resolutions

Well, it's that time again.  Every year I make one or more resolutions...and by the end of January I can't remember them.  So does that mean I'm a failure?  Probably.

So here I go again.  Maybe because they are documented someone will hold me accountable.  But wait...isn't the point of these resolutions that I hold myself accountable?  hhmmmm.

I'll start small.

1. Take a shower every day.

2. Do yoga at least 3 times a week.

3. Work back up to running (I quit somewhere around 28 weeks and walked exclusively...and now that it is winter, walking outside with a baby doesn't seem like a great idea....any suggestions?)  Plus, I went for a run with Matt over our Christmas trip (thanks to my aunt and cousins for watching Graham!)...and lets just say that I was maybe 1/3 successful at running our route.  But can I have a break...I haven't run for about 6 months!

4. Try and keep my "problem areas" under control.  I have a "paper pile" problem on 2 main surfaces in our house....it drives Matt crazy, so I'll try and be better about keeping them clean!

5. Should I really try and have 5 of these?  Well, if I can...try to cook one "new" meal a week.  Wait, that's a big one...maybe 3 new meals a month.  Matt will appreciate this one :)

Feel free to ask me about these....I tend to give up easily.

Christmas and travels

Well, Christmas has now come and gone....and all I did was blink.  We had a wonderful holiday celebrating with our families.  Matt, Graham and I spent the night Christmas Eve at my parent's house.  We did this for two reasons.  One: I think it's fun to wake up on Christmas with family and I've always enjoyed Christmas Eve night with my family watching movies and wrapping presents.  And two:  if we spent the night, then Matt wouldn't have to wake up *quite* as early to get out to my parent's house.  See, Matt HATES waking up.  And my brothers can only wait so long for us!  So, we went to our church's evening service and then ate soup and popcorn and watched "White Christmas" with my fam.  My brothers were so funny...as soon as dinner was finished, they said "well, off to bed...want to get this night over with and on to tomorrow".  It was 8:30.  So they went to bed and we watched the movie...good times.  We had fun Christmas morning sharing presents and laughs and all enjoyed little Graham.  I don't pretend that he enjoyed his "first christmas"...if anything, he got tired of me propping him places and taking his picture, haha!  But I'm sure deep down he loved it.  We then went over to Matt's parent's house and spent Christmas afternoon and evening with them and some other dear friends of theirs.  Graham got some awesome high-top Converses to match his uncle Jon (in a year or so) and an adorable onesie with a turtle on it from uncle B (for him to wear when they go to the Turtle Park near his apartment).  Graham loves his bath time, but no one usually gets to see it because we're at home...but we brought bath time with us...and he performed quite nice for Nana, Granddaddy, uncle B and uncle Jon.  Overall, we had a wonderful Christmas with our family.  We are blessed that everyone lives so close!

We then packed up all of our stuff (which is QUITE a lot now that Graham is with us) and drove 11 hours to south Alabama to see my mom's side of the family.  Graham did GREAT in the car (considering he's only almost 3 months old).  He did so much sleeping though that when we got there and laid him on the floor next to my cousin's little girl (beautiful little Mackenzie is 3 weeks older than him), he went crazy!  He cooed and shrieked constantly and his arms and legs resembled a hummingbird.  He did this for like 30 minutes straight....then as soon as I picked him up, he was out.  Poor little guy.

The four days included many family gatherings, some old friends, a day at the farm, and many pictures.  We were bummed not to be able to get to the other side of Alabama to visit my dad's side of the family...we miss them but Graham could only handle so much car seat time.  Hopefully we can get down there soon though!  I'll be posting the pics soon...I'm too overwhelmed to do it at this moment.

On the way home, we stopped to spend New Year's Eve with one of my best college friends, her husband, and her baby bump.  We were also able to see one of my other college friends, her husband and her baby bump while we were down there.  It's so much fun to think that all three of them will be in the same grade in school (and obviously they'll all be best buddies even though we don't live close, haha!)  I miss my college friends terribly and treasure the short visits we are able to work in!

Now, we are home.  And to reward Graham for being such a good sport with our travels...he got a shot yesterday.  Gosh, the good times just keep coming.

As we begin 2009, we are so thankful for the time with family and friends that ended 2008, but have so much to look forward to this year.  Little Graham is such a blessing each day and we know he will continue to grow and bless our lives daily.  With growing, we know our lives will be stretched and there will be pain and trials.  We are thankful for Christ our Foundation and our Rock.  We pray that through the times ahead, knowing that not every day will be easy, we will lean on Him and not on ourselves.  That He will reign Sovereign in our lives this year.  Yay for a new year!

the season

This Christmas has come rather quickly.  So much has been going on with Graham coming....many many friends....planning our trip out of town....it's easy to get caught up with all of the hustle and bustle and not really reflect.

And so I reflect now.

I love Christmas.  I love giving gifts to those that I love.  Not just the actual giving, but the build up....plotting what they might enjoy, searching high and low for it...then seeing their face when they open it.  It's so much fun that I start begging Matt if we can do our Christmas early around mid-December.  Yes, I'm a nerd.  

Anyway, there is so much more to this part of the year...like celebrating the birth of Jesus.  What an amazing event!  After just having a baby myself, I can now relate to Mary's position and the events of the night in a totally different way.  To think that little Graham entered this world just like our Savior is truly amazing.  I see how the feelings of Peace and Joy apply to this time of year more than ever.  Peace in this eternal gift.  And Joy in our Redeemer.  Because Jesus came, and lived the perfect life we could not....we will see Glory.  Joy can't even describe the emotion that evokes in me.  I fail everyday.  Not for any  minutes in the day do I deserve that Glory...but it's mine because of Him...and there is nothing I can do to lose it.  What peace.

But this year has been a little different.  I mean, it's always easy to get caught up in all of the gift giving, the Christmas cards, the family time...but this year has a slight shadow.  Jesus came, to save us, to redeem this fallen world...but that doesn't mean that there will not be pain or sadness.  And this year there is reason for sadness.  But I'm so glad that there is more than the gifts, the surprises, the family....because those things will fail.  Praise the Lord for the perfect gift of His Son.  May I be reminded of the eternal Peace and immeasurable Joy that is mine in Him!

an update from the doctor

So, sorry it took me so long to update after the doctor's visit....a little holiday planning got in my way!

Graham was such a stud during his shot!  He let out a huge wail (but who wouldn't if you were pricked by surprise, right?)...but then went right back to eating.  I was able to be feeding him when they did it so that he might not freak out as much.  Anyway, he is right where he should be developmentally...and he's continuing to grow just right!  He is now 10 lbs. 4 oz and 22 in. long.  His head is 15 in around (it had a growth spurt).  He is consistently in the 10-11 percentile with his weight and length.  We love our little peanut!

He is just talking (cooing) and smiling more and more each day.....could I love him any more than I do now?

milestones

10 weeks.  That's right, Graham will be 10 weeks on Wednesday.  

Some milestones he's enjoyed these last 2 weeks (since his latest little growth spurt) are:

1. LOVES his hands.  He clasps them together as well as moves them in front of his face.  I know, seems small, but when all I do is look for new things he's doing....this is huge!

2. Bubbles.  He blows little spit bubbles all the time!  Oh, and his tongue.  He must have just discovered it because it's constantly moving in and out...really cute!  He's also talking and making new sounds every day.  He is even making really loud ones as he's learning to use and control his vocal cords.  The morning is his favorite time to talk and I just love spending that time with him right after he wakes up.  We usually spend at least 10 minutes just smiling and talking to each other.  It's times like these that I'll only get to do this once with him!

3. His vision is greatly improving.  He can follow me across the room, and turns to interesting sounds.  Loud and high.  Those are the kinds of sounds that really get his attention.

4. The other night, Matt decided to sit him on his lap and let him face out.  Big hit.  BIG.  Apparently with his improved vision and hearing....facing out gives him more opportunity to see what's going on around him.

5. He can focus and has reached or batted at his little toys that hang in front of him on the bouncy seat.  It's so funny to see him go cross eyed and be so intently focused on a little turtle or something...and then to ever so slowly try and touch it.  His depth perception isn't quite there yet, so he usually misses...but he's trying! 

6. We left him alone.  Ok, not really alone, but not with us.  Matt and I each had our work Christmas parties this past weekend, and so we had to leave little Graham for the first time.  Obviously a little apprehensive about how my little screamer would do....we were thrilled to hear that he behaved himself quite nicely for our dear friends who let us dump him on them at the last minute and for my mom the second night.  (Thank you Foxes and momma!)  This was the first time for him to use a bottle and he didn't have any problems and apparently never really "lost" his temper.  Maybe he doesn't really need Matt and me after all?  Just kidding.  I'm excited that he was so good for them...and that at the end of the day, I'm still his mommy and he can't eat without me!  Matt and I had a great time, but of course, mostly talked about the little cub.

7. Tomorrow is his 2 month doctor appointment.  Yep.  Time for the dreaded immunizations.  We're spreading them out so as not to overload his little system...so he's only getting one prick tomorrow....but it's still a shot.  He's probably going to be a bear afterwards...and I'll probably be a mess.  Thankfully, my sister is going to go with us in case I need some emotional support (and someone to ride in the back seat, thanks Laura.)

Next post.... immunization update.

well said.

"I'm sorry, I was busy picking my boogers instead of choosing my words"

 

This is what actually came.out.of.my.mouth yesterday on the way to church when Matt was trying to have a conversation with me and I wasn't so much carrying my side.  Wow.  Somehow I put that sentence together just fine.

 

**note: I was picking with a tissue, NOT my finger.  Gross.

boring

This is how I would describe my cooking lately.  I don't know what happened!  Wait, yes I do.  In a word: Graham.  I mean, my cooking time is limited to like an hour MAX when he's asleep sometime late in the afternoon - for me to find what I want to cook, locate ingredients, prep, cook, and have basically ready to eat for when Matt gets home.  Lets just say that that's not so much happening these days (so sorry Matt!)  What have I been cooking (from scratch that is...I've found some pretty cool pre-cooked things at Trader Joes, but those don't count - we can't eat them every day)?  Well, Chicken Noodle Soup and Chili come to mind.  Probably like 3 times each.  So yes....lots and lots of soup.  Oh, and eggs.  We also eat eggs like twice a week.  Love me some breakfast for dinner!  I think some of my anxiety has been because of what foods I've been avoiding for Graham.....so no onions, peppers, super spicy, and dairy.  That seriously limits my skills.  Any suggestions?  Matt will probably be very grateful.