Vacation and more

Well as most of you know we've been in Florida for the last week and oh what a fun time we had ;-) Isaac swam in the pool so much. He got so good that he learned how to paddle himself around the pool without help in his float. He did really good about going under the water, he didn't even cry. He didn't like the ocean though. I figure it was many reasons. The water was VERY cold and the waves were really big because of Hurricane Bill. So we went home and to the pool.

We had such a good time, I think he's spoiled to death. Nana and Poppy, Aunt M, Aunt Vickie and Momaw and Popaw spoiled him so much, he doesn't even want to hold his own bottle anymore. He loved every second of it.

He was trying to move around and crawl the entire time we where there, but he never really would crawl. This morning he was moving all around, but still not quite crawling. I sat him in the hall and next thing I know he's in the bathroom touching the toilet and heading for the tub. Such a crazy boy. Tonight we sat him in the floor and the next thing we know he's off. Really crawling. I am so thankful that we were both there to see it. He and Daddy hae races through the living room.

Below are some pictures.

Isaac at Let's Play


Loving the Puppet Show by Abby

Not a fan of the ocean






Mommy and Isaac on the beach


Love this boy


This face is amazing!


The family


Spaghetti face, first time eating Mom's spaghetti. He loved it.


Hi Daddy


Love it!

The Beach from Aunt Vickie's hotel







Just keep swimming


He loves his Popaw


And Momaw


Swimming with Daddy


Oh this smile is going to get him in trouble one day.

My teeth

On Sunday, I noticed Isaac's first tooth had come through! He had been good as gold. I noticed Monday morning that the corner of the one beside it was coming as well. Today it's working it's way through. The second one hasn't been quite as easy, but still not horrible. I just wish I could take the pain away for him. Here's a few pictures.

Eating/attacking the cucmber





Hhhhmmmm.....what's this?



Playing in the nursery during VBS

Help me Mom, I'm falling

Such a tired boy

Great big smiles for Mommy

Posing in his "My First Ohio State T-Shirt"


So I thought I would start with some pictures for today!

I got to take a well deserved nap this afternoon, VBS has literally worn me out. Isaac is almost back on his regular routine. I woke up to hear Isaac and Daddy downstairs laughing like crazy. I think all Isaac wants to do is eat and move. Lately I can't get him to stop doing either. I'm afraid he's going to skip the crawling phase and pick it up later. He doesn't have much of a desire to crawl, he doesn't mind being on his belly and if there's something to play with he loves it. However he just rolls over and over and over and over. I think crawling is too much effort for him. Walking on the other hand, he's got under control. At VBS Sam stood him up on one side of the room and I said come see Mommy. She held his hands while he walked across the room to me. Lately as soon as we sit on the couch, he has to stand up against the back and attack the couch. It's almost as though he thinks he has to eat it before it eats him. He's been pulling himself up and moving along the length of the couch. Last night he moved all the way across then got to me and moved around me to get to the computer screen. His other favorite thing....eating. Whatever I give him he devours. He doesn't have teeth yet, but you wouldn't know that by the way he behaves. He now loves to "chew" on cucmbers, he will lick strawberries, but doesn't want to eat them. Right now as I type he has "devoured" 3 slices of cucumbers. He knaws on them until they are soft. He has cucumber seeds all over his face and the couch. He loves to throw them and then pick them up. It's a game I think. This boy is growing up so fast. I can't believe he was 7 months old yesterday.
This week, I need to get ready for the yard sale I'm having on Saturday and pack. We are headed to Florida to see lots and lots of family. We'll be gone for a whole week. I'm sure we will have lots of fun pictures to share for Isaac's first trip to the beach.

Reflective Moments

So I'm having a reflective yet very thankful day.
Do you ever have those days where you find out some news and it just makes you thankful for every moment you have with your family and friends. Today has been one of those days. A friend of mine who was about 34 weeks pregnant was put on bed rest last week because of her blood pressure. After her regular appointment they decided to go ahead and take the baby 6 weeks early because the baby was stressed. The baby is only 3 lbs and was flown to Spokane to the NICU. As I was praying for this family this morning all I could think about was how lucky I am that we didn't end up in the same situation. Looking back, I took my pregnancy very seriously especially when it became "high risk." I did everything I was supposed to do and took care of myself and Isaac. But today I firmly believe that God kept certain things of what could have happened out of mind to protect me. I am a very optimistic person, however when it comes to me, I have to think about every possible outcome and prepare myself for that outcome. Everything I prepare for usually doesn't happen ;-) I think that's God's way of reminding me He is in control and I am not. As I was praying, it donned on me that we could've been in that same situation. Looking back, if Isaac would have been born about 6 weeks early, he would've been around 3-4 lbs if we were lucky. We could've been in the same situation. I am now understanding why my mom was so worried (more than the "I'm your mother and you're away and having a baby" worried) God protected us yet again. As I held Isaac this morning I prayed that God would help me to cherish every moment. Those moment when as a mom you feel as though you might pull your hair out from the screaming or from the fact that you can't get anything done because every time you move he's into something else or when we all need to sleep and in his new found freedom rolls around and scoots himself into the corner of the bed and gets stuck and screams like a stuck pig until I get there to help him. All you wanted to do was put the laundry in the dryer but it took you a 1/2 hour because he was into something else. I prayed that even in those moment when I feel like I might loose my mind, that God would help me to cherish those moment and be thankful that I had those moments. Many long for moments like that. I said when I got pregnant that I would be thankful for every pain and sleepless night. I think all and all I did pretty good on the complaining side. I tried to be thankful for those hard moments after praying so long for a baby, yet I forget to pray that I would be thankful for the hard moments as a mom and yes, I know its only beginning ;-) In the midst of life I find myself more and more thankful for the hard moments because they teach me things. They remind me that I can't do life on my own. There's a reason I feel frustrated and discouraged at times. Usually because I'm telling God that I can handle this on my own. If you don't know already I'm very stubborn and I don't like to ask for or take help. God is teaching me that I need to be thankful for the good and the bad. James 1:2 is a verse I've always struggled with. "Consider it pure joy...." How am I supposed to consider some things pure joy. Then I think about my friend and some family and some church family that are struggling with so many health issues and I think God, my burden is so light in comparison to theirs. How can I complain when You have kept me safe and always protected me even when I don't know it.
So yes, I'm on the serious side this morning, but I feel like God is just impressing on me that I need to be more thankful for what I have rather than thinking about what I don't have or being concerned with what might happen. He is yet again reminding me that He is in control. He has a plan so much bigger than ours. Our VBS is a prime example. We had 23 kids registered, we've had 40 or more every night. We set our goal for the offering for our missionaries at $100. I was going to be surprised if we made it. As of last night (only our second night for taking the offering) we had $81.63. Once again God's plans for VBS have been so much bigger than mine. Isn't it just so amazing that God has a much bigger plan? How limited would our lives be if we lived without His plan.
I leave asking you to pray for my friend. God is not surprised that her baby was born early. He knew this long before He created this little boy. But I ask you to pray for them. God knows all of their needs and will provide.