflux was that severe, but the doctor said today we are fortunate she continued to gain weight and thrive. We have a lot to be thankful for. She also recommended getting a baby food cookbook since I plan to make my own baby food. If any of you have suggestions on a good one, I'd love to hear it. I love cookbooks anyway so it gives me an excuse to get one. :-) I'd also welcome any tips. It will be a little more challenging since Zoe can't have any dairy or soy items. The doctor suggested waiting until she is 12 - 15 months before we introduce dairy. I will have to get really creative for the cake and frosting on her first birthday! Well that's all for this post. I will put up more pictures of FL in the near future.

Waving Hi to everyone!

This chair is so interesting!

Pictures of Zoe

2007-03-16T11:15:00.000-04:00

Zoe was given lots of cute little dresses for this age, but its been too cold to wear them at home. I decided to bring them to Florida since it has been in the 80's here. I have started taking her picture each morning because I think she looks so cute and grown up. And if she continues her growth rate, she will be too big for them by the time the weather at home warms up. Anyway I thought I would put a few of the pics here. She is really becoming a little ham! I barely had to coax her to smile today-guess she thinks its part of her routine now.

Its not a dress, but I couldn't resist

Happy Anniversary Paul

2007-03-15T15:30:00.000-04:00

Today is our 10th wedding anniversary and I've been thinking a lot about our wedding and the commitment we made that day. Our wedding was very simple and pretty traditional to the Mennonite church we attended. We walked down the aisle together right at the beginning of the service and the congregation sang 2 hymns, "Father We Come" and "Holy Holy Holy". The associate pastor made a few announcements and had a short devotional. Then the congregation sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing".
One of my Mom's cousins who is a pastor gave our wedding message on Petals of Love. In a Mennonite wedding flowers are not generally permitted during the ceremony. However the pastor brought 2 flower vases with 2 roses each. He referred to the vase as our marriage and each of us as a rose. He demonstrated how we could destroy each other by pulling off petals and cutting up one of the roses. He then brought out a hammer and illustrated how the vase would be destroyed if he smashed it with the hammer (although he didn't actually break the vase). In the same way, we could destroy our marriage. He then referred to the other vase and gave us some Petals of Love: kindness, consideration for each other, gentleness, faithfulness, etc.
My uncle (also the senior pastor) married us and we walked down the aisle while the congregation sang "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us".
There is traditionally a sit-down meal afterwards and my Mom and her sisters fixed all the food the day before the wedding. We had a Ham & Potato casserole, green beans, a jello salad, and dinner rolls along with cake, ice cream, iced tea and coffee.
At the reception we had 2 singing groups and an open microphone for anyone who wanted to share. Then my Dad gave a little speech and closed with prayer.
Some of the memories are my little brother William serving us dessert, getting up early to take pictures before the ceremony, Paul being more nervous than I was, and forgetting to give all the instructions to the reception moderator (thankfully this didn't create any food-serving problems).
The emphasis that we wanted at our wedding was that the focus be on God. The hymns we chose and the way we planned the ceremony was to draw the attention to God as the center of our lives. This is still our goal that Christ be at the center of our home.
The other focus today are the vows we made to each other 10 years ago. My desire even more today is to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. The theme at our wedding was 1 Cor. 13. "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; love never fails." Our relationship has grown deeper and richer and our commitment greater. Paul has truly been my provider, my companion, my beloved and my friend. These 10 years have gone by so quickly and have involved medical treatments, career changes and the birth of Zoe. But through it all we have been together. I thank God for leading us together and these years He has given us. I look forward to the next 10 years!

Give A Give A Give A Garmin

2007-03-14T17:57:00.000-04:00

Remember the commercial for a Garmin GPS at Christmas? Well Paul has been wanting one since he travels a lot to different customer sites both locally and out-of-town (and gets lost occasionally), but decided not to get one since I am staying at home with Zoe. Recently he got lost on his way to a company convention in Richmond (Mapquest was wrong again) and jokingly told his manager if he had a Garmin he wouldn't have gotten lost. He got an email later that morning telling him to consider it done. It was another answer to prayer.

Since I am usually the navigator when we travel I was curious how it would work. It is pretty cool to have this little machine tell you which way to go and where to turn, etc. It also tracks drive time and stop time, fastest speed, average speed, and arrival time. It is definitely worth it if you travel a lot, so I'm very thankful God used Paul's company to provide one.

Hanging Out

2007-03-14T14:36:00.000-04:00

Its been a relaxing few days in FL. Paul has been working in the day, but we go out at night. We drove to some outlets in Orlando on Monday evening and ate dinner out. Last night we strolled around the mall right across the street a little, then took a picnic supper down to a park on Lake Monroe. It was mostly pleasant except for the guy who walked by with his pit bulls. I was very nervous when they got close to Zoe. I am not normally afraid of dogs, but neither the guy nor his dogs looked friendly. It did not help my impression when this gentleman's friend squealed tires and spun his car around in the street near where there were lots of people and kids. Thankfully both soon left.
New Tribes Mission headquarters is located right on Lake Monroe. It is a very nice location on the lake. I did not realize their headquarters were here until we drove around on our last visit.
Zoe is almost sitting up by herself and I think she rolled from her back to her tummy today. She is having lots of fun here--probably getting spoiled. She also has been sleeping very well at naptime. I'm not sure why, but I hope it continues when we get home.
That about sums up our last two days. Paul will probably be onsite late tonight and hopefully finish tomorrow and we may be able to get in some sightseeing.

Lake Monroe

New Tribes Mission Headquarters

Then and Now

2007-03-14T14:11:00.001-04:00

Florida Here We Come

2007-03-12T15:42:00.000-04:00

I hopefully will be able to catch up on blogging this week. In between working from home, getting our tax info together, and taking care of Zoe I haven't been able to post for awhile. Back in October when Zoe was 4 weeks old, Paul had to go to Florida for an install and planned to be gone a week. I was still recuperating and not able to do a lot at home yet (and I was not looking forward to staying by myself for a week), so at the last minute I decided to come down with Paul. We cancelled his flight and drove down with Zoe. It went pretty smoothly especially for an 11 hour drive. We arrived on Saturday evening, went to Daytona Beach on Sunday, and started driving back home on Monday. When Paul got to the job site, they did not have the phone line installed so there was nothing he could do. At that time, I was planning to return to work, so I was really disappointed that we could not stay the whole week and have some vacation time. But God had another plan (besides answering my prayer to be a stay-at-home mom). Our 10th anniversary is this month and I had been praying we would be able to go somewhere. And guess where I am? Florida. It took the company over 3 months to get the phone line installed. An added bonus is that Paul's company is paying for our hotel for a week even if the job is completed sooner. And our travel and most of our food will be covered since this is a business trip. It is such a blessing to see how God works.
The room we have is a spacious two room suite. There is a wet bar area with a microwave and refrigerator. Since eating out is difficult with Zoe's food allergies, we picked up a few groceries at Wal-mart. Also Paul is close enough to the hotel that he can come here at lunch. We tried to get the hotel we stayed in last time, but they were booked. That was somewhat disappointing, but we actually got a better rate and bigger room at this hotel. One again, it is such a blessing how God has worked this out.
Outside the sun is shining and it is nice and warm. Paul doesn't have to stay onsite late today so we are going to visit an outlet someone told him about. And with the early Daylight Savings Time, it will be light longer. It is such a blessing knowing that God is in control and that He does everything in His time. Maybe that should be the title of this post. :-)

Five Months

2007-02-23T10:44:00.000-05:00

i'm five months old today. i weigh about 15 lbs. now and i think i'm a big girl. i started rolling over last week, but i still don't like being on my tummy unless i can see what is happening. i've figured out how to put my binky in although its usually upside down. i love to try to sit up. i have learned to recognize people now. i am very interested in mommy & daddy's food. daddy squeezed some bean juice in my mouth the other day and mommy let me taste applesauce. my favorite is still the fruit bars daddy shares with me. my tummy seems to be doing better and i play a lot more although i don't sleep nearly as much as mommy would like. but i might miss out if i sleep longer than 30 minutes. well, i am hungry now so i am going to eat. i will fill you in on my progress next month.

My Son, Give Me Thine Heart

2007-02-19T09:13:00.000-05:00

The pastor at church used this verse yesterday as his text and we were really challenged. He has been preaching a series on family relationships and yesterday he spoke about parenting. He emphasized how parenting is building a relationship with your child, not just addressing behaviors. If you have your child's heart, the behavior issues fall into place. Even when your child disobeys, he/she knows he can trust that you will be there for him/her. One illustration he gave of a father who was not there for his child. He encouraged his daughter to jump in the water over her head and assured her he would catch her. However when she finally jumped, he moved and she went down spluttering and coughing. This and other such actions had a major impact on her that by the time she reached high school she could not trust him. Our children are our greatest assets. The encouragement to us was to build a relationship of trust with Zoe so that she will want to give us her heart. We were challenged to let her know we have her best interests at heart and will always take care of her to the best of our ability. The lesson was to put our own agendas aside and put our child first. His last illustration really drove this point home. A father wrote of how he constantly got impatient with his son, even getting irritated when he had to put down his paper as his son kissed him goodnight. Standing at his son's bedside that night, he realized that he had corrected and humiliated his son, but had not shown him any love or affection. His resolve was to make a difference in his relationship with his son. As new parents, this sermon has challenged us in raising Zoe and given us goals to strive for.

Happy Valentines Day!

2007-02-14T11:14:00.000-05:00

Today is somewhat of a nostalgic day for us. 12 years ago today we had our first date. We went to a place called Three Ships Inn. There were fireplaces in every room and the only lighting was candles on each table and the glow from the fireplace. The funniest thing was that it was so dark we could barely read the menu. We always said we'd go back, but they went out of business soon after. Its special look back and see how much our relationship has changed and grown since then.

First Real Food

2007-02-10T22:15:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pictures of Zoe eating her first food. She has become more interested in what we are eating and Paul decided to share his natural fruit bar with her. Hopefully she'll eat her vegetables just as well.

Four Month Checkup

2007-01-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

Zoe's checkup went very well today, except for the shots :-(. Even with the allergy issues her weight is normal. I had observed some blood in her diaper though this week and the doctor was going to have me put her on a special formula for a week and check her next week. However when they tested the diaper it was negative, even though I had seen blood in it. It seems we keep having more than one issue with the same symptoms. This time the blood is from a little tear, so Vaseline and a stool softener were prescribed. The blessing is that I can keep nursing her since the diet has helped the allergies. I am so thankful! Nursing is also so convenient. Zoe is feverish tonight and cries when we touch her legs from her vaccinations, so I am keeping her dosed on Tylenol. We are so thankful for a healthy child and that she continues to thrive.

Train up a child

2007-01-26T21:28:00.000-05:00

Zoe had her four month checkup and shots today so we spent our morning at the doctor's office. I think we have been there at least once a week for the past month with the allergy thing. I usually watch the other kids and without fail there is always one who controls the parent. Most of these parents let the child do what they want so hopefully the child won't throw a fit. Also I read some of the comments posted online about the couple who was thrown off the plane because their 3 year old had a temper tantrum about sitting in her seat. Most of the comments pointed out that the child was controlling the parents and the parents should be embarrassed to admit on TV that they could not control their child. Some comments also suggested the parents should work on discipline instead of blaming AirTran or the child's behavior would be worse later. It seems to me that the younger the training is started, the more behaved the child is when he/she is older. Also I read an article about spanking and it mentioned a lot of parents spank out of anger. I think discipline/training should be consistent on the part of the parent at all times, not just when the situation gets uncontrollable. This takes a disciplined parents, but I think the child learns by observing his parents also. These are a few observations I have, but I would welcome suggestions from the experienced parents. Child training in theory is a lot easier than putting it into practice.

4 months old

2007-01-23T18:39:00.000-05:00

Zoe is four months old today. Last year around this time we were just finding out about her, but it seems like she has always been with us. Nothing can prepare you for the joy a child brings--the little hand that clutches yours, the smiles because she knows you are there, and the trust that you love her and will take care of her. At the risk of being redundant, Zoe has brought so much joy to us and we are truly blessed. We are so thankful God has given her to us and its been a wonderful four months.

roses from daddy

2007-01-20T20:06:00.000-05:00

i got my first flowers on thursday from daddy. he gave me a dozen pink roses. he said i had to share with mommy, but she got a potted plant too. mommy helped me smell them. i had a lot of fun looking at the bright colors and i even pulled some of the petals off--they were so pretty. of course i wanted to eat the petals too but mommy wouldn't let me. she said i have enough tummy troubles. here i am below admiring my flowers!

Good News

2007-01-18T12:18:00.000-05:00

We had a good report from the doctor today. Zoe had no blood in her diapers from the past two days! We are going to monitor her and see how she is doing at her 4 month check up next week. It appears that the diet changes I have made are working. It is helpful to know the blood was from food allergies and not some other problem. Her fussiness is probably from her reflux. I am so thankful to God that there is improvement. Thanks to everyone for your prayers.

More on Zoe

2007-01-17T23:26:00.000-05:00

I am taking Zoe to the doctor again tomorrow. They are going to test her diapers once more and if they are still positive for blood we will probably need to see a GI specialist to evaluate the allergy and my diet. Please pray that all would go well and for us to have wisdom to make the right decisions for her.
Also, Zoe had her first play date last week. Esther was able to spend an evening here with Zoe. They were both getting tired when I took these pictures, but it was fun to have someone here for Zoe to play with. She really notices other children and loves to watch them.

Congratulations Paul!

2007-01-17T13:45:00.000-05:00

Paul took a CCNA certification test today and passed it! He has been studying for this certification for over a year. It has taken a lot of perseverance and sacrifice to achieve this goal. This certification will make it easier for me to be at home with Zoe and I am so appreciative of the effort and sacrifice Paul is putting forth so I can be a stay-at-home mom. We are also so thankful to God for helping Paul pass this test today since he has tried and failed several times before. God's timing is always perfect and He is always there when we need Him. Congratulations Paul! Zoe and I are so happy for you and so proud that you made it! We're behind you all the way and we love you!

Way to go Daddy!

Prayer Requests

2007-01-16T23:28:00.000-05:00

I was contacted today by one of the countertop vendors I used to work with at the cabinet shop with some unfortunate news. Shelly Mills, one of their employees who I worked closely with, was pregnant with her first child at the same time I was. Hence this was often a topic in our phone conversations. When I went on maternity leave, she was on a reduced work schedule due to some complications. Although they seemed like complications from her pregnancy, apparently they were pretty serious. It turned out that she had cancer and although they did surgery two weeks after her baby was born, it is very aggressive and has continued to spread. It is now in both lungs and the doctors have said it will be a miracle if she lives another 3 months. Please pray for her and her family as they go through this time. Her husband's name is David and their son (who is only two months old) is Tristan. She is going through a very aggressive course of chemotherapy to prolong her life as long as possible and give her more time to spend with her son.
Please continue to pray for Zoe. She is still having blood in her diapers occasionally and we were back at the doctor on Friday. As of yesterday, I have eliminated soy from my diet also and we are continuing to monitor her. She had become less fussy lately, but the last two days were spent with more fussy periods than usual. I'm not sure if this is due to the allergy or reflux, however usually after these fussy spells she will have blood in her diaper. I am to touch base with the pediatrician again tomorrow. Please pray that she will improve or that they will be able to find out what is going on. There is a possibility she has a kink in her bowel, but her symptoms don't exactly point to that. She is very happy whenever she is not hurting which is a blessing.

This is the Day...

2007-01-15T23:22:00.000-05:00

Today was absolutely gorgeous and it reminded me of Psalm 118:24. "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." I know we are to rejoice in every day, but its a little easier when the weather is 70 degrees in January. I've been intending to go for a walk in the park while the weather is nice and I decided not to put it off any longer. I put Zoe in the Snugli (thanks to Shannon for letting me use it) and off we went. I forgot to bring a hat for her though so we didn't stay out long. She loved being outdoors though and it helped calm her down. Then Paul was able to come home early today so we went back out for another walk in the park (with a hat this time). Here is my first attempt at self-portraits.

Update on Zoe

2007-01-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

We took Zoe to the doctor today for a follow-up on how she was doing since the food allergy was diagnosed. We saw her regular pediatrician today and she was very encouraging. The bloodwork tested positive for allergens, but the only way to be sure which food is to eliminate foods from my diet. Dairy is the most common one so we are starting there. Also, I had stopped drinking milk because I knew it bothered Zoe, but I didn't realize it was an allergy--I assumed it affected her like cabbage or broccoli. I don't have to be too careful about eating foods that may have possibly been exposed to milk like deli meats sliced on the same slicer as cheese. I can't eat foods with dairy products in them, so I still have to read labels since some preservatives and flavorings are milk-based. We discussed with the doctor about formula-feeding, but she feels that since Zoe is thriving on breast milk we should not stop. We are going to evaluate at her four month check-up and determine if I should continue eliminating dairy products. We will probably introduce Zoe to dairy in her diet at about 10 months. There is a possibility she could have a milk protein allergy for life as well as other food allergies, but since there is no family history the doctor thinks she will outgrow it. I decided it would be best to learn to eat like this now since I will have to watch what Zoe eats for a few months anyway (no mashed potatoes, etc). At first it seemed a bit daunting, but I have been doing research over the weekend and there are lots of foods to eat. I just can't have any good stuff like chocolate chip cookies, chocolate, ice cream, or pizza, etc.
The doctor mentioned today that Zoe is above average in some of her developmental milestones and another reason why she thought we should continue breast feeding. I guess that is why she is constantly trying to sit up. I finally put her in a walker (not recommended by the doctor when she can reach the floor) and it made a world of difference. She absolutely loves sitting in it when I am working in the kitchen, etc. and loves the toys and music. I was amazed at how she learned to spin the little ball around on it. I couldn't resist this picture though when she fell asleep in it. Every once in a while she would sort of wake up and halfway spin the little ball, then go right back to sleep.

Eating Kosher??

2007-01-05T16:11:00.000-05:00

We had to take Zoe to the pediatrician today since I found blood in her diaper yesterday. I've had trouble feeding her sometimes--she just screams and cries--and often acts like her tummy hurts. At first I attributed it to reflux, but that is doing a lot better and we were able to stop her medication. I also thought it may be due to an oversupply of milk that was causing her to be so fussy and not eat well. However based on the bloodwork they did today, the doctor now thinks Zoe's symptoms are from a milk protein allergy. I can do one of two things--start her on soy-based formula or cut out all dairy products. At first it seemed fairly simple--no cheese, milk, yogurt, butter, etc. But I started reading the diet they gave me and its amazing how many products have milk or have been manufactured in plants that make other products with milk. Even the slicer in the grocery store deli needs to be cleaned from slicing cheese before slicing meat. One of the items the diet mentioned looking for is pareve foods. They generally have not been exposed to milk during processing. It occurred to me that if I start using some of the Kosher cooking methods, I will have more access to recipes already designed to eliminate dairy products since meat and dairy are not mixed in the same meal. I am wondering if any of you have had this problem with a child and what choices you made for feeding them. I'd love to hear your ideas or suggestions. Its a relief to finally know what is causing the upset tummy and feeding issues.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

Each year I pause to reminsce over the previous year and contemplate what the new year may bring. There were many new experiences and challenges for us last year. Some were very good (like the birth of Zoe) and others were totally unanticipated (like a job loss). Through every thing that happened though God's hand has been guiding us. While we don't know what will happen this year, it is exciting to know God does and He will be with us. May God bless each of you richly in 2007! Happy New Year!

Zoe's First Christmas

2006-12-31T23:01:00.000-05:00

3 Months Old

2006-12-24T07:26:00.000-05:00

3 months old and growing...

2006-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Its hard to believe that Zoe is 3 months old today. It doesn't seem that long ago that we brought this tiny baby home from the hospital. And now she has developed into this baby that has definitely been showing her personality lately--from playing with toys and talking to them to vocal screams to let you know she wants or needs something. Watching her sleep, playing with her and getting her to "talk", and taking care of her when she cries all evening have all been some of the most enjoyable times. She truly is a 'bundle of joy' and our life has been so enriched by having her. She is a wonderful blessing and we're very thankful to God for giving her to us!

Christmas Thoughts

2006-12-19T12:13:00.000-05:00

Zoe and I have been out shopping for Christmas and being on a tighter budget this year has helped me put my focus more on what the season is about. I suppose I've been thinking about it more since Paul has never been as thrilled about the Christmas season as I am and we were discussing it recently in conjunction with my job loss. One of the reasons Paul does not like Christmas is because when he was a kid budgets were often over-extended and it caused lots of arguments. In our discussion, he mentioned the pressure of having to have the perfect gifts and decorations can put a lot of strain on finances and families and I began to think about what Christmas really means and what we want to teach Zoe.
Christmas to me is first and foremost about Jesus' birth. I have thought more about what Mary went through since we have Zoe. Traveling on a donkey while being pregnant and not knowing where she would live or have the baby would be very stressful. I know all the preparation we put into finding a doctor and a hospital and getting the nursery ready. Also, Mary was probably very young and did not have any family to help her. One of the exciting things when Zoe was born was showing her off to her grandparents. And their help after her birth was tremendous. I have to think of Joseph as well. He did not plan to have a child under these circumstances. He had to find a place to live and a job to provide financially for them. He also had the stress of traveling to Bethlehem at what seemed to be a most inopportune time with a baby due at any moment. Their willingness to accept these circumstances (and we don't read about any complaining) is a real testimony to me. I suppose what stands out the most to me is that everyone we read about involved in the Christmas story was obedient to God and accepted the circumstances even though it could seem an inconvenience to what they wanted to do with their lives. The shepherds left their flocks and the wisemen traveled to Bethlehem. It challenges me to willingly accept circumstances I can't change, be obedient where I can change, and to trust God knowing there are no surprises with Him.
The other thing that stands out to me at Christmas is the time we spend with family & friends. We had an extended family gathering on Saturday (which we now only do at Christmas) and its a great way to catch up on all the cousins and their kids. It was more interesting this year because we have Zoe. The Holiday season gives us a chance to spend time with each other since we usually have less work obligations this time of year.
What I hope we can teach Zoe is that Christmas is not about the tree, decorations, or gifts. While I love all of these things and believe that traditions are important, I want to emphasize to Zoe that these activities are important because we are spending time as a family and this is a time for focusing on the birth of Jesus. I don't want the shopping and decorations to cause irritation and stress in our family because we have too much to do for the Holiday season. Instead I want it to promote family togetherness. Christmas should be about the birth of our Savior first and I want our family time and traditions to emphasize this. I just finished reading the first 5 books of the OT recently and was impressed by how often the Israelites were instructed to teach their children what God had done. They also had holidays and monuments established as reminders. That is how I want to use the Christmas holiday. Yes, it is a time of family and fun, but it has a deeper meaning--the birth of Jesus. I am looking for ideas so if any of you have suggestions or family traditions, I would love to hear them. And Zoe and I have started one family tradition together--going shopping! I did not get any pictures, but on our excursion to the mall she could not get enough of all the hustle and bustle. Christmas is a lot more exciting this year with Zoe and I am looking forward to the day when she will be old enough to know what is happening! We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Inaugural Post

2006-12-09T18:19:00.000-05:00

I never anticipated blogging, but somehow having a child changes things. Zoe Grace Ingram was born on September 23, 2006, and I now can't imagine life without her. I was also planning to go back to work after she was born, but that didn't work out. It appears that God may be opening the doors for me to stay home with her, something I prayed for since I knew she would arrive (but that's another story) . It just reminds me how all things work together for good to those who love God. As of last week, I received an offer to do part-time bookkeeping from home for a new business. While this blog will mostly be about Zoe, it will also chronicle what God has been teaching me this past year. It seems that God has been teaching me lots of lessons on trust and a lot of those have involved Zoe in some way. These are lessons I hope to pass on to her as well.

Just Arrived!