Life Under a Palm Tree

Blog Changes

2009-08-12T13:25:00.001-07:00

With a new baby coming, I'll be morphing this Blog into one that is about the whole family so I don't have to worry about falling behind on two blogs. Changes coming soon...

Bug Peanut Butter

2009-07-17T05:03:00.000-07:00

So, this morning I asked Reid what we should have for breakfast. Bagels, pancakes, cereal? He said we could have peanut butter, banana and strawberry. I asked if we were having it on bread. He told me "no, with this" and pointed to the blender. Aha! A smoothie-I clue in.
I got all of the ingredients out and started to blend up a smoothie. Only to have Reid remind me that I left out the peanut butter. Hesitantly, I grab the peanut butter from the cabinet. Reid then inspects the container and tells me I have the wrong one. He asks for the "bug peanut butter." What? Bug Peanut Butter? He's looking for a bug on the container. It is first thing in the morning, so it takes me a minute to realize he's talking about HONEY!

Bug Peanut Butter=Honey

It was a delicious breakfast smoothie!

Reid is 3!

2009-07-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe but Reid turned 3 in June! We had an awesome party in the backyard with several of his friends. We tried to start and end early (before the heat) but to no avail. The party started at 10 and by 10:30 it was 90+ degrees outside. Such is the life of a June Birthday Boy. Fortunately, the rain stopped long enough to dry out the yard.

The birthday preparations started the week before when we bought and erected a monsterous playset. Poppy and Donnie spent all Saturday and some of Sunday building the most awesome and complex contraption. They were very proud of their accomplishment.
Invitations were sent for a Backyard Bug Bash. There was a crowd that came out for the party.

The kiddies all broke in the new playset as well as the jump castle.

As an added treat, we had a bug hunt in the neighbor's back yard. Uncle Shane hid nearly 100 gnarly looking plastic bugs in the yard and trees next door. Each kid had a bug box to collect their bugs. Poppy even collected a few Japanese Beetles and put them in some of the boxes as an added souvenier.
With the help of Uncle Shane and Nanny, we made some pretty buggy cupcakes and snacks for the kids. There were spider, caterpillar, butterfly, and worm cupcakes along with rice crispy bugs. So much fun and definitely worth the work. In all it was a lot of fun for Reid and his friends.Who knows what next year will bring. I suspect we'll try something inside so that we can stay cool and the treats don't melt!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-27T10:25:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all!

The fall flew by so fast that January snuck up on me and I realized that there is so much to catch up on. There are several posts to come that will catch you up on a few fun things we did over the past quarter.

For this one I'll share with you a few details from Christmas. We spent Christmas at home this year. My mom and dad celebrated the holiday with us.

We started Christmas Eve off with a trip to Folly Beach. The weather was beautiful and a perfect morning to play on the beach.

That afternoon, we made a birthday cake for Jesus. Reid enjoyed de-icing the cake as I turned the cake plate. Either way, Reid loves birthdays and loves to sing Happy Birthday to You. So, the cake was a perfect fit for him to celebrate Christmas as Jesus Birthday. That will be a tradition we will keep.

We worshipped at Old Fort Baptist church on Christmas Eve. My dad sang in the choir and the service was beautiful. Reid did a great job during the service. He rarely gets to participate in a regular church service so this was a big deal for him. He was seemingly kept busy by a sheet of stickers, a pencil and pad of paper, but much to my surprise, his ear was tuned into the service. As if on queue he echoed a hearty "Amen" each time a prayer was said. So, all of those prayers we've been saying with him are paying off. If he only learns two words in this world I hope they are AMEN and HALELUIAH. That way, he'll be able to talk to any saint when he gets to heaven!

After the service at Old Fort we went to the Christmas Ever service at our home church, Northbridge. There we had a beautiful candle lit service and heard the poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" in Gullah. Here are a few pics of the gathered children.

Christmas Day was a great time. Reid enjoyed opening the packages and spending the day with his Nanny and Poppy.

Check back for the stories and pictures from our trip to Virginia.

Family Beach Week

2008-09-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

7 days, 1 house, 11 people, memories too many to count.

Isabella, Anthony, Reid, Mia and Joe got their jitterbugs out the night before we left.

Reid was less than happy to pose for this picture. Bella and Reid discuss the waves of the day!
Aunt Kate, while at the Acquarium, picked up two styrofoam swords for Joe and Reid. It took Reid all of three minutes to disassemble his sword making it less of a toy and more of a weapon.

Busy Summer Months

2008-07-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it is the middle of July already. We must have missed Memorial Day and thereby missed the kick off to summer. Plus we get bogged down in the everyday-ness of life. It's another hot (90 degree) day with thunderstorms in the afternoon. So if the weather is often the same what is there to differentiate the days/weeks/months.

June was birthday month at our house. Reid turned 2 and then Anthony turned 16. Both are milestone birthdays and evidence that our boys are rapidly growing up. Anthony is learning to drive while Reid is learning to potty train. Anthony is looking forward to college and Reid is ready for his next play date. Both are eerily similar in their ambitions and both LOVE cars!

Here are a few photos from their respective birthday celebrations.

We celebrated with family and friends at Brittlebank Park in Charleston, SC. It was another 90 degree day so we were thankful for the breeze off the water. Cheree and Ellie are standing behind Donnie and Reid.

Anthony is modeling his dad's wetsuit jacket and ridiculous sunglasses from the 80's. If only the girls in PA could see him now! The family all met up in Virginia to celebrate Anthony's birthday. I'll have to include another post with the details of the trip. The pictures and details are can't miss.

The rest of the summer will be spent with family and friends with beach excursions and church activities. I am sure the fall will be here before we know it so I'm going to start savoring the days be they hot and rainy or mild and dry. Each day is a gift from God.

Blessing of the Fleet

2008-05-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

We attended the Blessing of the Fleet this month. The festival was held at Alhambra Hall in Mount Pleasant. There was plenty of seafood, lots of sun, and tons of people. Mom and Dad Benson packed a huge picnic lunch. Reid played in the playground and we watched as they prayed over each vessel in the Shrimp Boat Fleet.

Happy Easter

2008-05-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter Sunday with the Benson family. Shane and Mandy came in town for the weekend so we were able to enjoy some time with them. Mom and Dad hosted Easter dinner and an egg hunt in their backyard. Our dear friend Quentin also joined us for dinner. Reid was wise to the plastic eggs. He learned that there were surprises inside so we began to shake the eggs before he would add them to his bucket.

Mom and Dad's neighbors Grayson and Noah joined in the hunt.

Visit to Middleton Place

2008-05-16T19:38:00.001-07:00

Recently we had a lunch date with Nanny and Poppy. We met at Middleton Place for a tour of the grounds and then a picinic lunch. Nanny's friend Marilyn gave us a private tour of the plantation. The place it beautiful. It's ironic that we drive past this place weekly without a clue of how incredible it is just beyond the treeline. Reid enjoyed the new baby lamb, the peacocks and the cows. He also made fast friends with another family with four boys. After exchanging pleasantries, he quickly ate all of their grapes! The mother was most gracious and happy to share. Here he is with Nanny and Poppy.

Big Brother Anthony

2008-05-16T19:24:00.001-07:00

Anthony came for Spring Break. When he wasn't texting 25 people at the same time or playing video games, he had a chance to play with Reid. He even found time to color eggs for Easter and to go on a play date with us! He's a great "big brother." Reid calls him "Nini" and loves to play with his cell phone. He doesn't understand why he sleeps so much but he enjoys waking him up when he snoozes on the couch.

Heading down the giant slide at Wanamaker Park.Hiding out in the red hut.
Playing with dad. What a trio!
We look forward to seeing him again in June and then he'll be back for the summer.

Quick Updates

2008-05-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last blogged. In the past few months we have welcomed Spring and are ready for Summer. Here are several photos of our goings on for the past several weeks.

Here are my two boys rockin' out on Guitar Hero.

Nonna and Pappaw came in town for a brief visit. Reid always has a great time with them, whether playing with bubbles or reading books.

We've been to the soccer fields to kick the ball around.

Then we had a special visit from Aunt Bev and Uncle Neil.
And in between all that we've just been hanging around.

Is it ever too cold for a popsicle?

2008-02-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

It's a high of 49 degrees today and I'm wondering if its ever too cold to enjoy a Popsicle. Apparently not for my toddler who is working hard to cut some more teeth. He woke up from his nap this afternoon simply beside himself. This behavior hardly characterizes my son. So, that and the fact that he is holding his mouth with both hands led me to bust out the Popsicles.

My mom recommended it and was gracious enough to bring over a box. Much to my surprise they weren't nearly as messy as I had anticipated. But it's not exactly hot in the house either. They were a hit, however and we finished off two (berry and orange) in very short order.

The remaining box is safely relegated to the top shelf of the freezer; safe from the probability of little hands finding them. Safe from the probability but not the Possibility. I wouldn't put it past Reid to spot them and then manage to climb his way to the top of the freezer!

Keep and eye out for the future posting "Determination: He's conquered the Freezer." In the mean time I'll keep an eye on the step stools and other stationary objects.

One more step in the Baby Proofing Saga

2008-02-25T17:55:00.000-08:00

In previous blogs I have shared how the baby-proofing of our house is a gradual progression. In an effort to continue the process and warn other mothers with herculean children, I share the following.

Reid, from early on, has been able to muscle his way into things. When something (large or small) was in his way, he would just put his back into it and move it out of the way. He moves his pack-n-play, the dining room chairs, the bench in the foyer, the dog, etc. It also didn't take him long to learn where the Milk was kept. So, he took to opening the refrigerator door and pulling the milk gallon jug from the door. Thinking on our feet, as we usually are forced to do, we secured the refrigerator doors with a "C" shaped latch from one of those child safety companies.

Luckily the latch worked. He could pull and pull and only move the door a tad; not enough to break the seal. Score one point for the parents! The victory was all too brief for my liking. Because Reid soon learned that other items are stored in the refrigerator, like fruit and yogurt. Apparently, these items are too tempting for him to resist because he pulled and pulled on the door until the latch broke. The same latch that successfully kept me out of the frig, was out maneuvered by my 20 month old son.

What's next, the car seat belt?

Another One Bites the Dust

2008-02-07T16:13:00.000-08:00

I am rapidly realizing that the concept of "baby-proofing" your house is a progression. When Reid started to crawl, we protected the outlets, locked the cabinets and removed the breakables from his reach. Then he started to walk, so we got a gate for the stairs and padded the sharp corners in the house. Short of riding a bike, he can't get more mobile. Yet, I am learning there is another step in the progression. It's called dexterity.

In the last 2 weeks Reid has mastered opening the interior doors of the house. So, whatever mess I was working on in the bedroom or laundry room that was previously protected by a door is now fair game. Forget the potential messes, there are toilets and toilet paper rolls behind closed doors. Well, they were behind closed doors. For the time being we have resorted to locking the doors from the inside which works for keeping Reid out of the bathrooms, but stinks when you've waited too long to relieve your bladder!

Another recent acquisition is the ability to CLIMB. Now, he has been a pro at the stairs since he could crawl. He still crawls up and down the stairs. But he has learned to climb up on the kitchen chairs. The chairs are not the standard height. No, no, the seats are a whopping 24 inches off the floor. He perches himself right up on top of the chair. Which makes anything on the (previously safe) kitchen table fair game.

Finally, this morning Donnie and I found Reid sitting on our bed. Not a big deal, except the bed is where we used to put the drawers to the bed side tables in an effort to keep our boy from perusing through the contents while we got ready for work. Those drawers are now empty and I am wondering what is the purpose of an empty drawer.

Seriously, there are not a whole lot more places we can put things to keep them out of his reach.

Under the Sea

2008-01-21T08:55:00.001-08:00

"Darling, it's better down where it's wetter. Under the Sea." --Sebastian, The Little Mermaid

Donnie had the day off today so we took advantage and spent the morning out. We all went to the South Carolina Aquarium to check out the fish. It hadn't exactly warmed up so we were a bit chilly running from the parking garage to the aquarium in 33 degree weather! Yikes! We should have worn gloves.

Reid is almost old enough to enjoy the sights and sounds of the aquarium. Almost. Of course, when he is old enough he will no longer be able to enter for free. We checked out the giant ocean aquarium with all the sharks and sea turtles. We also watched them feed the otters. The otter exhibit is outside so we were sufficiently chilled before it was all done. Reid was also intrigued by the guys in the fish tanks swimming around with the fish; cleaning the tank.

Here are a few shots from our visit today.

The Comforts of Home

2008-01-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Reid is growing like crazy and is determined to give me a heart attack before he is 2. He is extremely agile; climbing up on furniture, shelves, stairs and anything else that holds still long enough. He is capable of climbing up on the couch and ottoman but prefers to flip the ottoman over for a less comfortable seat.

We recently visited the Children's Museum of the Low Country which is less like a museum and more like an indoor, educational playground. They have different areas for the kiddies to play in. Reid enjoyed the water room the most. Thank goodness I brought an extra shirt for him. If not, he would have come home cold and wet.

I believe him to be part fish so it was no surprise how he took to a room filled with running water, boats and smocks. The only thing missing were the wellies.

Trouble Concentrating

2008-01-19T17:03:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to write a blog for the last several nights but there is this crazy phenomena that has arrived at our house since the first of the year. It is called Guitar Hero. Donnie spent a weekend with Anthony this month where he was exposed to the ridiculously addictive quality of a video game. Upon returning from his visit, Donnie promptly purchased the game so that we could have our very own copy.

Nearly every night since then we have been spending quality time after Reid is in bed with a plastic guitar and and animated band trying to not get booed off the stage. While I firmly believe that a working knowledge of Hard Rock Music is a must in order to play this game, I have found it possible to survive relying only on your eye-hand coordination.

For now, I am trying my best to keep up. I am in the middle of the MEDIUM level where the songs are at half the speed of light and you only have to play 4 different notes and sometimes two note chords. Since hard rock music is not my forte, I will be patiently awaiting the release of Guitar Hero, Legends of Easy Listening.

Ciao for now.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T17:50:00.000-08:00

Once the gift wrapping is cleaned up and those last dinner dishes have been washed, I pray you'll take a moment to thank God for sending His son Jesus to be with us so that we could be with Him.

Merry Christmas!

We Got Elfed

2007-12-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

We elfed ourselves this Christmas.
Click on the link below to see it.
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1133754042

Then Donnie went out to jibjab.com and got Zeek in on the action too!
http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/view/ymxkk8nsrV3XYwVuCiQ4LbKl

Reindeer Ransom

2007-12-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

Following the strict guideline of Christmas Tree decoration I mentioned yesterday, there was a single present under our tree. The emphasis, in case you missed it, is on the WAS. Reid has successfully found and opened said present. He only took, of course, a corner of the wrapping paper, to chew on and left the gift on the kitchen floor. The score is Reid 2, Christmas Tree -2. Despite constant encouragement to not touch the Christmas Tree, Reid finds it simply irresistible and has begun his own ornament collection: the ornaments in need of repair. Super Glue, anyone?

The jury is still out, but I suspect that ALL other gifts will be delivered promptly before opening on Christmas morning. That is, of course, if the hostage reindeer is returned safely in time for Christmas.

Bed Head

2007-12-06T11:04:00.001-08:00

Wow! It's too bad I already had the pictures printed up for our Christmas cards this year. This one with my brother is definitely a runner up.

Maybe next year Bro.

It's No Secret

2007-12-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. My husband is often annoyed at my glee over decorating the house and dusting off the Christmas CDs. He eventually catches on but it usually takes a week or two of my singing around the house with twinkle lights flashing.

Having a little one in your life offers you so many opportunities to share the wisdom you have been blessed with as well as all the things you love. I can tell already that Reid is going to love Christmas. He gets so excited when we plug in the tree and garland lights. I imagine that he'll enjoy even more unwrapping the gifts on Christmas morning.

Thinking of all the things I want to share with my son brings up a mixture of emotions. There are many family traditions that I enjoyed as a child that I would love for Reid to know. Here are a few:

The 12 days of Christmas--Every Christmas Eve my extended family would all gather at my grandparent's house for Christmas dinner. After dinner, we would all corral in the living room to sing the 12 Days of Christmas. We would often pair up to sing each day of the song. When I say "sing" I do mean "SING." But there was more. Each day was also acted out, if you will. My aunt would always sing 6 geese a laying while waddling across the room. My cousins who were no less than 6 feet tall would leap across the room for 11 lords a leaping. There were ladies dancing, maid milking, drummers drumming, etc. It was always a treat to be in fellowship with family where you didn't care if you made a fool of yourself because they'd love you anyway.

A Baker's Dozen--My mom was infamous for transforming our kitchen into a Christmas Bake Shop. She always took the time and effort to make sugar cookies (before you could buy them pre-made), rum balls, raisin cookies candy mints, fudge and kiflis. I never enjoyed the raisin cookies but everyone else seemed to adore them. The kiflis were a couple days task in themselves. The recipe calls for a dozen eggs, a pound of butter, enough powdered sugar to cover a car and a mountain of walnuts. You make the dough a day before hand and let it set overnight; which is good, because you need that time to grind the walnuts and separate the eggs! If I recall correctly, she retired more than one mixer as a result of making kiflis. The end product was delicious and too numerous to count; which is good because they were like Lays potato chips, you can't eat just one!

Give the Gift of Goodies--As a result of all the baking we would do with my mom, we would often make up tins of goodies to give as gifts. Lined with tissue paper and packaged nicely, the cookie tins were gratefully accepted. How could they not? There was more effort in a single cookie tin than in shopping for a tree skirt full of presents. My brother, this year, has asked for goodies for Christmas. So, Reid and I will be baking up some cookies to send to Florida.

Tree Protocol--When it comes to decorating the Christmas tree there is only one rule to follow. You must never put up your Christmas tree without a present to go underneath it.

These were just a few of the traditions I had as a child. Mix those with the traditions from Donnie's lifetime and the ones we'll create in our family and Reid will have a rockin' good Christmas season. Regardless of the activities surrounding the Christmas holiday, I pray that Reid will always know the Reason for the Season. Christ in his life will be the greatest gift and will give the most meaning to the Christmas holiday.

Reunited

2007-11-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

My grandmother died Wednesday November 7. She was 74 years old. While the last 7 years were spent in a cloudy haze of loneliness, her life up to that point had been remarkably full. She married my grandfather when she was 17. She had four kids, ten grandkids and 18 great grandkids.

Our family made the trip to Northern Indiana for her funeral activities. We were able to spend time with my parents, brother and sister-in-law. We visited with cousins, aunts and uncles. And then there were the friends.

I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that came from our family friends and members of my grandmother's church. I grew up with many of the people in her church, so it was great to see them all again and to introduce them to my family. But there were many people I did not know. They were the ones who blessed me the most.

The church hosted the viewings, funeral and a dinner following the burial. I wonder if those precious people who brought in pies and salads and side dishes know how much they blessed my family. The dinner was a last supper of sorts for the family. Many of the cousins live everywhere but Indiana. We are spread out to Florida, Virginia, South Carolina and Hawaii. Following the funeral we were all headed back to our respective homes and back to the lives God has blessed us with. So, as we enjoyed a brief meal together it was nice to enjoy the sounds of familiar voices and laughter that may not soon ring in our ears. My prayer is that it won't be years before we meet again.

Before we all parted and headed for home we gathered as a family for some pictures. Here is the whole brood minus a handful who couldn't make it.

Here's the original four. From left to right: Robyn, Danny, Steve & Randy.

Here's the grandchildren. First Row: Michael, Jamie, Sarah, Ericka, Danny. Second Row: Chad, Katie, John, Shane, Lee.

I pray that each one would be comforted during this time of loss by knowing that Grandma and Grandpa are reunited with one another and with their one true love, Jesus Christ.

Going It Alone

2007-11-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

This weekend Reid and I are home alone. Donnie is in PA for the weekend to be with Anthony; who has a big lacrosse tournament this weekend. Donnie's parents are also heading up for the weekend. They should have a great time if they don't freeze! Donnie always goes into thermal shock when he heads to PA in the winter.

Reid and I have enjoyed the mild weather so far. He recently dropped his morning nap. This change, while mildly traumatic for me, has been great. I knew it was coming, but I hoped it would wait a little while longer. The morning and afternoon nap schedule gave me 4 free hours to get stuff done. Now, I have to either get the work done faster or cut some of the tasks out.

The great thing is that our mornings are wide open now. We can head out of the house right after breakfast if necessary and not be back until lunchtime. On those days where we have nowhere to be in the morning we usually hang out at the house, wait for weather to warm up and then head outside on the bike or in the wagon.

Today was the first time Reid actually wanted to play outside in the backyard. On previous attempts he would check out the grass and maybe a leaf or two and then head back in the house. Today, however, he was running all over the place and was collecting all the leaves he could. He was secretly snacking on one or two when I couldn't get there fast enough. When we came back in to get ready for dinner, he wanted his jacket back on and was hanging out at the back door.
He's talking so much these days. It seems he learns something new everyday and gets better at what he learned the day before. He recently started saying "shoes" which from him sounds like "soos." Given his new affection for the outdoors, he is often finding his jacket and soos, bringing them to me and asking "pees" to go outside.

I am thankful for the time I have with Reid. He is growing so fast and I'd hate to have missed any of this.

Mi Na Mi Na

2007-10-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend we tried out a new movie for Reid. Given that he generally likes ones with colorful, preferably animated characters who sing, we are limited in our selections. Full length animated features are lost on him but we thought the Muppets would be a good bet. They are colorful and there is lots of music and singing. Besides, who doesn't love the Muppets?

We got a DVD of the first season of the Muppet Show. Neither of us realized that the first season aired in 1976. 1976. 30 years ago. After letting that sink in some, I realize that I am getting OLD. Donnie and I had a great time watching the different episodes. The only thing that could have made it more nostalgic would have been to include the commercials from 1976 as well.

The good news was that Reid, though moderately put off at the strange characters, actually watched it and enjoyed the music, singing and dancing. Maybe it will grow on him or maybe we'll try again when he's a bit older.

I am sure this won't be the last time we try to share something from our childhood with our son. Though it may be one of the few times he doesn't have the words to tell us how absurd we were for liking something so low-tech, old, goofy, ancient, etc.

Pumpkin Patch Visit

2007-10-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

We went to Legare Farms this weekend to pickup a pumpkin for the fall and to check out the many farm animals. Apparently, that was what every family in the low country had in mind for the day. It was beautiful and sunny and a perfect day to be out. Here are a few photos from our excursion.

Reid had a bird's eye view most of the day.

Flying hig through a sea of pimpkins!

We searched and searched for the perfect pumpkin and finally found it!

Reid was more concerned with the planes flying overhead than in our family picture.

A Chip Off the Old Block

2007-10-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

In the event you have not had the distinct pleasure of spending time with my husband, let me fill you in on a primary characteristic of his: He is a Neatnic. Ever heard the phrase "a place for everything and everything in its place"? I think Donnie may have coined the phrase. He is chronically cleaning.

For the last several weeks, Donnie and I have hosted a small group Bible study in our home with two other couples. The group meets each Thursday night which means that I usually spend much of the day keeping the house picked up. As you can imagine, keeping the house picked up is a fluid concept when I am also chasing a 15 month old child around the same house.

So, tonight before our guests arrived Donnie vacuumed the living room and got out the Dust Buster to pick up the stray blades of grass and dog hair tumbleweeds that were floating around the kitchen floor. Then it happened. As if passing the torch from one generation to the next, Donnie gave the Dust Buster to Reid. He reviewed how to turn it on and then how to use it. Reid was oddly adept at using the tool and efficiently cleaned his surrounding area.

My prayer is that he will have a healthy (rather than obsessive) concept of clean in his adult years. Either way, that is a sure fire sign that he is a chip off the old block.

Living on One Income

2007-09-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

Staying home with Reid is the best thing I could have ever done. He has grown so much in the last 7 months! I can't imagine if I had missed all of his little milestones because I was at work. I would have missed seeing this first hand!

I praise Jesus everyday that he has blessed me with a husband who supports the decision to be home full time.

Living on one income has presented it's challenges though. We have had to get very creative on how to make the ends meet each month. We have a budget that we stick to. We have eliminated many unnecessary bills and I have become extremely diligent with cooking whatever is in the pantry. With all that effort, I am running out of ideas on how to cut the cost of living.

That is likely the reason why God has been gracious enough to provide some part time work for me. A while back a friend contacted me about a position her organization was posting. I contacted the person posting the position and spoke briefly to her about the position. I explained that I was more than qualified for the position as evidenced by my resume (which she had). But, I was available only part time due to my situation at home. She explained that the position was full time and part time just wouldn't cut it. O.K. Clearly this was not for me.

A few months pass and I get an email from my friend attempting to arrange an interview with me for a similar position. Apparently, they were unable to staff the position full time and are under a looming deadline to get the work done. They conceded to bring me in and talk to me about working part time temporarily.

Needless to say, they were sceptical when I arrived. I am sure they thought they would send me packing or were just resentful to be in the position where they need some sort of solution. Either way, my welcome was less that warm. That didn't matter in the end because God took care of it! By the time I left, they had completely changed their tune and were anxious for me to start working. I know that it was nothing I said or did because I hadn't been on a job interview in 10 years! Praise God, he did all the work.

Now, I have a sweet working arrangement that allows me to work a few hours a week in the office and as much as I want from home. An added perk is that I am working for the non-profit organization called Darkness to Light www.d2l.org. Their mission is to diminish the incidence and impact of child sexual abuse, so that more children will grow up healthy and whole.

I am happy to be able to help provide financially for my family and to be aligned with an organization like Darkness to Light. God is so good!

Another Milestone: First Hair Cut

2007-09-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

Reid had his first hair cut today. His precious little blonde curls were irritating to Donnie and thus were destined for the cutting floor. We took Reid to see Rich at Sergio's Salon in West Ashley. We have been going to Rich ever since we moved to Charleston so it was only appropriate to take Reid to him for his first cut. Here's the BEFORE.

Donnie put on the cape and held Reid on his lap. Rich wet his hair down and got to cutting.

In the end he got a great cut and now he looks like a little boy. The baby is gone! He's still just as precious as can be and we love him!

While the Mom's Away...

2007-09-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was a challenge for me and for Donnie as well. While Donnie spends the occasional Saturday with Reid, he has never spent a weekend alone with him. This past weekend I left on Friday morning and returned Sunday afternoon so, it was a good trial run for Donnie and Reid. I knew it would be an educational experience for Donnie and an adjustment for Reid. But I also knew that they both would survive.

I received a warm welcome from my husband on Sunday and it was at that point that I knew he had a new appreciation for me as a stay at home mom. So I asked how/what they did over the weekend and I got a list of the lessons Donnie learned.

1. A rash is nothing to be alarmed about unless the spots are bumps. Reid woke Friday morning with his chest covered in spots. When he went down for his nap the spots had faded. When he woke up from his morning nap the spots were back and they were on his back as well as the front. That was enough to merit a call to the pediatrician's office. In Donnie's mind it was Chicken Pox, Measles, Mumps or any other ailment that causes spots on the skin, but it couldn't be NOTHING. With a little help and encouragement from me, Donnie called the office and eventually got to speak to a nurse. He successfully played 20 questions with the nurse and concluded that it was probably the end of a virus.

2. Shopping with a toddler is nothing like shopping by yourself. Shopping, grocery or otherwise, is not my favorite thing to do. Donnie now understands why. Reid had a birthday party to attend on Saturday, so Donnie and he went out to pick up a gift. Reid was very interested in the toys Donnie was considering. So much so, that he couldn't be distracted with anything else. He wanted something in a box that made noise and was new! Donnie quickly selected an item and headed to the check out. Unfortunately for Donnie, the birthday boy already had the toy Donnie had purchased. I shared that tidbit with Donnie after he had returned home. Needless to say, he was not looking forward to going back to the store to buy something else. And the last thing he will EVER do is return an item. I guess that's on my list to do.

3. Me time is reserved for after bed time. Donnie often laughs at me because each night after we put Reid to bed I head for the bathroom. I tried explaining to him that there are few moments during the day that I can use the bathroom in private. This weekend he learned, firsthand, what I mean. This lesson is best summarized by a quote from Donnie. He said, "you know it is near impossible to use the bathroom when you have Reid and the dog in there with you."

4. The kid's got to eat. Apparently Reid hit a growth spurt this weekend because Donnie said he wanted to eat all the time. Reid has learned to use sign language and can effectively tell us when he's hungry. The sign is made by holding your hand like you're picking something up in your fingers and moving your fingers to your mouth. Well, I guess Reid had his hand in his mouth all weekend long. So, Donnie had to learn to have something on hand at all times. Odd, that seemed to subside come Monday morning.

5. Always wear a belt. Apparently, Donnie had a problem keeping his pants on this weekend because Reid kept pulling them down! Donnie has shorts with elastic waistbands and those shorts are not recommended for cooking. While Donnie was attempting to make dinner each night, Reid would be in the kitchen pulling on his shorts to get his attention (probably because he was hungry-See lesson 4). Each time, Donnie's hands would be full and his shorts would be down! Ha!

6. Parks are for playing. Donnie took Reid to the birthday party at a park on Saturday. The party time was during lunch, so Donnie packed a lunch for Reid and headed to the park. Then he had the opportunity to try and feed said lunch to a mobile 15 month old. No highchairs, no booster seats, nothing to strap him into; you get the picture. I suspect he eventually gave up and let him eat cake instead of his lunch. But he'd probably not admit to it.

All in all they had a great weekend together. Reid didn't starve. Donnie didn't go crazy. Everyone took Monday to recuperate and we were back to normal on Tuesday. I thank God for blessing me with a brave and loving husband and for a healthy and resilient son.

BOW III

2007-09-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is my third year attending a BOW Weekend. BOW stands for Becoming and Outdoors-Woman and is a non-profit, educational program that teaches outdoor skills in a safe, supportive and friendly atmosphere. Oh yeah, and its for women only!

My experience at BOW has taught me canoeing, care and preparation of fish, handgun safety, shotgun safety, nature photography, nature crafts, crossbow/archery and a few other things. Those were all tame compared to this year.

This year I decided to try something that was physically challenging. So, I signed up for the High Ropes course, Rock Climbing, ATV Rider Safety and Knot Tying. By the end of the weekend, I was thrilled to have an activity that involved my mind instead of my body. I was secretly wishing I could do the knot tying with my feet, but that didn't happen.

The High Ropes course was a rope course set 30 feet in the air where you are harnessed to cables overhead and have to navigate across bridges and ropes and trees, etc. It all ended with a zip line that, quite frankly, wasn't thrilling enough to make up for the insanity of the course. Here is a picture of my trek.

The ATV course was fun, dirty, hot and a little more strenuous that I had imagined it would be. But apparently, since the ATVs were 4 wheel drive they are harder to steer since the power is in the front. Whatever the reason it was a good workout for the upper body when you are turning corners around a circle that isn't 6 feet in diameter. Supposedly, if you shift your weight to the side you are turning to it makes the run easier. Honestly, keeping my feet and hands coordinated is enough of a challenge without throwing my hind end in there too. Yikes!

As if that wasn't enough, I finished up day two with Rock Climbing. This was fun to learn, though there isn't much to learn. So once you got the basic commands down and the harness on then it became a matter of will. Seriously, a 55ft wall has a lot of will! At the top is a bell that you ring if you can get there. Of course, I was going to ring that bell. So I carefully watched the other class participants to see how they did it. Wouldn't you know, nobody was making it past the first 8ft. Finally, one woman made it to the top, so at least I knew it was doable. Now it was a matter of whether I could do it or not. I forgot to look at the start time, but sometime before the end of the class I was able to make it to the top and ring that bell!

On top of all that, it was my first weekend away from Reid. Donnie was awesome! He made sure he took care of everything so that I could enjoy some time away. He also encouraged me to continue to make opportunities to get out though those outings should be limited to one weekend at a time, per his request. So, regardless of the outdoor adventures of the weekend, I was most thrilled to come home to the two men I love most in this world.

Pay It Forward Farce

2007-09-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Karma is a popular topic these days as is the concept of pay it forward. In theory, if you do something nice for someone you'll get something good in return. Likewise, if you do something bad you will, in return, have something bad happen to you. I didn't believe that theory before this weekend and my disbelief is all the more confirmed as a result of something that happened this weekend.

A few days ago, a number of friends of mine and I traveled up state for a weekend away. We traveled in two cars. On our route was a toll road. I was traveling in the lead car and at the entrance of the toll road I paid the toll for our vehicle as well as the toll for the car behind us. Our driver gave the toll booth operator the money for both cars and told her "we'd like to pay the toll for the car behind us." She said, " O.K." and off we went. When we glanced behind to see out friends pull through the toll booth we saw them hand over their toll and drive away. We called back to the other car and asked if they paid their toll or if the lady let them pass. They, of course, had paid the toll with no knowledge of the fact that we had paid it for them!

So, either the corrupt toll booth operator in upstate SC has some bad karma coming her way or it is all a farce!

Let this stand as a warning to you the next time you have the heart to do something nice for someone, don't use a middle man. Instead, do the good deed in person so that someone else doesn't have the opportunity to mess it up!

In all seriousness, I trust that the woman needed that money more that I did and I pray that God will bless her because of my generosity.

We're Just Different

2007-09-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am writing today's blog with the permission of my husband who so graciously endures my, sometimes twisted, sense of humor.

We recently cut off cablevision. Gasp! There were a variety of reasons including the constant feed of violence, sex, greed and a host of other immoral activities. More importantly, the big black box had become an idol in our house. It was one thing we spent most of our free time with. We all like to unwind after a long day at work or with the kids, but when the TV cuts on before or after dinner and then stays on until you go to bed, that's a problem.

My issues with the television have been resolved to a great extent by turning off cablevision. That being said, I would like to share what happened earlier this week.

Donnie and I were hanging out one night this week watching TV. At about 10 o'clock we had scanned the 4 available channels for the last time and headed upstairs to bed. I climbed in bed and snuggled up to read a book, while Donnie reached for the remote control to turn on the TV. Now, we had already determined that there was nothing to watch so what was he doing? I asked him before he turned on the TV, "could you please not watch anything that has someone being killed, killing, plotting to kill or investigating a killing?" His response was, "well, then there is nothing on to watch." But on went the TV nonetheless. He settled in on the local PBS station that was airing a documentary of sorts on immigrant workers protesting against their working conditions.

After a few minutes of reading my book I tune into listen to what is going on with the story on the TV. Much to my delight, the program was in SPANISH! Fortunately for Donnie there were English subtitles so he could understand what was going on, because he doesn't exactly speak Spanish. So, even though he had no interest in the story and had to read to keep up, he still watched it to completion (about an hour later).

I don't fully understand what comfort the TV provides, but I'm finding that there is something about a man and his remote control that women just don't get.

Learning to Improvise

2007-09-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a whirlwind. Reid turned one in June and since then he has been on the go, which means I am on the go too. He started walking at 14 months and started running shortly there after. He is a bull who doesn't let much stand in the way of what he is trying to accomplish. For example, he is very crafty when it comes to reaching the television remote control or my computer or whatever may be just out of his reach. He is very inquisitive and spends time checking out the workings of cabinet hinges, wagon wheels and the dog's food dish.

My favorite is when we visit friends who have daughters. He is not interested in the least with the baby dolls but he'll upend the doll's stroller in no time to check out the wheels! He looks like a mechanic when he sits in the middle of the hallway pondering the complex workings of a plastic stroller.

Buttons, of course, are a thrill a minute for him. Many of his toys have knobs that turn and make noise or buttons that click when you push them. The fine line between what is a toy and what is not is sometimes blurry for him. Take for instance the dishwasher. It has buttons that click when you push them and a knob that makes noise when you turn it. The dishwasher is further complicated by the fact that it opens to reveal a whole other world inside! Here's my dilemma, if I latch the dishwasher closed, he turns the knob that turns it on. If I leave it unlatched he opens the door and climbs in to check out what's going on inside.

So, we improvise. I haven't seen anything on the market that will keep your dishwasher closed so I am forced to use packing tape to keep it shut. It works like a charm. For the time being, Reid can't hardly reach the top of the dishwasher where it is taped closed. If you can get past the annoyance of trying to open the dishwasher only to find it taped closed, this is a great solution. Donnie is still getting accustomed to the new workaround.

There are other problems packing tape can solve, but I'll save those for another time. In short, never hesistate to improvise when you're in a pinch for a solution.

Swedish Meatballs

2007-09-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share an easy and delicious recipe. My mother-in-law makes this every time she visits us and we love it. Even Reid is a fan of the meatballs, though I think that is a genetic thing with him. Give this a try the next time you are in the mood for a new recipe.

Swedish Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup milk
pepper to taste
2 cans Beef broth
2 cup water

In a large bowl mix ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, milk and pepper together. Form into 2 inch meatballs. Brown in a large pot. Remove meatballs from pot and drain grease. Return meatballs to pot and add broth and water. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Hope you enjoy.

End of Summer

2007-08-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's hard to believe that it is September already. The summer has gone by so fast. Every summer Donnie's son Anthony comes down to work on his tan. He lives in Pittsburgh the rest of the year so when he gets here he is pasty white. By the time he leaves he has an enviable tan that all the ladies in PA love! Speaking of the ladies...This summer was filled with the fun of teenage hormones. Anthony is 15 and is quite a looker; as evidenced by all of the female admirers he had here this summer.

Needless to say, this summer was a learning experience for Donnie and I. Not only did we get to witness first hand how teens court/flirt/date/etc., but we also learned that the lines of communication have changed. I realize for some of you reading this blog this will come as no surprise. For others who don't have teenagers in their lives listen up!

We live in the generation of the cell phone and the Internet. While I have a cell phone and access to the Internet, I also have the ability to talk face to face with people. What's more is that I have learned to communicate through writing. The kids I saw this summer rarely spoke on their cell phones. Instead, they sent text messages constantly or they were glued to a computer where they were chatting online. What happened to picking up the phone and calling the person to talk? Donnie tried patronizing me by saying "Don't you remember when you were a teen and talked on the phone with your friends?" I do remember those days and I also remember not being able to talk on the phone for hours on end or past a certain time at night. Oh, and when my parents said to get off the phone, you got off the phone.

Here's a warning to all those thirty-somethings out there with little kiddies. Your "when I was a kid" stories will sound just like your parents' stories did when you were young. Anthony told me more than once this summer "it doesn't work like that any more." Ouch!

My simple and humble prayer is that I won't be so far out of touch by the time Reid gets to that age that I don't know what he's talking about. It may be easier/more productive to pray for Christ's return. Either way, I'll be on my knees praying for something.

Need a Change

2007-06-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is my last blog for today. There has been so much to catch up on. I have one more story to share with you.

Donnie and I have found it more convenient to change diapers in the back of the Jeep rather than in public restrooms. I credit my friend Amy for the idea. I always have it well stocked as if we were at home in Reid's room.

Well, we recently had dinner out and as we were finishing up inside, Donnie and Reid preceded the group and headed out for a diaper change. Donnie is head long into the process before he realizes that he doesn't have anything to give Reid as a distraction, i.e. a toy. The toy element has become extremely important since Reid has discovered the contents of his diaper and whenever it is exposed, he must find it!

In an effort to keep Reid out of the mess that is in his pants, Donnie gives Reid the car keys to play with. This works like a charm until Reid finds the PANIC button on the remote. Donnie is not one for making a scene or being any part of the scene for that matter. The honking horn sends him into overdrive. I am sure there has never been a faster diaper change in the history of fatherhood!

To the Beach

2007-06-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

We took a trip with my parents to the beach. Reid had a blast in the sand and water. He didn't mind a bit all of that grit in his hands (and mouth). The day was pretty overcast so we were able to enjoy the beach without all the heat.

One Year Marker

2007-06-25T06:51:00.000-07:00

Reid had his one year check up and is healthy as a horse and growing like crazy. During the appointment, the have me fill out a questionaire regarding Reid's schedule, eating habits and developmental progress. One of the questions was "does the child speak three or more words other than Mommy and Daddy?" I was tempted to say "no, but he can crow like a rooster and show you his muscles." These are the things Donnie teaches Reid. Not words like shoe, table, milk or dog. No, no. He teaches him to CROW LIKE A ROOSTER and FLEX HIS BICEPS upon request! I love these two men in my life!

Reid also got a few more immunizations at this visit. For future reference, I plan on asking that they do all of the shots/pricks in the same session. This time they shot him in both legs which fired him up, of course. The nurse then left to get the dohicky to check his hemoglobin. So, we get him somewhat calmed down only for her to come back and prick his finger and for the crying to resume. Ugh!

It doesn't stop there. The nurse quickly places a bright yellow crayon looking band-aid on his finger which is a good distraction for the time being. We checked out and loaded up in the car. Reid is all the while entranced with this thing stuck to his finger. I had the mind to take it off because I knew there was only one place that finger and band-aid would end up...in his mouth. Like a dufus, I ignored that first inclination. Half way home, while driving down the highway I hear Reid in the back choking on something. I turn around to see him rolling something around in him mouth. Wouldn't you know it, his finger was bare! He had ate the band-aid and then promptly threw it back up along with much of his breakfast! Note to self: No more band-aids until he can understand the direction "don't eat it!"

Happy Birthday!

2007-06-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

Reid celebrated his first birthday with much fanfare. We had a house full of family and friends over for a kiddie pool party. Donnie's parents "Nonna & Pappaw" along with my parents "Nanny and Poppy" were here with my brother, Shane.

We are so blessed to have talented and crafty parents. Pappaw came to SC with a hand made toy box and a custom made child's table and chair set. Poppy came later in the week with the most beautiful rocking horse and the quintesential first brithday gift, the red wagon. Seeing how beautiful these gifts were and knowing the time and love put into them, I couldn't help but feel bad for the abuse they are about to endure. Reid wasted no time breaking them in! The grandpas assured me that was the very purpose for making them.

Reid played in the pool with his friends

and tore up his first piece of birthday cake.

Memorial Day

2007-06-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

We took a road trip to VA for Memorial Day weekend. It was a nice little getaway. We packed up Reid and Zeek for the long car ride. Both did very well considering the length of time being cooped up. Reid was the first to blink. He had enough of the car seat about one hour from the river house. Not surprisingly, the same thing happened about one hour from home on the return trip. While in VA we were able to spend time with Donnie's mom and dad as well as his brother and family. We have two wonderful nieces and one precious nephew.

This was Zeek's first trip to the river house and we knew he would love being on the water. We were not prepared for his first impression, however. Donnie took him out on the dock for the first time and Zeek immediately jumped in the water. The problem was that Zeek was still on the leash!! Zeek was more interested in the ducks swimming by than he was in getting out of the water. He had a great time. Donnie's brother also brought their dog Marley who loves being in the water. So, Zeek had a play mate to ware him out!

Reid got to try out his new life vest on the boat when we took a trip on the Potomac to see what was happening in Colonial Beach. We held off on the jet ski experience until he's a little older.

While there we also went to the Westmoreland Berry Farm to see the animals, grab a strawberry sundae and see how Reid measured up.

Happy Birthday to You!

2007-06-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

We will be celebrating Reid's first birthday this month. It is hard to believe that it has been a year already. He is sporting 5 teeth now and nearing the walking stage. Anyway, about the birthday. We are in the midst of planning a party to celebrate the big #1. Since he is still so little and so are the majority of his "friends", I find that I am planning a party for the adults who will be coming rather than the kiddies. Don't get me wrong, there will be things for the kiddies to do, but the menu is largely set to entertain the adult attendees. I could, of course, serve a buffet of pureed fruits and vegetables for the younger guests. Not likely, though.

I love to throw a party. But I catch myself, more and more, laughing at the ridiculousness of stressing over party details. Reid, after all will only remember the event through the pictures we take. I am sure my mom didn't fret over party invitations and other superfluous details. I know this because she laughs at me when I tell her that I haven't finalized the menu yet or I haven't decided what to do for the cake. This will be another first for us and one that will not go without me learning some major life lesson.

Check back for results from the birthday bash. I am sure there will be much to tell.

An Acquired Taste

2007-05-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

I guess some things just grow on you. That was my recurring thought today. You know, like the taste of boiled peanuts. When we moved to the Low Country we tried boiled peanuts and then tried not to gag. I am not sure why, but we tried them again and now we can swallow without incident. Don't get me wrong, they are by no means a staple in our house but we won't turn you away if you bring them to our next party.

So, like boiled peanuts, I guess dog food is something you have to try a couple of times before you actually enjoy the taste. This is what I learned from Reid today. The dog food bowl has been a point of contention ever since Reid started to crawl. In an effort to establish some boundaries for him, I try to leave the dog's dish where it is and correct Reid when he over steps the invisible boundary that surrounds the dish. The first time he tried the dog's food it resulted in the successful return of that day's lunch. That was just from taste left in his mouth from the food after I snatched it out! Today, he managed to select a piece of the dog's food, put it in his mouth and crawl away from the bowl. When I saw him mauling something around in his mouth, I didn't think it was dog food b/c the dog's dish was on the other side of the room. Upon extracting the item out of his mouth, I found it was in fact dog food. Of course, I waited anxiously for the "exorcist" vomit to begin, but nothing came. While I was happy to not have another mess to clean up, I was unsettled at the fact that Reid may have acquired a taste for Iams dog food.

I am sure that dog food is not the worst thing this child will put in his mouth. I just pray whatever those worse things may be, that they don't make me return my lunch.

Baby Dedication

2007-05-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

This Sunday was Reid's dedication. Donnie and I along with 7 other couples dedicated their babies to God. During the dedication we vowed to live lives that would be a witness for Christ and that would teach our children about the God who created them and the Jesus who died for them. The church congregation then vows to help the parents in their efforts to raise the children in a Christian atmosphere.

It is comforting to me to know that we have a church body to walk with us in this journey and one that will also hold us accountable to what God has called us to do. We had seen a good number of baby dedications in the past few years. So, it was nice to be able to participate as parents this time.

I thank God for giving us Reid and for the awesome opportunity to raise him to know Jesus. May we have the wisdom and discernment that can only come from and omniscient God.

He has a Favorite?

2007-04-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

I promise, becoming a mom is like being back in college during finals week. You are trying to cram a semester's worth of knowledge into one week of studying! There is a vast amount of information you have to learn in a short amount of time. And it's stuff you can't study for in advance. For example, how to breastfeed, what soothes your child, and how to teach your child to nap. Then once you firgure that out, the requirements change completely. And just as fast, you have to learn a new schedule/routine, how to avoid the fountain while changing diapers and what foods the kid will eat. But wait there's more. You get that under your belt only to have to adapt to a wiggle worm who can't sit still during a diaper change and keeping track of a lightening fast crawler getting into the dog's food.

All along the way, I get to learn all about this new person in my life. What he likes and doesn't like. That new knowledge was taken for granted until recently. I had to fill out a questionaire about Reid where they asked what is favorite books or songs were. My first reaction was, 'He has a favorite book?' 'He has a favorite song?' So, I gave it some thought and started paying attention to the books we read and his reactions as well as the songs we sang. According to my expert motherly analysis, Reid's favorite books include Brown Bear, The Hungry Caterpillar and Snuggle Puppy. Based on the number of times each is read in one day, Brown Bear comes in first with 4, the Caterpillar is a close second with 3 and the Puppy is last with 2 times a day. The favorite songs include The Wheels on the Bus (also a book in our house), Old MacDonald, and I'm a Little Teapot. Again, based on the number of times sung during a day; the Bus takes the cake with 10, the Teapot comes in with 6 and Old MacDonald gets about 2 times a day. One qualification regarding Old MacDonald: there are lots of animals on the farm so the song goes on and on. Two times a day is more than enough!

Being in the throws of a constant cram session you can miss the cool stuff you are learning. This is much better than college, though. I don't ever remember being happy after learning something new from cramming for a final exam.

I thank God for the constant challenge of being a mom and for the ability to learn something new.

Cleaning House!

2007-04-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay since my last blog. We have been busy, busy, busy since the Easter holiday. We had an awesome time with my folks and Anthony. We took advantage of having the extra hands around the house and did some much needed work. The flower beds got an overhaul while other plants were transplanted to new homes. That was nothing compared to the work that was done in our "attic."

We have a storage area over our garage that got a new floor and some new shelves, thanks to the hard work of my mom and dad. First, the whole place had to be cleared so all of the dusty contents were transferred to our game room. Then my dad and I loaded up the jeep at the hardware store. What a site! We were driving down a major highway with 6 sheets of wood strapped to the top and 20 2x4s inside. It was the quietest ride I've ever had. I was concentrating on not driving too fast while my dad was holding on for dear life to the sheets of wood on top. Fortunately, we were able to laugh about it once we made it home without incident.

Now, we are working on getting the game room cleared out and get stuff back into the storage area. But first, we are taking advantage of having everything out in the open and we are purging all of the ridiculous things we have held onto all these years. Things like old college text books, shop projects from high school, stuffed animals, posters, 3 1/2 inch disks by the boxes and other random things have found their way to the dumpster. Why do we hang on to those old things? I hated Accounting in grad school and we don't have a computer that will even read a 3 1/2 disk!

My parents are going through a similar activity in their house. They are cleaning out the closets and garages and barns of all the things they no longer need or want to keep. They have over 35 years to sort through! As an act of solidarity, I am joining my parents in the effort to "clean house." I am finding that there is clarity to be found in getting rid of the mess. Kind of like a weight is lifted each time we sort through another box.

We are fortunate to have the task of sorting through things from the past. Thank God for the blessings of a family, a home and a future.

Grand Central Station

2007-04-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

Grand Central Station. That's what we used to call my parent's house during any holiday. We could have family, friends and strangers alike over for dinner. The house was always full of people and laughter. My parents were and are the consummate hosts.

Donnie and I picked up the torch and have hosted the holidays a time or two. It usually entails both sides of our family (mine and his) and sometimes the local "family" too. Donnie and I have been blessed to be transplants to the area. Neither of us grew up in Charleston but that doesn't necessarily set us apart. We have many friends who are in the same boat. I guess we gravitate towards those who are like us.

Anyhow, Reid is the latest and greatest attraction that draws the holiday crowds these days. We will be hosting my parents for Easter weekend and Donnie's son Anthony will be here for his spring break. Fortunately for me, Anthony doesn't notice if the house isn't spotless and my parents will be too distracted by Reid to notice the clutter/stains/etc. Who am I kidding? Donnie is a nut about clean and will likely re-clean every place I've already been. Especially the clutter! I'll have a treasure hunt after the guests have gone just to find where Donnie has "put everything away." The crazy thing is that there is no logic to where he puts stuff. Just this week I was looking for something that he had "put away" and after searching all the places I would have put it I actually took a second to try to think like Donnie. I tried to imagine where I would have put it if I were him. That didn't work! So, after I had exhausted the short list of "if I were Donnie" options I started to look in random places. Turns out, random was the best option!

Here's a clue, if I don't get back to this blog in a while it's because my computer was left out and Donnie has put it "away." Ha!

I praise God everyday that my husband is in many ways nothing like me. I'm sure that was the idea from the beginning.

MOPs Rookie

2007-03-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended a MOPs meeting at a local church. MOPs is an organization that ministers to Mothers of Preschoolers by providing a support network of other mothers young, old, married, single, urban, rural, working and stay-at-home. They provide child care for the kiddies so you can decompress/relax/laugh/etc. There are a few women in my church who attend MOPs and they have recommended it often. So, when a church near me announced that they would be starting a group, I decided to give it a go.

There were about 15 ladies in attendance. Some had many children while others were still expecting their first. There was a little getting to know you activity and then a brief discussion on how becoming a mother can cause you to lose your identity. There was a 70 year old lady who led the discussion at my table. She was a precious volunteer from the church. She asked, "Have you ever felt the loss of identity?" I never really considered it like that. So, while all the other ladies were there nodding their heads in agreement, I was thinking "I lost something?" If you don't miss the thing you've lost, is it really lost?

Being a mom was never a life long dream for me. Just like getting married wasn't high on my "things to do after high school" list. I was comfortable being single and then I was comfortable being a wife. I never felt as if I was missing something neither before I got married nor prior to Reid's arrival. I realize now that is something to be grateful for.

I praise God for giving me peace with who He has made me to be. I know that everyday I am growing in my relationship with Christ which changes me. The woman I was yesterday is not the same one I'll be tomorrow, by the Grace of God. I don't pine for the days when I was in the singles scene nor do I long for the days when it will be just Donnie and I. I may be many things in my lifetime; for now it is wife, mom, daughter, friend.

As for MOPs, I enjoyed the morning and am planning to attend next month. You never know, maybe I can help someone find their identity or realize it's not lost!

Baby Wise

2007-03-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Donnie and I completed our parenting class this week. For the past 6 weeks we have facilitated the Preparation for Parenting course from Growing Families International. We had a great time with the three couples who attended the class. Each week we met in our home for a couple of hours to visit, discuss the reading and watch a video. Two of the couples are expecting their first child this summer and the third couple was an engaged duo with a three month old.

Donnie and I participated in the class as part of the Family Life Ministry at Northbridge Baptist Church. The class we facilitated was for those planning for a baby or those with one less than 6 months old. The same materials are available to the general public under the name Baby Wise by Gary and Ann Marie Ezzo. The Baby Wise book format is the same except for the small group meetings.

We used the materials alot when Reid first arrived. It offers a parenting philosophy rather than a strict set of rules to follow. Nine months later, I realize that it works. I don't necessarily understand the hows or the whys but I know that it works. Reid slept through the night at 9 weeks. He has a routine that makes nap time a welcomed event in our house. And, best of all, Donnie and I still have a relationship as husband and wife. Reid is a welcome member of the family rather than the center of it. I knew we were onto something when our family commented on how "easy" he was.

I recommend checking out the resource if you are planning to have kids, more kids or currently have one under a year old. People assume that there are two ways to approach parenting: exactly how your parents did it and the exact opposite of how your parents did it. The good news is there is a third option that you probably haven't thought of yet.

It's All Part of the Plan

2007-03-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in the God who is in complete control of every circumstance. Nothing happens by chance. It is all part of God's plan.

I sent an encouragement card last week to a friend who is currently serving time. To my surprise, I received a letter in response today. In the letter they mentioned that they had been reading their Bible but they didn't necessarily understand the scriptures very well.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to tell my friend about the Bible they were reading and the God who gave his word to us. After spending time in prayer, I began to write my response. I trust that the Holy Spirit will transform the words of my letter and make them clear to my friend. I am excited that my friend has the desire to read God's word. I pray that God is dealing with them and calling them to himself. All they need is a relationship with Jesus. I was sure to include and introduction to Jesus in the letter. I claim the promise that God's word will not return empty (Isaiah 55:11) and am praying for the letter as it goes out to my friend.

Shape Up

2007-03-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Donnie and I decided to insert a little exercise into our routine. The Bowflex works wonders for Donnie but, not so much for me. He can get results in no time. I, on the other hand, could row to China and back and still not see any results. Cardio is better for me, but Donnie doesn't do aerobics--that whole two left feet thing is a health hazard. He was agreeable to pilates, surprisingly enough. We have never done pilates before. We have tried yoga and it is kind of similar but, there was a reason we dropped yoga. It takes a tremendous amount of concentration to control every part of your body and those muscle groups you didn't know you had. The first time we laughed through much of the workout; at each other and ourselves. We weren't laughing today. The few muscles we could control were SORE today. We did another workout tonight and, as of now, we'll keep pilates. I suspect Donnie will forgo the concentrated muscle control for the Bowflex. In the mean time, we'll enjoy laughing at each other. Laughing burns calories, right?

On the Reid front, he is full tilt 12 hours a day. Fortunately, the sleep strike has ended. Last week, he chose to forgo his naps during the day. He opted instead for a couple cat naps; not nearly enough for him or me. I think he was too concerned that he might miss something if he shut his eyes. He is so independent and curious. Today he found his way behind the chair in the living room. I'll be dusting/vacuuming behind there tomorrow. This is child is determined to expose every corner of the house that hasn't been cleaned. Behind the furniture. I mean really!

We'll chalk that up to God refining my cleaning character. That one, I suspect,will take some time to fully refine!

Eau de Bebe

2007-03-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

We recently equipped many of our cabinet doors with child proof latches to protect Reid from potentially hurting himself and me from having a mess to clean up. While Donnie was installing one on the cabinet door under my bathroom sink, he thought it would be a good idea for me to clean out the contents of the cabinet. For Donnie, anytime is a good time to clean!

While I was sorting through and throwing out the old partially used bottles of lotion and travel sized shampoo bottles I came across a bottle of body lotion that I hadn't ever used before. I of course kept it so I could try it out. It is a travel sized bottle of Breathe and it smells very nice.

After my shower yesterday, I made sure to try out this new body lotion. I was happy to spend the day smelling something like a woman instead of something like a diaper or a baby bottle. Donnie came home and while we were chatting it up I leaned into him and told him to smell me. I was expecting him to notice the scent of my new lotion and maybe say how nice it was. His response was "You smell like baby slobber." Clearly, his nose couldn't get past the areas of my t-shirt that had been licked/smudged/spit on/etc. I told him I had a new lotion that I tried that day. He then asked if it was called Eau de Bebe!

I thank God that when I became a mom, I didn't stop being a wife, daughter, friend or woman. Though, I may be the only one at my house that really appreciates that at this point.

Eastern Standard Time

2007-03-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

OK so the "Spring Forward" time change came early this year. First, let me say what you all are already thinking "This is what our tax dollars pay for?" I am by no means up on current events but this one caught me off guard. I heard it on the news the week before it happened but I thought I must have heard it wrong. So, Donnie had to explain to my simple mind that it was decided to move the time change up to March instead of April. Not a big deal, I guess. Ridiculous, but not a big deal.

Donnie and I had a long debate over the impact the time change would have on Reid's schedule. I won't go into the details of the debate, I will just tell you that in the end I was RIGHT! Reid's routine shifted one hour and all was right with the world. Until this week that is.

After a week of waking up at 7 am (when it is still dark I might add) as usual he is now waking up at 6 am. This is not entirely out of the ordinary because he would in the past wake early and then talk and play himself in and out of sleep until 7 am. Last week, however, he learned to pull himself to a standing position and that is proving to be the kink in the sleeping armor.

You know as well as I do that when you wake in the morning you can usually settle back into sleep mode so long as you stay in the bed. But, if you have to go to the bathroom or otherwise get out of bed, you have a harder time getting back to sleep. Apparently, this is true for babies too. I am convinced that Reid is waking early and instead of staying in the prone position he gets up on his feet and stands at the side of his crib. Standing requires a whole other level of alertness that makes if difficult (for you) or near impossible (for Reid) to go back to sleep.

This morning it was 6 am and there was no settling him back into bed so our day started shortly after 6 o'clock. The same thing happened yesterday. We are praying that it doesn't happen tomorrow. Will you pray to that end too? An hour extra sleep may depend on it!

How Would You Like That Cooked?

2007-03-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend a friend was asking how it was going-being home fulltime with Reid. After briefly reflecting on the last month or so, I was able to genuinely answer "great". During that time of reflection I had a quick mental review of the last few weeks and it made me remember and recognize and rejoice that change is good.

I may have mentioned before that being home has allowed me to take my time when preparing dinner for Donnie, Reid and I instead of rushing to put something together after work and before Reid's bedtime. What I failed to mention is that the well thought out and planned dinner was either cold or burnt by the time Donnie and I sat down to eat.

There was a good week of dinners that didn't quite measure up to the recipe standards I was shooting for. The way our routine with Reid works is that he eats at 6 p.m. and Donnie and I make an effort to sit down for dinner with Reid so that we can eat as a family. Donnie usually comes home by 5:30 p.m. and I am putting the finishing touches on dinner. Reid is not yet an independent eater and until recently we held him to give him his bottle. So Donnie would start Reid off eating at 6 and I would put dinner on the table at the same time. I wasn't alotting for the 15 minutes it takes for the kid to down his bottle. So, there sits dinner getting cold.

To compensate for the cold dinners I would try to delay putting the food on the table until Reid was done with the bottle. Nevertheless, this resulted in an overcooked and often burnt dinner. God bless Donnie! He never said a word, he simply ate his dinner in whatever state it was.

It was only recently that I finally got it together and started Reid's bottle early. I don't know why that solution was so long in coming. I realize my brain functions differently after having Reid, but it is FUNCTIONING and that is praiseworthy! Now if we could get Reid to eat on his own we'd be in business. Until then, we'll continue to tag team feed him. It has been working well, though the fries are usually cold by the time you get to eat them.

I am happy to report that there are more that two options on the menu for how you'd like that cooked. Cold, Burnt, and our most recent addition, Warm. We'll work on Hot some other time.

I thank God for his provision, his discernment and his sense of humor!

Good Intentions

2007-03-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

So this week Reid developed an annoying dry cough. Ironically enough it really came on the day he went to the doctor's office. Hmm. Well after one sleepless night on Tuesday, I got up in a haze and got around. Since the weather was going to be nice I thought some fresh air might do him good, so I opened his bedroom window for a little while in the a.m. Later that day we headed downtown to meet up with Donnie for dinner. We strolled around Waterfront Park and checked out the harbor, sail boats, fountains, etc. Donnie and I had burgers at the Fleet Landing while Reid attempted to cough up a lung.

Coughing continues and results in sleepless night number two. Donnie hit the couch downstairs in a vain attempt to get some much needed rest. I placed a call to the nurse at the pediatrician's office to see if there is anything we can do with this cough. I explained the symptoms: watery eyes, runny nose, dry cough, little sleep, etc. All sounded like a cold to me. The nurse said, "Actually, it could be allergies." Doh! Funny that she should say that since everything has been covered in pollen for the last few days. So, I guess having the window open and the little outing for dinner was not the best idea.

Despite the way it may appear, I am trying to help the kid out! Needless to say, we stayed indoors today! The only time the doors were opened was to let the dog out. With the help of Dimetapp, the cough has subsided for the most part. The rain that came through last night undoubtedly helped as well.

I've made a mental note of the situation. But, something is always blooming in Charleston so managing infant allergies should be fun! If it is allergies, we can thank his dad's gene pool for that characteristic.

Thank God for making children resilient enough to survive their parents' good intentions.

Sit, Stand, Jump

2007-03-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

Boy, the kid turns 9 months and he thinks he owns the place! Just yesterday we were playing in his room. By playing, I mean he was trying to grab everything I was working on keeping from his reach like the humidifier, the night light, my shoe strings, etc. Well, the confines of his room must have been a little too close for him because just like that, he was gone! Down the hall he headed into the game room. Talk about overwhelming! I can only imagine what that room looks like from his perspective.

Ha! Little do I know. He was like Columbus discovering America in there. Wide eyed and ready to conquer. Again, I took my place as the hurdle to all the things he shouldn't play with (because we haven't baby proofed that room yet) like the tower of CDs, the stack of books, the PlaySation2, etc. I thought I would be crafty and use the bean bag as a blockade. Again, I say Ha! He simply climbed over it like it was a flat teddy bear. The play time in the game room was short lived and will be temporarily suspended until I can get in there and move some things around.

The excitement doesn't end there. No, no. Not only does he travel quick, he is trying out those legs! Just today, I peeked in on him in his crib only to find him standing up! Proud as a Peacock, grinning from ear to ear. The best part is when he saw me he got so excited he started JUMPING up and down! You know, sometimes children will do something once and not repeat it because they don't really remember what they did. Not to worry, Reid got lots of practice standing/sitting/standing/jumping/sitting/etc. today. He remembers. I shared our excitement of the day with Donnie over dinner and when we put Reid to bed tonight he showed off his new skill for his daddy. He remembers. I'll work on getting a video or still shot of it to share. It is priceless! Fortunately, Donnie already lowered the crib mattress for such a time as this.

Thank God for letting me be the first to witness my son's monkey-like qualities. Really, why should anyone else get the joy of that?

9 Month Check-Up

2007-03-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

Reid went for his nine month check up today. He got a clean bill of health from the doctor. It had been over a month since we last visited the doctor's office. What a nice change of pace. For months we were in that office every other week battling one infection or another virus. We've always been on a first name basis with the pediatrician but the frequency of our meetings was getting ridiculous! Having him home has limited his exposure to the vast array of virus and bacteria floating around out there in day care land. Praise God!

My favorite part of the visit is when the nurse measures and weighs Reid. I know that he is growing because I carry him around everywhere. Up the stairs, down the stairs. In the car, out of the car. Etc. Etc. Reid weighed in at a whopping 21 pounds and measures 29 1/4 inches! It's no wonder that my biceps are huge. The weight is a little above average while his height is well above the average. It seems like he just got here and already he is a little man.

And with that growing comes independence at the speed of light. Reid is quickly mastering the art of crawling. He now can sit up by himself and has started to pull himself up on the end tables. It won't be long until he is walking; which will offer a host of other challenges, but at least my arms and back will get a reprieve.

What a blessing to watch the miracle of God's creation up close!

How Clean are Your Floors?

2007-03-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits I have found from being home is that I can do stuff around the house that would previously been left for the weekend. Things like laundry, dusting, vacuuming, general cleaning, etc. get done during Reid's nap times. The added bonus is that it frees up our time on the weekends.

Reid's recent mobility discovery has taken my house cleaning to a whole new level. I am in a constant battle with dog hair from Zeek. I promise I could run the vacuum all day and there would still be dog hair! It's amazing that he has any hair on his body at all. Where does it all come from? It's like a never ending supply! It doesn't help that Reid grabs a clump of hair anytime Zeek sniffs him.

Even better is the fact that babies explore things with their hands AND mouths. This is why everything goes first to their mouth. A common scene is Reid with his fist or toy in his mouth. He recently started exploring other textures in the house; specifically the carpet, linoleum, hard wood floors and marble hearth. I tried to get a picture because only a picture would do it justice, but I couldn't get the timing right. Just this week, Reid was crawling around the living room floor and found his way to the cold marble hearth in front of the fireplace. His first inclination is to put it in his mouth! I look over at him and there he is licking the floor! When he looked up at me his nose, mouth and chin were pink from the cold floor. It makes me laugh to think about it.

The fun didn't end there. He then made his way to the kitchen floor and the hard wood in the foyer. I'm sure they each had a distinct flavor, though he still lacks the words to sufficiently describe it. Needless to say, there is a longer list of surfaces I will be keeping clean. If you come to visit please plan on removing your shoes at the door. I'll be trying to keep the floors clean enough to eat off.

Change of Plans

2007-03-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

Today I had an appointment in the morning that ended up being canceled. Only, I wasn't aware of the cancelation until I arrived for the appointment. The good news was that Reid and I had an extra hour to spend before lunch. The bad news was that this change of plans completely threw off my day.

You see, I'm still new at this mother and infant thing so outings such as this morning take planning; planning that often starts the night before. I typically work backwards from what time we need to leave the house. Then consider how long we'll be out and other activities planned for the day. Today, I wasn't sure if we would be home by lunch time (12:00) so I planned to pack Reid's lunch. Also, we were planning on going to church tonight which meant that bathtime would have to be moved up. Breakfast/Bath/Nap/Go.

There is a sense of accomplishment when, by the grace of God, it all happens as planned. I can exhale for a minute once we make it in the car and on the road so, getting out of the house is no small feat. Then, one change of plans and I'm deflated!

Despite the bump in the road, the day wasn't a complete waste. Reid and I had a great afternoon running errands and hanging out at home. The weather here has been beautiful and is getting better later in the week.

I pray to God for another day to try again.

Caution: Mobile Infant on the Loose

2007-03-05T08:35:00.000-08:00

Reid is officially mobile. He has finally connected the movement between his legs and arms to facilitate crawling. For so long he has been pulling himself everywhere so his arms are like Popeye's but now his legs are on board. He is in reverse more than drive which landed him under the couch this weekend. I've included photos for your enjoyment.

He's also been pulling up on things so I suspect that walking will not be far behind. Needless to say, Donnie and I will be reassessing the "baby proof-ness" of our house this week.

Next week is his 9 month check-up. It is hard to believe that time has gone by so fast.

How I Got Here

2007-03-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

If you didn't watch the Oscars you probably heard about the results. Jennifer Hudson, the girl who was on American Idol won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Just think, it was only a few short years ago that she woke up one morning and headed to a singing audition. Little did she know where that day would take her. Maybe a little less publicized but no less profound are the decisions that led me to being a stay at home mom.

Three years ago I was working in corporate America and I loved it. There was pressure and deadlines and expectations. I was a junkie for all of that. One Saturday afternoon I participated in a mission project at my church. A group from Northbridge Baptist would be doing door-to-door evangelism on behalf of another local church. I can pound the pavement as well as anyone, so off I went. Here's how it worked. We paired up and knocked on houses and apartment doors in an effort to complete opinion polls. We would ask questions like Do people read the bible as often as they used to? and Why do people attend church? The last question was in your opinion what do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven? With their permission we would share with them what the Bible says about how to go to heaven. That was it. I was hooked.

Suddenly the drive to fix a data problem at work took a back seat to the drive to share heaven with people. It was the difference between making an impact for today and making one for eternity. That day changed what I thought were the plans for my life. "Many are the plans in a man's heart; but it is the LORD'S purpose that prevails." Prov. 19:21

For me, it is all about striving to be in the center of God's will for my life. You plan your life and dream of what could be and one day you and look at where your plans and dreams have taken you. I learned a number of years ago that the Best plans I could make for life are NEVER as good as what God has planned for me.

Of course, there are a few other steps that led to my being home full time, but this initial call to the ministry was the first step in the right direction. The other steps are for another day, another blog.

P.S. If you want to know what the Bible says about how to get to heaven, leave a comment on this blog and I'll be happy to share it with you.

A Cold Cup of Coffee

2007-02-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

Each morning my husband makes a fresh pot of coffee for us to enjoy over breakfast. Isn't that lovely? We sit and review the plans for the day while we tag team feed Reid. Most often, after Donnie heads into work, I can snag another cup of joe to enjoy during my Bible study time.

This morning was like most others. After Reid was well into lala land, I fixed a cup of coffee and headed off for some quiet time and Bible study. I am not sure where the day went from there. I do know that I did not get to enjoy that cup of coffee. In fact, Donnie found it this evening when he came home and sarcastically commented on how inviting it looked.

I'm finding that most of my days are a blur. This is made all too clear to me each time I attempt to articulate the events of my day to my husband. I know that it seems like there is order rather than chaos, but when I try to describe the day it sounds something like: "I had a cup of coffee...nap time...diaper...lunch...diaper...nap time...diaper...dinner...bath...diaper...yeah, that was my coffee from this morning."

On days like today I cling to the promise that God is a God of order even when my life isn't a fair reflection of it.

How many bags will you be checking?

2007-02-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we traveled to Mishawaka, Indiana to see my parents. I am thrilled to report that Reid traveled GREAT dispite the many attempts by United Airlines to thwart our progress. The trip out there went just as planned. We were able to nap and eat relatively well (and almost on time). Connecting through O'Hare was a pain, which was exactly what I expected. Do you remember before 9/11 when non-travelers were premitted beyond the security check points? Where did all those people fit? There was barely enough room for the people getting on the planes!

For the commute, Donnie and I decided to forego the stroller which was a brilliant idea given the space issues. This, however, meant that we would be carrying around a 20lbs. 8 month old. That and we would be making a great impression of pack mules while trudging through the airports. Props to the person who thought up the infant carrier that works like a backwards backpack! We received one as a gift when Reid was born and we have got miles (literally) of use out of it. The downside is that Donnie and I are mending from sore backs!

We spent three short days with my parents, but we had a great time! Donnie and I are so blessed to have parents we enjoy. I know that not everyone "likes" their in-laws but we truly enjoy the time we spend with our parents. And we always find ourselves looking forward to the next time we can be with them.

A couple of firsts came this weekend for Reid.

He traveled by plane.
He felt freezing temperatures (if only briefly).
He touched and tasted snow. Fortunately, it was clean snow.
He started saying "huh" like he didn't hear your the first time. This one is going to be annoying.
He met his great grandparents: my dad's mom and my mom's dad and his wife.

I thank God for his traveling mercies and for grandparents who love your child as much/maybe more than they love you!

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

2007-02-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

We'll we're packed and ready to hit the air to South Bend. Is there a list somewhere of what to pack when traveling with a baby? Now that everything is tucked safely away in our luggage, I am sure that I have forgotten something. Thankfully, South Bend, Indiana is a civilized town with stores like Meier and Target. So what am I worried about?

On a related note. I take pride in the ability to pack. I have had my share of travel nationally and internationally as well. And all that experience has taught me how and what to pack. Some dear friends of mine (some of you reading this blog, even) don't waste time in teasing me on the way I pack for a trip. Whenever Donnie and I would travel to California, Rhode Island, London, etc. Donnie would attempt to pack his belongings and then I would repack everything in as few bags as possible. There were times we got by with one piece of carry on luggage for a week's vacation!

Well, those days are LONG GONE! Tonight, we were counting and recounting the number of items we would be taking with us. Once they were all tallied, we then had to assess whether we could physically carry all of the items! I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself considering the circumstances of this trip to Indiana.
1. Traveling with a baby who
a. must eat every 5 hours and the pretzels on the plane won't cut it
b. rarely survives a day in the same clothes he started off wearing-see yesterday's blog
c. requires a daily breathing treatment
d. requires a car seat
2. Freezing Temperatures--5 years in the South can really thin your blood and since the body doesn't remember pain, it's a struggle to remember how to dress for 30 degree weather, but I digress.
3. New flight safety regulations-3 oz. limits, clear bags. Let's just hope that the NTSA agents know the rules as well as I have had to in preparation for this trip.

I am sure when it is all said and done (on Monday) we will laugh at the escapade of taking Reid on his first flight. Minus the mild anxiety of the commute, we are thrilled to spend some time with my mom and dad.

God will certainly use this weekend to teach me something. I just pray I get it the first time.

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-02-21T19:26:00.001-08:00

Huggies Suck!

2007-02-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

Here it is! I didn't expect it so soon, but here it is. Three weeks as a stay at home mom and already the topic of my conversations are DIAPERS. Sure we could discuss politics, religion, the weather, but why when you can laugh at the plight of a mom with only two hands and needing four more.

My precious 8 month old keeps me on my toes all day long. Today, however, I was on my knees trying to clean said child from the mess that escaped his diaper. It was everywhere and the fact that he is mobile (if not crawling) did not help the situation. After discovering the mess via the stench rising up from his pants, we quickly ran to the half bath off the kitchen that is about the size of a small coat closet. Reid was most interested in playing with the toilet seat, which is gross but at this particular point, the least of my worries. I very carefully removed the diaper, though it barely served its purpose. Then a quick rinse in the sink and we were off to an early bath. It's too bad that the weather wasn't nicer or we could have just hosed him off outside. Fortunately, he cleans up nicely. His clothes on the other hand may not make it.

I share all of this to maybe give you a laugh, (I know my mom is rolling about now) but also to share that Huggies don't cut it! They may work for some babies but not for mine. We'll be going back to Luvs immediately.

Thank God for disinfectant.

Why Blog?

2007-02-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

So why have a blog? Well, we have family and friends to live everywhere but here and in an effort to keep them updated we've set up a blog spot. Now, you can check back here for updates on the Giacomo clan in South Carolina.