Running in from the rain

Tonight while I was in class it began to rain really hard, and there was just no way to avoid tramping through it quite a bit.  Susie and I had bags of stuff to carry from our afternoon on campus, and though my friend who gave us a ride kindly pulled up to pick us up, we still got drenched.  I love how Susie silently bore getting pelted by the shower and then had this deer in the headlights look on her face when we got home!

She was precious as I peeled off her wet layers and stuffed her in fluffy, dry jammies for bed.  I wonder if her hair will be all the way dry in the morning?
:)

Boy Stuff I've Made

Two super awesome blogs that I enjoy reading (MADE and Made by Rae) are featuring a WHOLE month of stuff just for boys.  Many sewing projects and craft blogs are centered around girls, and I have really appreciated all the fun inspiration I've found reading these blogs as well as their archives from last year.  I am a beginner in sewing, to say the least, but in honor of "For the Boy" month, I've worked on a few boy projects for my nephews and my baby-on-the-way.

Here are the pictures of what I've made.  PLEASE keep in mind, I am a beginning sewer. . . which you can tell by my lovely stitchery. :)

 This was my first project -- actually, I only finished it in honor of "For the Boy" month.  I had already done most of the owl.  This was for my nephew Graham, and it's a cheat, because I just used the iron-on stuff (I made it before I got my sewing machine).

 Tie up-cycled from one of my husband's ties (he approved it first!).  It's for a gift, but I will probably make more.  The tutorial on how to make them is right here.  Taken from the archives of last year's "For the Boy" month.

 Drool bib for my baby boy, who is on the way.  I would not give it away because of how poorly it is sewn, but if he's just going to spit up on it, oh well. :)  I was very excited about the THOUGHT behind this bib, but it was really just one major oops after another (not sure if you can tell that there is gingham UNDER the white elephant -- that'd be my first mistake.  Ironed the wrong side down. . . and it went downhill from there).

My SIL Kari found out she is expecting her 3rd boy.  Needless to say, she's well equipped in boy clothes and gear, but to celebrate his special status, I made him a little number bib. 

Finally a picture of Susie playing with her older cousin Max this weekend.  He's not quite 2 years older than her, and she totally thinks he's awesome.  I took them outside for a bit of fresh (and COLD) air and sunshine to run around.  I had them running races down to the shed and back, which of course was just an excuse to make them run fast.  Sus was nonplussed by her losses and kept running after him anyway. :)  I love how Max has that big stick in his hand here. :)  Boys.

I feel like Susie is the kind of little girl who could definitely enjoy having a little brother to play with!

Al Mohler on Bookstores

I really hope Dr. Mohler is right.  I would miss bookstores so very much. . .

Read his article here.  I work for the "excellent store on our campus" that he mentions -- thanks, sir. :)

This quote stuck out to me as especially true: “If you remove books from our towns and villages and malls, there will be less opportunity for the serendipitous discovery of books. And that will make it tougher to sell books.”

In the past, I worked for a store that recently went out of business, which was a tragedy for the community it had served for years.  The community probably does not realize what a loss it has sustained. . . until they notice that their kids will now only have the option to peruse books at WalMart. . . in between grocery and school clothes shopping.  I imagine that perusal will not be a lengthy one.

Do you agree Dr. Mohler?  Do you love to handle books before you buy them?  Do you shop for books in a real brick and mortar store?  Support the future of your community and the future of BOOKS by shopping for them locally!

Scenes from Valentine's Day

We celebrated V-day on Saturday with heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast, cards, presents for Susie, and a VERY fun date night for Josh and I -- eating at Havana Rhumba (YUMMY Cuban restaurant), a little Target (fun) shopping and Pie Kitchen for dessert.  Thankful for our friends from our small group at church who babysat (for free!) so we could go out!

So today was not a huge celebration day (we both worked), but there was still some fun involved.  Here are some pics to outline our Valentine's Day:

1. Fetal echo on our little guy who is growing  and making me grow!  I'm 25 weeks, and he's got a nice normal heart as far as we can tell.  I watched his heart on the ultrasound monitor for almost an hour (the total U/S was longer than an hour), but of course have no pictures of that process.  Here's me right before we left.

Please click on this picture -- I look less chubby when the photo is enlarged.

2. Came home from work to find these framed family pictures on the wall!  What a great Valentine's surprise!  I'd bought the frames and put in pictures a while back, but I'm bad at arranging, and Josh is sort of a perfectionist, so I knew I'd just have to wait for him to have at it.  The Valentine decor was made by me and Sus last week -- she colored the hearts hanging from the light fixture over our table. :)

3. Valentine cards and presents in the mail!  I've been hanging Susie's cards over her bed -- I started this tradition last year, and now I think it's going to be our thing.

4. It was WARM enough to play outside, so as soon as dinner was over, Sus and I headed out.  Our Chinese neighbor met us on the steps and said "Oh, Susie, you have wonnerful hair!"  I think it was the strawberry clips that won him over. :)  Our apartment complex has a big pebble pit where it once housed a swimming pool and Susie loves to play in it.  It's a somewhat cleaner version of a sandbox.

5. Washed the cups in the sink when we came back in.  Susie was soaked and so was the bathroom floor, but WOW was that entertaining.  She "washed" them for 30-45 minutes while I cleaned the tub.  Now that she's big enough to kneel on a chair, this will be a frequent activity.

6. Snuggles, kisses and giggles from my little Bizzy Boo -- she's a pretty sweet Valentine, since I didn't get to see my man much today!  When looking at this picture, she noticed her belly was showing (which she calls "boody") -- haha! 

This is her "cheese" smile

 And, hey this holiday isn't quite over yet!  Josh just texted to say he's bringing home milkshakes!

Spring Fever

We could not be more excited that it is supposed to warm up over the weekend!  While it was so cold last week, I busted out some of the precious spring dresses I have saved for Susie and had her try them on to see if they will fit when spring finally arrives.  I loved lots of the pics I snapped, but especially this one, with her ponytails going forward over her head (she'd just got up from naptime) and the Mr. Potato Head parts laying all around her.

I hope it gets really warm soon, or I'm afraid this white dress isn't going to fit for spring!

Linking up to Simply Modern Mom.

Recent Library Picks

We've gotten in the swing of a more regular trip to the Library with Susie to choose books.  I don't really want to go more frequently than every 2-3 weeks because sometimes it takes half that for her to warm up to a book!  So far, she has grown more and more fond of each pick from the library after the first week and a half -- even if she loved it right away. :) So I feel like I am more equipped to rate her library picks near the end of their stay in our home than I was at the beginning. 

Though we don't always get out our library books each day, we do read some of them almost every day.  Here are a few that we've had for a couple weeks now (and will be going back tomorrow) that she really has enjoyed:

1. Curious George and the Puppies -- gotta admit, even though this tops the chart of her faves, I personally am glad that we did eventually have to take it back.  She loves George, she loved the puppies and the "OH NO!" part of the book when he let them all out.  I could see how much she loved it, and though George and the puppies were quite cute, the story about him visiting the animal shelter was rather BORING. :)  But not to a one-year-old!!  So we read it 17 times a day. . . at least, probably. . .


2. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss -- this book is loooooong.  Don't get me wrong, she loves it!  She especially loves the first 8 or so pages, which she nearly has memorized.  And we have certainly read all 63 rhyming pages at least a dozen times, but it really is long for this young of a kiddo.  Plus, after the first half-dozen pages, each page is a new creature/situation, and pretty much unrelated.  Cat in the Hat is about this long, but it's all one story, so probably easier to follow along (same characters each page, thus, not resetting your brain for something new).  She calls the little girl in this book "Sally" because she looks like the little girl from Cat in the Hat.  :)  One fun thing I have found is that after she got pretty familiar with this book, I could read a line or two and then pause when I came to a rhyming word and she'd fill it in very well.  

Me: "Some are sad, and some are glad, and some are very very. . . "
Susie: "BAD!"
Me: "Why are they sad and glad and bad? I do not know, go ask your. . . "
Susie: "DAD!"
(imagine her words sometimes being sputtered around her thumb, if it were close to bedtime)

3. Time for Bed by Mem Fox -- I found this in big board book edition at the library, and thought it might be a sweet book to read at bedtime.  I've always loved these illustrations -- I used to buy new baby cards with the picture of the goose and gosling at bedtime with the stars behind them: GORGEOUS!  Susie loves this book because she loves animals, and the cover has sheep, which are some of her faves.  This is also a good one for learning rhyming.  


Me: "It's time for bed, little mouse, little mouse, darkness is falling all over the. . . "
Susie: "HOUSE!"

4. Hush Little Ones by John Butler -- our librarian found this for me at our last visit when I mentioned how much Susie liked monkeys.  There is one page of a mommy and baby monkey (which is just utterly adorable), but otherwise not about monkeys at all -- however, I'm so glad she found it for us.  One of Susie's old faves is also by this illustrator, and I'm so very fond of the illustrations!  John Butler draws the animals so round and fat and furry that you want to reach into the picture and pet them. :)  For a while, each time we'd read this book (usually at bedtime, again), when we got to the monkey page, Susie would try to curl up on me like the baby monkey was curled up on his mommy.  Super sweet.

This is what happens. . .

. . . if you don't completely clear the dinner table after supper and leave your 20 month old to her own devices.  I heard some thumping, which sounded like the tray coming off her high chair, but assumed she was playing with her doll.  She was, and I guess she was the mommy, up in MY seat, stirring in her pan of eggs!

Linking up to Simply Modern Mom.

January Reading

The year 2010 was the year of unfinished books for me.  I cannot pinpoint the reason for it, but I started many good books without finishing them.  So this year I wanted to be more thorough and finish something each month.  January was a pretty good start -- I read three books and several chapters of another.  Here's what I read:

1. Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney -- just the first few chapters.  I am reading this long distance with Josh's sisters and brother's wife, and we are reading a chapter a week, and then posting "quotes and questions" to each other via Facebook.  It's really been great.  I loved this book the first time I read it, and I feel like it's even better this time around.  If you aren't familiar with the Mahaneys -- I'd recommend checking out their GREAT blog Girl Talk.  One of the best and most uplifting blogs out there!

2.  The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin -- this is the prequel to the Baby-sitter's Club series that came out when I was nine.  I devoured those books as a kid, and when I spotted this recently-written prequel at the library, I had to indulge myself.  It tells the story of Kristy, Mary Ann, Claudia and Stacy just before they began the Baby-Sitter's Club together.  While it will never top the list of all-time favorites for me, it was really fun to remember the characters like that.  Back in the day, Claudia was my favorite because she was so cool, but as a grown-up I see that I was much more like Kristy.  

3. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen -- Josh's parents gave us all Kindles for Christmas, and since many great classic works are free, I quickly added those to my e-reader and jumped into this Austen work I've been wanting to read.  I really enjoyed the hero of the story -- he was so funny at points it seemed more like a Dickensian hero.  I don't think I prefer it over other Austen, but it was a terrific read just the same.  I think this was an excellent way to start out my e-reading experience, because it made a thick book light and not tiresome to hold in one hand for even long periods of time (found that out once when Susie fell asleep on me, and I could only hold up one arm to hold my Kindle.  I normally enjoy flipping to endnotes to gain perspective on the historical setting, but it wasn't as handy to do so with the Kindle, so it kept me right in the story more, which is rather enjoyable as well.

4. Lady Jane Grey, Nine-Day Queen of England by Faith Cook -- this was the best book I read last month.  I finished the last chapter with the utmost respect for this young Tudor girl who was plotted against and mistreated her whole life long, only to die honorably without forsaking her sincere beliefs.  At nine, she was sent to court (Henry the VIII was on the throne) and was educated alongside her cousin, Prince Edward by godly tutors who embraced Reformation teachings.  Jane was brilliant, and at 13 and 14 she held regular correspondence with leading Reformers living throughout Europe such as Martin Bucer.  She was able to dialogue about Theology and Scripture with these men.  I was amazed by the both her brilliance in writing to them, and that they were willing to write to a woman, and such a young woman at that!  Poor Jane was forced to marry, and then take the throne at age 15, and then after just a few days, abandoned by everyone who forced the crown upon her, including her parents, all of whom rallied for Queen Mary.  While Jane lived, Mary's throne seemed threatened, so she was condemned to death by beheading.  The last 2 chapters of this book were simply amazing, telling of how a good priest, Feckenham, was determined to "save" Jane, both her life and soul by converting her Catholicism.  Mary offered Jane her life if she would renounce the "new religion".  This young girl at 16 faced many priests in public debate, just days before her execution, knowing that if she were to recant, her life would be spared.  I was in awe to read her debate (which is recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs), and how at its conclusion, Feckenham says they should have changed places, with Jane as the teacher and he as the disciple, and offered to be her spiritual support at the executioner's block.  While this book began a bit slowly (many biographies do, you know), it ended just breathtakingly!  What an admirable heroine is Lady Jane Grey!

February is here -- time to begin some new books!

Her baby

Sus is a BIG Curious George fan.  She got this big plush George for Christmas, and last week, he was her baby for a couple days.  I tried to follow her around and snap a picture of her mothering him -- feeding him in her high chair, rocking him in the bassinet -- but they kept coming out blurry since she was always on the move.  I caught this cute picture of her coming out of her room, holding her wrapped up "baby" tightly.  I love how you can just barely see the Curious George face enough to tell who it is.

Tomorrow we are going to a local Barnes and Noble to SEE Curious George!  Let's hope she likes meeting him more than she liked meeting Santa Clause. :)  Regardless, I'm sure it will be a fun outing for our family and I plan on letting her pick out a Curious George book to bring home with us.

Linking up to Simply Modern Mom.

It's Ten A.M. . .

. . . and time to read.

Lately Susie (who is now 19 months) has been all about Dr. Suess books.  It started with Cat in the Hat, which she still loves, as well as Cat in the Hat Comes Back, Green Eggs and Ham (she calls it "Am Am" -- not sure if that's "Sam I Am" or her way of saying "ham", but either way, it makes sense), and now One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.

I left for work and saw her perched on the couch thumbing through her new favorite library book.  I called to my husband to make sure he snapped a couple pictures.  I think he did a pretty good job!

Linking up to Simply Modern Mom's "Glimpse Into Motherhood". 

Sharing the snow

Simply Modern Mom had a great idea of taking pictures and posting them once a week that show a small snapshot of motherhood.  I loved looking at the pictures other people showed, and thought this one was just perfect for me this week.  Sus and I spent a great morning playing out in the snow.  This was her second real snow-playing experience, and she ate it up (literally).  Here she is sharing a taste of snow with me!  You can see a little fleck of her previous bite on her lip as well as tell-tale flakes trapped in the neck of her vest. 

 I just LOVED the way she looked right up at me to offer some snow.  Do you think I took a bite?  Wouldn't you??

Reading to Babies Part 2

A while back, I posted some tips on reading to babies that I hoped would encourage parents of little ones.  Last night as Susie and I were reading before bedtime, I realized that as she has grown, my methods have changed somewhat, and that I had some new tips to share on reading to young toddlers.

I almost have a hard time calling an 18-month-old a toddler, but I realize that is the correct term.  But one year old baby/toddlers need lots of read-aloud time with Mama, too, and we are laying groundwork for the longer books of our future with the books we read today.

1. Consistent book exposure -- It may sometimes feel like the books are just everywhere, and try your sanity a bit as you try to keep them tidy.  However, having print (and pictures) accessible to your little one will greatly benefit them down the road, and increase the likelihood that they will request to be read to.  Being able to look through a book at their leisure introduces the concept of independent reading.  To make books accessible, consider keeping some in baskets in regular play areas, or at least in reach of their little fingers.  I have a gorgeous bookshelf mounted up above our changing table that Susie cannot reach, and that's where I keep the special books that I wouldn't want to have ruined (for now).  However, the vast majority of her books are all over the place.  I'm thrilled that she has the freedom to "read" those books to herself.  One time I cracked up to see her reading Cat in the Hat and saying "NO NO NO!!!"  If you recall, "no no no" is the major theme of the book -- the cat making trouble and the fish and kids wanting him to leave -- so she was telling herself the story as she looked at the pictures.  

2. Familiarity -- this is the reason that kid's birthday parties often have the theme of their favorite "characters":  the kids feel like they know those characters through consistent exposure.  Several months back I noticed that Susie was frequently saying the names of the characters in her books, and recognizing them everywhere.  For example, every monkey was "George".  It dawned on me (over time) that she liked reading the same books over and over because it was like she knew these people.  So, as much as I'd like to broaden her horizons by introducing new books every day, I know it will take time for her to warm up.  Here's how I introduce a new full-length picture book:

• I let her flip through the book while I point out things happening in the pictures.  I let her handle most of the pages, even though I keep the book moving forward (no need to read every page if she skips one). You may let your child do this several times or on several occasions if necessary before actually reading it.
• I read the book (if she hasn't cast it aside already) out loud as far through as I can.  I might possibly summarize parts of longer pages to keep the pace going.
• The 3rd time through (assuming she wants to read it again, or perhaps if we pick it up later) I read it entirely.  By this point, she has gotten a pretty good grip on what will happen and the story is far more enjoyable if I don't leave anything out.  
• Henceforth, I usually insist on her waiting to turn the page until I have finished reading what is on the page (more on this later), though I don't insist we finish reading the book if she loses interest (this is not usually a problem.  By this point, it will surely be "again!" when we get to the end). 

This worked incredibly well with a new library book we got yesterday.  From about 4pm to bedtime, we read it 9 times, and she was sad when I said "all done" for bedtime.  She even told her daddy what happened in the book at dinner.  Here's my point: sometimes we get discouraged because a child doesn't seem to like a book initially because they are flipping through it.  However, by taking baby steps to familiarize the child with the story, they will often warm up to the book. Just give it time.

3. Freedom and responsibility -- at this point, I still want my baby to have freedom to explore the books.  

• I don't always require her to sit on my lap (or sit at all) while I'm reading to her.  Usually she does (she's a cuddler) but sometimes on our 4th time through a book, she just can't hold still any longer, and she will stand and look at the book, or even walk around a little and come back.  Unless I can tell she's just done, I keep reading.  
• If she is inclined to do so, I let her turn the pages.  Usually this is a favorite part of reading for this age level.  When a child tries to turn a page too early, it might seem like they don't care about the story, which can be discouraging.  However, I think that most likely it is just their eagerness to do their part and see what is coming next. Sometimes I say "just wait, mommy has to finish reading this page" and sometimes I let her turn it, look, and then I turn back and pick up where we left off.  We are gently guiding these little ones to understand the order of a book, and at the same time teaching them patience and responsibility.  
• This is the age to begin to instruct them in responsibility for their books.  I don't let Susie walk on her books (paper page books, that is), or throw them.  When we read, sometimes she wants to put her feet on the pages, but since I think that could tempt her to kick and tear the pages, I tell her not to put her feet over the pictures.  All of this sort of instruction is done in a very patient and gentle manner.

4. Don't give up, or refuse to read -- If your baby doesn't seem thrilled by books, don't give up.  Keep reading, even little snippets when you get the chance.  Anything is better than nothing.  If your kiddo is constantly requesting the same book 47 times, don't refuse her (tedious though it may become)!  This era will soon be past, and you'll miss those snuggle moments when they are gone!

Happy New Year!

I haven't blogged in quite a while, and that's because I have been enjoying family time, home time, and holiday time rather than being on the computer as much.  But I did want to say Happy New Year, and share some of my goals for 2011 as well as a few favorite holiday pics.

1. Re-read some really great books, in addition to reading some new ones.  Some of my SILs and I are planning to read Carolyn Mahaney's Feminine Appeal together, which is really exciting.  I always have stacks of books I want to start, but I'm choosing what should rise to the top. 

2. Sewing.  I am the new owner of a sewing machine, thanks to a very generous Christmas gift from a friend!  I have several projects in mind I want to try, but first I'm planning to sort of learn with a few practical things, using fabric I salvaged when I cleaned out my closet.  I also have a little bit of pretty fabric stowed away that I'm excited to get my hands on. :)

3. Home organization.  I would like to really improve in this area.  I think for the past year or two, I've sort of just gotten doing the basics.  I'd like to streamline quite a bit, and clear out closet space, etc.  I know this won't happen overnight, but planning to do a chunk at a time!

Here are a few fun pictures from our Christmas festivities:

Lots of cousin time -- playing piano with Cede

Christmas day -- so fun to explore all the new gifts

Playing in matching jammies on Christmas eve

Little helper ready to bake!

Reading with older cousin "Mack" (as Susie says)

We had several opportunities to enjoy the snow!

Cutie Christmas dress and babylegs

 

What we're doing for Advent

Even though my little girl is really small, and doesn't yet understand the mysteries of the incarnation, I wanted to start laying a foundation now that will help to focus our minds and hearts on Christ during this season.  I want to serve her by not tempting her to love things more than Jesus, because I know that battle will spring up in her heart on its own accord without help from me.  I want her absolute earliest memories of Christmas to be not just the teeming pile of gifts she cannot wait to open, but the whole Advent season and the activities that take place.

Here is what we're doing this year:

Susie making Baby Jesus eat his birthday cake.

1. First Day of Advent, I pulled out her new Fisher Price Nativity set.  We keep it out in the living room, usually set up under the tree.  I try to play with it with her every day, making Mary kiss baby Jesus and the angel sing "Glooo-oooo-ria" and the animals make their noises.  My plan is to only get this toy out during Advent, so they will remember it as the years go on, and look forward to playing with it.

2. Books -- we started last year by giving Susie a little board book for Advent called The Special Baby that very simply tells the story of Christ's birth.  I got that back out a few days ago, and then yesterday gave her a new Advent book, The Animal's Christmas Eve which is an old Golden Book we found at Half-Priced books.  It's perfect for her "listening" level this year.  It rhymes, and has all the animals, and she asked me to read it like 5 times this morning, so I know she likes it.  I saw her flipping through it and heard all the animal sounds (at our house, the animals are NAMED their sounds, for the most part.  Except "horsey" which is a very new word for her).  My plan for this tradition is to build our little Advent book collection each year and get them all out to read just during this time of year together.  I think it could be really fun as kids get older and they are various ages.  We could do one book a day or something, once we get enough.  For now, she likes reading the same things over and over so this works!

3. Christmas songs -- when I was a little girl, we would sing Christmas songs by the tree before bed, so I did that with Susie last year.  This year she's not always keen for me to keep her pinned down, so we don't do it every night, but I have been singing lots of Christmas songs about Jesus.  If she's in the mood, she does the motions with me to "Away in a Manger" and often mouths along the words (not the real ones, she pretends to know it) with us.  Of course there are all kinds of fun Christmas songs like "No Place Like Home for the Holidays" that I enjoy hearing each year, but I really want to feed our souls by making songs about Jesus what we sing and listen to as much as possible.  

4. Advent Calendar -- I've misplaced my nice big Noel Piper calendar, and plan to make one for next year.  Since I don't have that, we are just sticking on the little footprint stickers to this, and making that our little calendar.  Counting the days until Christmas hasn't been a thrill for her yet, but it's good for me to do!

5. Coloring -- crafts are just a bit too much for Susie right now, but that girl could color all the live-long day.  I'm printing off some nativity coloring sheets for her so we can talk about the pictures while she colors.  I also found a $1 activity book that comes with stickers and coloring pages to pull out close to Christmas.  I'd love for those people and animals in the Christmas story to become a part of her life like Curious George, Cat in the Hat and Woody (from Toy Story) -- those are all her favorite characters.

6. Family Devotions -- Josh is reading selections from Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus  aloud after dinner.  We don't do it every night, but they are really good.  I have been reading a few in my own devotions, as well.  I appreciate how focused on Christ the readings are.  Several days ago I read part of a sermon by George Whitfield during which I was very convicted about my neglect of the poor.  It's certainly not too late to look into getting this book to read this Christmas season!

Of course we're doing other Christmas traditions and baking and shopping things too, but these things are good for me to do too, not just for Susie.  By working hard to help her learn about the baby in the manger, I am forced to keep my focus there as well.

What are you doing to make Christ the center of your holiday?  I'm be stockpiling ideas for future years!

Our Little Family

I'm excited to share that the Lord has blessed our little family, and He is causing it to grow!  I am coming to the end of the first trimester of a second pregnancy, and we will find out if we are going give Susie a little brother or sister next month!  Lord willing, we will welcome a new baby into our family by the beginning of June next year.

Praising the Lord for his goodness.  He is the giver of life and all good gifts!

Going to the Heart Doctor

Going a different route with this week's post.  It's really more about me, but my mom as well. 

Today I was thinking about my mom quite a bit.  I went to the pediatric cardiologist, and as I sat filling out the paperwork, I looked around and thought of how many forms like those my mom had filled out for me.  I was thinking how I used to go visit my cardiologist every December when I was a girl, and we would travel to Cincinnati to Children's Hospital for the appointment, no matter where we lived.  Today there were flurries falling, and with the Christmas season coming, I could remember those days so well.  When I got old enough to care, I would choose to wear my favorite outfit on that day.  I knew Mom and I would go downtown, just the two of us, and usually we would try to meet my Aunt Sandy for lunch, if she were available.  Aunt San worked at Children's Hospital as a surgical nurse, and it was so fun to meet her in her scrubs, and the three of us go eat in the cafeteria together.  I knew Mom would let me get some sort of fun and yummy cafeteria dessert to eat, and it was great to sit and listen to Mom and Aunt Sandy talk.  It was rare to be alone with two grown-ups in those days. :)

I can't help but wonder if Mom had a hard time with those annual visits.  I know that fear and worry was something she battled her whole life.  She used to post Bible verses up around the house to meditate on, to help her with her worry.  She never acted nervous, that I can remember, but then again, I never had anything but glowing reports.  Still, I'm sure that there was some aspect of fear or worry each time we went through the EKGs and Echos.  Perhaps she wondered if my heart was still functioning normally.  Perhaps she was afraid she'd hear something other than "see you next year!" at the end of the appointment.  If so, she never let on.

Dr. Benzing and me when I'm about 9 or so

I loved to walk into the Pediatric Cardiologist's office, and hear the nurses and doctors comment on how grown up I was getting.  Amazingly, many of them had worked there when I was very small, or even when I was first born, and so they remembered us year after year.  Those kind of comments are just music to a little girl's ears!  I enjoyed the cold and sticky EKGs -- they were somewhat fun to me.  I loved meeting with Dr. Benzing (yes, my cardiologist had the same last name as we did -- we were distant relatives), and hear his soft-spoken assessment of my ticker.  It was like I had accomplished some great feat by growing another year and still having a good heart.  As a little girl, I felt somewhat proud of myself (as if I had anything to do with it!).  It never entered my mind that I'd hear anything negative at those appointments, because I never had.  It also never entered my mind that it might be difficult for my mother to re-enter that arena year after year.  

I was not fearful, because Mom did not appear to be.  And I'm really thankful for that.

Here is a post I wrote about my birth and heart surgery.

Thinking about Christmas Cards and Why I Love Shutterfly

I recently read a magazine article contemplating why people send photo Christmas cards every year when we share pictures throughout the year on Facebook, blogs and through e-mail.  The writer considered it a waste of money, and time.  It made me really think about sending Christmas cards, and wonder WHY it is that I want to do it anyway?

I think it's because I LOVE getting people's Christmas cards!  I especially love it when you send us one that has a family picture on it -- we often leave them up for months, or at least tack them on the fridge long after we take down the Christmas decor.  Last year we put our cards up around the doorway to the kitchen, and Susie, who had just started on solids, would sit in her high chair and grin at all the people smiling at her from their cards!


My favorite company to order cards from is Shutterfly  If you have ever ordered anything from them, you KNOW they have exceptional quality!  Their site is really user friendly, too.  I ordered Susie's birth announcements from them, and even splurged to get the really special beautiful cards I wanted.  I have ordered invitations, Father's day cards, prints and photo books.  Their quality never disappoints! 

Check out some of their Holiday Cards they have this year -- they are always coming up with new and AWESOME things!! Here are a few of my favorites:

This one unfolds to show a picture timeline of your year -- so you can add pics and tell what your family did that year.  LOVE IT!

Just so classy!

This would be super cute if you had the perfect picture to go.  I'm thinking a baby laughing???

Of course, I'm not going to tell my VERY favorite!  I'd rather keep it a surprise until my Christmas card comes in the mail!

Project 52 -- Date Night #5

Saturday night Josh and I dropped Susie off at a babysitter, and went to see the new Harry Potter movie together!  While driving in the car, we tried to remember the last time we'd gone to a movie together. . . yep, it was the last Harry Potter movie!  Last summer, when Sus was tiny.  I think it was the first time she'd gone to a babysitter.

Anyway, in an effort to make out date lowish cost (movies are SO EXPENSIVE) we went to the 5:55 show so it still counted as a matinee!  Also, I packed cans of soda in my purse for us (ok, some frown, I know, but we still gave the theater plenty of money).  I did buy us a big popcorn, though.  Some things you just can't replace (at least for us).  We packed sandwiches to eat in the car to save time and money (because the movie started so early).  It was really really fun!  The theater was packed, so I had to lean over to Josh a little since the guy next to me was certainly taking up more than his share of our armrest. :)

I'm guessing we might pull out another movie date night -- the new Narnia movie comes out next month!

Linking up with Simply Modern Mom's Project 52.

The Importance of Read-Aloud

I had to write a topical speech for my class, and I thought I'd post it here.  I'm sorry that it's in speech form, and not too easy to read, but I hope the content is at least somewhat interesting! If it helps, you might want to read it out loud in my voice.  In front of a mirror. . . :)

Intro:  On a snowy blowy day in January, the winds blew drifts around our big house in the Wisconsin countryside.  I sat in the front living room with my brother and sister, listening to our mother read to us from a thick chapter book.  The room was golden and glowing, not just from the sunshine that fell through the window, but also from the story we all soaked up together.  We could sit, lay, or cuddle as Mom’s voice read on and on.  And when it would stop, we’d all beg for just one more chapter!  We loved having her read to us, even though we were all certainly old enough to read the book ourselves.  It was more than the story that we loved, it was the togetherness, and the way her voice brought it to life.  I would like to share with you some of the joys and benefits to reading aloud to your children.

I.                    Who? Everyone!  As much as possible, gather the children together for reading

A.      Babies and toddlers – a child is never too young to be read to!  Begin by reading even just a few pages or short board books to your littlest ones.

B.      Younger children – benefit from hearing stories they would not be old enough to read themselves.  Early readers can learn to love books and reading because they are engaged in stories they would otherwise not yet be able to access.

C.      Older children – don’t stop reading aloud just because a child can read for himself.  You are still modeling good reading habits, and engaging your older children in the story.

1.      Reading aloud to older children can keep a child-like spirit in them, teaching them a “willingness to be enchanted” (C.S. Lewis) that is lacking in our modern technologically-driven world.

2.      Reading aloud to older children can give you opportunities to reach their hearts in ways directly speaking to them cannot.  A story can touch us deep inside, and make us think about deeper things.

II.                  What? Your options are unlimited!  There are more good books to read than you will ever have time to uncover.  Here are some suggestions:

A.      Classics

B.      Books that Build Character by William Kirkpatrick has many good suggestions

C.      Think outside the box – I’m thankful my mother read us Treasure Island and other “boy books” that I would never have chosen to read to myself.  She also read us all of Little House on the Prairie books, which I’m sure my brother wouldn’t have chosen!

III.                When?

a.      Start young – keep going til they leave the nest

b.      Every day if possible.  If your children go to school and you don’t see them all day, try to read together before bedtime at least.  If they are still at home or homeschooled, find a good restful time that everyone can relax and enjoy, like after lunch.

IV.                Where?

a.      In a golden living room

b.      On Mommy and Daddy’s bed

c.       Around the table after dinner

d.      Get creative!  Build a pirate ship, take a quilt outside under the apple trees, make a tent in the basement. . .

Conclusion: You will never regret the time you invest in knitting your children’s hearts together when you read aloud to them.  You will be building memories for them to hold onto for life!

Good Night, Sue -- Chapter 6

Susie was a little mommy.  It may have been that she had little sisters (and she got another one when she was nine years old -- Sandy).  Or it just may have been the way God made her, to care for the small, the weak, or just anyone who needed loving.  Each night, before Susie went to bed, she put all her dolls and toys to bed as well.  Even if they were just on the floor, or on a chair, she couldn't bear the thought of them going through the night feeling cold.  So she would cover them all up -- and be sure to get their feet nice and covered (because it's the worst to have cold feet while you are sleeping).  If she didn't have enough blankets for them all, she'd use spare pieces of fabric or clothes.  Once everyone was all tucked in, Susie could rest easy.

She was also very creative.  Sometimes a little girl cannot fall asleep right away at night, even if she is actually tired.  Sometimes she would be the only one having trouble falling asleep, and she would play this game while she waited.  She would pretend that she was a queen, and the bed was her throne, and the whole bedcovers were her royal robes.  They spread out from her in a wide, lovely flow, just like a queen's long gown should fill her throne room.  This worked especially well when she was sleeping at her grandmother's house, in a big big bed with old fashioned bedcovers.  Those worked very nicely with a stately touch that a queen's robe needed.  She would lie very still so the dress would not get messed up, and imagine her throne room full of courtiers, and entertainers until she got sleepy enough to drift off. . .

Years later, when Sue was a mommy, she was still big on tucking her children into bed.  Gretchen and Anna would call "Mommy, will you come tuck us?" if they had been in bed very long without her coming upstairs.  And if there were any fears related with sleeping, she had creative ideas for how to overcome those keep-you-awakers.  For instance, when Gretchen was afraid of housefires, her mommy told her that their cat Peaches, who always slept on the end of their bed was their own little fire alarm, and that was all the assurance she needed.  She told all her girls the idea of pretending to be a queen, and it was a fun game for them to try as well.  Read here for more ways Emily was helped by her mommy when she had a hard time sleeping.

Linking up with Mommy's Piggy Tales (and for those of you who are interested, also finishing my YAY posts this weekend:  getting engaged and married!)