Wordless Wednesday

Julie/Julia/Me??

Confession, I love the movie Julie/Julia staring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. If you haven't seen it I think you should. Nothing super emotional or deep, just a light fun movie to relax and not think too hard about. In the movie Julie (because of her husband and a mini mid-life crisis) decides to cook all the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", and blogging about it. The idea was that she would have something to do each day; sort of like a challenge for the day. Sometimes I think I should do something similar. Some fun activity or project each day to write about in my blog, but I have no idea what I would do. I saw a blog where a woman took an old ugly dress and remade it into something new. I don't want to do something that has already been done. Any ideas?

Five Question Friday

1. Did you make any fun purchases this week?

A diaper sprayer that attaches to the toilet?? Would you consider that fun?

2. If you could go to any musical concert, what would it be?

I would love to go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

3. What is your least fav/ most fav house chore?

I don't like putting clothes away after folding them. I don't mind doing the laundry, I just don't like putting it away. It seems pointless, since I'll just wear them in the next or two week anyways and they will end up back in the laundry basket.

4. Would you prefer new appliances or clothes?

I would go with appliances. I would love to get the front loading HE washer and dryer. Also a side by side freezer/refrigerator with an ice maker.

5. Miracle Whip or Mayo?

Mayo. I'm not that fond of the tangy zip.

Home daycare

Today, Phoenix, the little boy I'll be watching part-time came for the day. He and his mom came by earlier in the week, but this was the first time with him alone. He did very well and so did Patrick. There will be some adjusting for both of them but they will do fine. Patrick tried to pull up on Phoenix a couple times and Phoenix wasn't too keen on that. Luckily I was there to detach Patrick, but I'll have to watch out for that. I think Patrick enjoyed having someone to follow around besides me. I did forget how much more interaction an almost 3 year old needs compared to a 7 month old. With Patrick I can put him on the floor and let him go and explore on his own. A 3 year old, not so much. There is much more of the "play with me" aspect. Patrick also didn't want to nap this morning, I think because there was someone new here. He just went down much later than normal, but the length of his nap didn't change much. Overall, I enjoyed today and think that Phoenix will do well here.

Fast (Spiritual) Food

Michael and I were in Milwaukee on Saturday the 20th for Irishfest. It's become a tradition to go each year. On the drive there we went though a section of Milwaukee were a group of people where holding signs. These signs said "Drive Through Prayer". The address was written in smaller letters beneath. We got a laugh out of it. In our world of hustle and bustle even our prayers now come at fast food pace. Get in line, give your "order" at the window, receive your "purchase" and drive away. We all know that a lot of fast food is not good for us and can lead to obesity and other health issues. So my question to Michael became "Can drive through prayer" do the same thing to our spiritual health. Quick prayers and little else leaves us feeling good about what we did but produces a meager, sick, and weak spiritual life. What ever happened to "wait upon the Lord" (Isaiah 40:31). Can't we even find more than just a few minutes to spend seeking God in prayer? Pray consists of not just my requests, but also listening to God. This requires me to take time, become still, and listen. While I appreciate that there is someplace to go if you need prayer quickly, I hope this doesn't become the staple of our spirit diet in America.

Wordless Wednesday

Smith Family Photos

It has been close to 10 years since my family has taken a family photo. Yesterday we all went to Sears to have our photos taken. We got some good pictures of everyone and the families as well. Afterwards we went out for my dad's birthday which was on Saturday. These are my favorites.

My brother Peter

My sister Sarah, her husband Mike, and their son Jonathan

My parents, Robert and Darla

My nephew Jonathan

Grandparents and their grandsons

Aren't they cute cousins!

The Whole Smith Side

Patrick 7 months

The Bohlman Family

Five Question Friday

1. Do you close the bathroom door when you are home alone?

Nope, not any more. If I close the door Patrick follows me, tries to open the door and then cries if he can't get in. Maybe seeing me use the potty will encourage him to potty train early.

2. You have to walk around with a word on your forehead. That word describes you. One word. What is it?

Christian

3. What store do you refuse to shop at and why?

Victoria Secret. For a store that specializes in bras they only make certain sizes (A-D). You can't even order a larger size. Big POO on them.

4. If you participated in arranged marriages for your child(ren), who would you choose for your child(ren)?

I'm not sure. Most of the little girl I know are older than Patrick. Only Evie and Hailey are younger, so maybe one of them. Ask me in about 10 year and I'll have a better answer.

5. If you could pick how and when you would die, would you?

I think I would like to die in my sleep at a good old age like 90 something. I would prefer to be able to take care of my self until that time instead of being in a nursing home.

Selling Milk?

I have over 600 oz of frozen breast milk in our deep freezer from pumping while at work. Since I'll be staying home, I wont' need that much frozen breast milk. I was looking up how to donated my extra milk and came across a website that lets you place an ad for free to sell it. I thought I would give it a shot and see if anyone wants it. The ads I looked at are selling the milk for $1-$3 per ounce. That means if I'm lucky I can sell my extra for $600-$1800. Any thing will help at this point. Not sure if anyone will want it, but you never know. If not, I'll donate it a hospital.

7 Months

Patrick is 7 months old now. Time is going fast and Patrick is learning so much. He can now crawl on his hands and knees and is pulling up on everything. This has resulted in numerous falls. No injuries yet, but that is only a matter of time. He will "walk" if you hold his hands and lean him forward slightly. Michael likes to do this with him.

We started solids after Patrick's 6 month appointment. He does pretty well with them. So far he seems to like sweet potatoes, carrots, and yogurt. The hardest thing is getting him to open his mouth. I've tried putting the spoon on his bottom lip hoping he will open but he will clamp down instead. The only thing that seems to work is giving him something, like a lid or spoon, to hold and chew on. When he opens his mouth to put the spoon or lid in I have to quickly put his food in. He likes to feed him-self and is constantly grabbing at his spoon.

Overall, Patrick is doing great and seems to be ahead on his motor development. I just hope he slows down a little; I don't want a walker by 10 months. I've baby proofed a few things, but still have a ways to go. Things are going well and I have one little boy coming next week to check us out for daycare. If next week goes well, he will come in the mornings. I still would like to take in one more, preferably full time. Keep that in your prayers. I've moved things around a little in Patrick's room to make a play area besides the living room. Now I just need some older toys. I'm thinking I'll have to hit Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Moving Means No Napping

Patrick is a little too much like me when it comes to falling asleep. I have a tendency to keep going until bed time. If I stop moving and just sit still, I'll fall asleep. Patrick is the same way. He just keeps moving so that he doesn't fall asleep. This has caused a little trouble at nap time. He will crawl and pull up in his crib now. Before, I could put him in his crib and he would fall asleep in about 5-10 minutes because he couldn't move around a lot. Now that he moves really well, he has a hard time stopping and falling asleep. The last two days, I've had to hold him and rock him until he falls sleep. If I put him in his crib, he fusses and pulls up rather than falling asleep. I've had to lay him back down five or six times before I resorted to holding him. I think it is time to move the crib down.

Patrick Got a Hair Cut

Michael took one long look at Patrick this morning and decided he needed a hair cut. His hair was starting to stick out over his ears. After breakfast, Patrick was in his highchair and Michael got out the clippers. Patrick did well. He would try to turn his head and look at Michael and the noise coming from the clippers. He had the funniest look on his face. He looked good after the haircut. Michael did a good job. I took this video of Patrick getting his hair cut.

First Illness

Well, it has come. I knew it would, I just hoped to avoid it until Patrick was like 5. I know, unlikely, but one can hope right. Patrick has a little cold. :( He did not sleep well at all on Thursday night. He went to be around 8:30 and work up 4 or 5 times. Usually every hour to hour and a half. The longest he sleep was from 3:30 to 7:30ish. I'm not use to only getting 4 hours of sleep now. He woke up with a runny nose. No fever, but a runny nose and sneezes that shoot that snot all over. He's actually been in a very good mood despite this. The difficult thing is getting him to sleep. He didn't want to nap today and it took almost a hour to get him to fall asleep tonight. I think it is because he has the snot getting in the way of breathing well. I just hope that he and I get more sleep tonight.

Big Changes :)

There are two big changes is our family this week.

First, we've decided that I will be a stay-at-home mom and daycare provider. I've been looking for a job the last few months since I lost my job due to budget cuts in the state. I've had no luck in finding an teaching job, and I need to work in order to help pay the bills. I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and by taking in a few children to watch, I'll still be able to help. Things will be tight but we will make it. God has always provided for me and He still will. I already have one women interested in my watching her son. He will be part time, so I'll only need one or two full timers.

Second, due the the first change in our family, I'm switching Patrick to cloth diapers. It will cost a little more up front, but in the long run it will save us a lot of money. Especially since the diapers can be used for any future children. I've decided to go with the Best Bottom diapers. They were made by a women here in Wisconsin. Nothing like helping your own state economy. The diapers have a cover and then an insert. The covers are solid colors except for two; I couldn't resist the dairy cow one. I'm excited to start using them.

Wordless Wednesday

Irrational Mom Fears

As a mom, I've had a few irrational fears about being a parent and about Patrick. While pregnant it was will he have all his fingers and toes (maybe that one is normal). Then as a newborn it was am I feeding him enough and does he know I'm there to take care of him. Silly fears, but rooted in things that I've read in the parenting books I've been given to read. All these things to look out for and "make sure you do." Needless to say I've quit reading the books and I'm doing what I think is best. Since then all the irrational fears and stress have gone away. Well, except one.

The only irrational fear that I still have is when Patrick is crying and I'm driving. When Patrick starts to cry in the car it is because he is tired. When he stops crying, he has fallen asleep. This is where my irrational fear kicks in. I get anxious that he didn't fall asleep but quit breathing and died. All the things they tell you about SIDS doesn't help any. Like I said it's irrational but it's there.

This fear though is based on a family experience. I had a cousin who died of SIDs at about the age Patrick is now. The story I've been told is that my aunt when to check on some animals and left her and her older sister in the car. It was a cool March day, so my aunt had her under a blanket to keep her warm but cracked the window for air flow. My cousin was crying, and then stopped. When my aunt checked on the girls, she had died.

Thankfully, I have Jesus to rest and relay on when this irrational fear creeps in. He grants me security and peace that He is in control of my life and that of my family. "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27. I have to leave my worries and fears with him, they will only drag me down. Thankfully, my Lord is able to take them all.

Camping With My Family

Patrick and I went camping with my family; Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother-in-law, and Nephew, this past weekend. Two tents and a camper. Michael had to work on Saturday, so he wasn't able to camp the whole time with us. We had a good time, the nights were cool and the days were warm enough to go swimming. Michael helped set up the tent on Friday and then we went for a swim. On Saturday, Patrick explored the campgrounds. He was sooooooo dirty. We went swimming just so I could wash him off. My sister and mom went to a garage sale and found these wonderful foam letters. Patrick enjoyed eating the "I." Saturday was also my nephew Joshua's 3rd birthday party. We got to see a lot of family and Patrick had a good time playing in the pool with Joshua. Sunday, Patrick, Michael, and I went to church in Rio. We stayed for the Pig Roast and were able to talk with the friends there. Afterwards we broke camp and went for one more swim to cool off.

Five Question Friday

1. Do you have siblings and are you close with them?
I have two siblings, an older sister and a younger brother; yes, I'm the "forgotten middle child." I wouldn't say that I'm close to them, but our relationship is a whole lot better than when we were growing up. Especially with my sister. We use to fight constantly but now we get along. With my brother it just depends on the day. Sometimes we are fine and other times we fight and get mad at each other.

2. Would you rather be slightly UNDER weight or slightly OVER weight?
I'd have to go with slightly over weight. Then I could lose 10 lbs or so and be healthy.

3. What's your favorite State Fair food to splurge on?
Funnel cakes. I could eat these none stop, especially now that you can get them with fruit, and whipped cream or ice cream. Just thinking about them makes my mouth water. Isn't the state fair going on right now? Would it be wrong to drive the hour and a half and then pay the admission fee just to buy a Funnel Cake???

4. What are your thoughts on your kid(s) going to school in a few weeks?
Patrick doesn't go to school, but normally I would be getting ready for school in a few weeks. It is a little weird to not know if I'm going to be working.

5. Pool or Ocean?
OCEAN or any natural body of water. I love the waves, the sandy beach, and ocean bottom. Plus you don't come home smelling like the pool and it's easier on your suit and hair.

Just an Average Day On the Move

Patrick is quite the mover and shaker now. He is all over the house crawling and exploring. I put some of his toys on the floor for him to play with but no, he goes and finds every thing else. Today he grabbed the bag of pumping supplies and took it across the room.

Next on Patrick's list for exploration today was his carseat,

the babygate,

the space under the side table,

and in the kitchen.

While in the kitchen, he found the magnets on the fridge and decided to pull off the magnets he could reach. They were animal parts that are matched on the barn and it then signs a song about finding the match. So far he's only chewed on the pieces.

Patrick has recently learned to get on his knees and then reach up for what he wants. Not quite pulling up on things, but pretty close. Today it was the TV; at least he saw some fine art, notice the statue DAVID on the TV.

He has also enjoys crawling under his saucer. Sometimes he gets stuck and starts to cry. When not under it, he is in it.

He loves to jump in his saucer or horse. This is a common evening activity for him.

Wordless Wednesday