Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Warm Apple Cider Vinegar

I start EVERY.SINGLE.MORNING with a Spark + Rehydrate combo, and I also adopted the habit of drinking warm lemon water in the mornings a couple of months ago. (I add tumeric root & cinnamon.)
Jonathan hasn’t totally gotten on board with the lemon water yet, but he does drink apple cider vinegar every day. Apple cider vinegar has a TON of benefits for your entire body. (Seriously, look it up...it's powerful.) We prefer Bragg’s Organic (with the mother). I am avoiding it for the most part right now because it’s unpasteurized and I’m still nursing, but I think it’s okay in small amounts occasionally.

I have a friend that told me about this “cider” (I mean, obviously it’s apple ‘cider’ vinegar, but it’s tough to get down) that tastes good & helped nip her sore throat in the bud. I made it recently and both me and Jonathan liked it. Apple cider vinegar is alkalizing (like lemon water), & the rest of the ingredients have health benefits too.

Ingredients:
  • warm/hot water to preference (I use our tea kettle)
  • apple cider vinegar (about 2-4 tablespoons)
  • honey (about a tablespoon or so to taste)
  • cinnamon (to taste, but I use a good bit to make it taste good)
  • fresh squeezed lemon (optional)
Mix well & drink through a straw.

It’s a yummy drink for cooler weather and has lots of health benefits, so drink up!

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Kade’s 23rd & 24th Weeks

About to go to the monthly posts, but Kade was 24 weeks on Sunday, 11/29/15.

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Weight/Height: Kade is 15.2 lbs. He’s definitely long and lean, but I’ve been a little concerned about his weight because he hasn’t gained much in a few weeks. He fell a little behind on his growth curve at his last well visit too, so I really want to focus on getting his weight gain back to where it was. I haven’t had a dip in supply, so I really think the issues are 1) he’s not getting a full feeding because he gets distracted before the hind milk letdown (with all the good calories!), and 2) he moves ALL THE TIME (& burns a lot of those calories anyway). Kade is SO active! He is rolling over front to back, back to front, over & over, then pushing up (like literally, doing push-ups), & scooting all over the floor. Even when he’s sitting he’s kicking his little legs & moving his arms (usually to chew on his hands.) So, I’m really going to work on getting that back to where it was over the next few weeks. I won’t supplement because I know I can make it work (even if it means pumping more and feeding him that too), but I do feel like our pediatrician’s office is quick to start pushing for it so I want to avoid that conversation all together.

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Health: Sweet boy is healthy! Praise the Lord. I don’t see or feel any teeth yet, but he is drooling like a mad man (he literally soaks his clothes if I don’t have a bib on him) & chewing on his hands and fists constantly. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some bad boys pop through pretty soon. {It looks like he has teeth in this picture, but I think it’s just spit.}

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He also still has a little bit of cradle cap. I don’t scrub it very hard at all when I’m bathing him and I rarely put lotion on his head, but I’ sure that would do the trick. It doesn’t really bother me though and it’s not bad.

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Sleep: We had a few good naps, but whew! This Wonder “Week” (AKA month) leap has been INTENSE. I’m sure part of it was not getting full feedings, but I really think this WW has been the culprit. We had a few rouggggh nights with multiple wakings. Thankfully they didn’t last long & he wasn’t crying all night or anything, but it is exhausting getting broken sleep. When we get home from our trip, it’s game on for completely sleeping through the night. (Sometimes he’ll go 7 hour stretches, but he goes down at 8:30 and I don’t go to bed till….well, WAY too late! So I end up not getting much sleep. My own fault really. NEED.TO.GO.TO.BED.EARLIER!

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Also, I have noticed that Kade likes it completely pitch black dark when he sleeps. I have a sound machine and box fan for white noise, & out curtains are blackout on the backside, but there is still a little bit of light that gets in around the edge of his windows. And believe it or not, it keeps him up. Jon just went to Home Depot and got some temporary blackout paper to put in the windows. I know this sounds crazy, but if I put a lightweight silky piece of material over his eyes, he pretty much goes right out. The only kicker is I have to leave it there long enough for him to get good and asleep and then go take it off in case he rolls over. We still have him in a Woombie swaddle. He does roll over (all over the bed actually), but he has enough flexibility in it that he can lift his head really well and maneuver as needed. We also have the Angel Care monitor in his crib & the Snuza that he wears.

I’m also going to give up caffeine (tear!) for a couple of days to see if it makes a difference. It never affected Jase, but as my mom reminded me the other day “Every kid is different.”

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Nursing: Kade definitely has a favorite side. And like I mentioned earlier, I’m not so sure he has been getting full feedings. I noticed when I’m pumping that my second letdown (the hind milk) comes between 22-23 minutes and lasts for a couple of minutes. I don’t think he’s nursing that long, so chances are he’s probably not getting that. Now that I know I can correct it though & be more intentional about avoiding the distractions. (Although sometimes the “distraction” is our 2.5 year old awesome big bro! And we don’t want to avoid him.) So thankful to be able to nurse though!

What Kade is up to: Rolling over, pushing up, “talking” & cooing, awesome with independent playtime (in pack n play and exersaucer), and getting way more fuzzy hair all over his head. I think he’ll loo good with a shorter haircut when he’s older.

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We are getting ready to start Baby Led Weaning again soon & I’m excited about that! I let him suck on some chicken the other day and he LOVED it!

Post-Partum: Other than being sleep deprived the last two weeks, I’m doing pretty well. Getting ready for the upcoming holidays and an upcoming trip with the hubby (so sad about leaving my babies!!). We’ve had lots of quality family time lately and that always does my heart some good.

Big Brother Jase: Love watching these two interact! Jase thinks it’s hilarious when he sees Kade awake on the monitor, and if he’s ever crying to get up Jase runs to me as fast as he can and says “Oh no, Mama, brother’s awake…gotta  go get him! Let’s go! He’s crying!” I’ve been talking to him more about protecting him & taking care of him since he’s the big brother.

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I have noticed Jase wanting to get in Kade’s things more…his pack n play, crib, exersaucer, etc. I don’t think much about it, but wanted to note it.

And then there’s this… #Jasewashere

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Thoughts: I really need to remember to give him his vitamins. You would think of all people that I would remember!

I have really loved seeing Kade bond even more with Jonathan and Jase lately. He LIGHTS UP when they talk to him…especially Jon. He starts smiling ear to ear with those sweet dimples beaming as soon as Jonathan walks in the room and it completely melts my heart!!

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We celebrated your first Thanksgiving!! It was also our first without your Grandma and that was very sad for us. But, we are so incredibly THANKFUL for God’s goodness and blessings!!  Kade, you are one of those treasured blessings and you fill our hearts with joy.Just today your Daddy randomly said, “He’s the perfect baby for us, ya know it?” And I agree. You are one of out “good and perfect gifts from above.” (James 1:17) Love you, sweet boy. Proud to be your mom and soaking up these sweet moments of you growing up.

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You and your brother light up my life!!

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Thursday, November 26, 2015

Jase Update: 2.5 Years

  • Jase turned 2.5 on November 8th.

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  • We officially started potty training on November 2nd. He picked it up pretty quickly and was officially potty trained a few days later.
  • He has started paying more attention to Kade & likes to play with him sometimes. When he saw Kade in his Halloween costume he said, “Oh momma, he is so cute!” And one morning he asked him “Hey brother, you want to come run circles in the basement with me?” Ha! Not quite yet, buddy.
  • Jase pretends he’s cooking/baking. He pretends he’s throwing cookies to you. He also pretends he’s “stuck” and needs you to come push him to get him moving again. He pretends his cars are airplanes & pretends he is a monster truck. So funny. LOVING all this new imagination!!
  • A couple of times we’ve asked what he’s doing and he responds with “ohhhh nupping.” (nothing)

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  • He started crawling out of his bed when he was potty training (we moved him to the toddler bed) so it became a big deal for him to stay in the bed. All the time he says “I get out of bed.”
  • He loves to chase you and be chased. He says, “I’m gonna get you…you better run! Here comes Jase!”
  • He LOVES to dance!! He loves to sing too, but if me or Jonathan start singing he says, “No dad, no mom….stop it!”
  • Jase is making funny faces now. When he thinks he’s being mischievous, he does this cute little fake smile! He also makes a funny pirate face.
  • Naps have NOT been as good since he has potty trained. He used to stay in the bed for 2.5- 3 hours….now we get about an hour and a half.

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  • I love that he tells stories!! It is hilarious and something new he just started. I can only usually pick out a few words/phrases, but he sure has a lot to say!
  • He loves to race! He always asks to race and says “Ready…set…go!”
  • He really likes yogurt covered pretzels. He will do anything for a sucker so that’s our main form of bribery. Some other foods he likes: toast (homemade bread) with natural peanut butter, oatmeal, cantaloupe, apples, green beans, any kind of beans, chicken, fish, any kind of sweets or bread, yogurt, milk, spaghetti, sweet potato chips & fries,
  • We are working on manners. These are our focus right now: please, thank you, excuse me, God bless you (when someone sneezes), yes ma’am/no ma’am, May I be excused please? (before getting up from the dinner table), no thank you. He does pretty well with them most of the time. When he asks for something, he mimicks me and says “please sir”…ha! And then sometimes he mimicks me and says “Mom, open the door RIGHT NOW.” So, we’re still working.
  • He does have tantrums occasionally. Probably normal 2 year old stuff, but they are not fun. If he’s really hungry, tired, or not feeling well, that’s usually the trigger. We also have a tough time leaving somewhere when he is having fun.
  • One of his favorite things to do is play in the water. I let him pull a chair up to the sink to help me do the dishes and play in the water.
  • He has started to really enjoy playing with all of his toys. He ia genuinely interested in them- especially his cars and trucks.
  • Jase can count to 15ish, can count to 5 on his hand with his fingers, can sing his ABCs, can identify all of the letters and a few numbers from 1-10. We are still working on colors. He knows most shapes too.

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  • He talks WAY more at home and around us than he does around other people. It takes him a little while to warm up to other people.
  • When he’s walking into another room he’ll say “Time to go night night. Stay in the bed. Don’t get out. Love you, Mom. See ya later. Night night.” Ha! Think he’s heard that before?
  • Still working on first-time obedience.
  • He really likes to throw things and it drives me bonkers! It’s not in an ugly way, but I have to break him of it because it causes big messed and might hit someone when he is throwing his toys everywhere.
  • We are working on memorizing a few verses. He can say bits and pieces of them.
  • He ALWAYS makes us pray before he lays down for a nap or for the night. A few times I’ve tried to lay him down without praying and he insists. Great accountability!
  • Jase loves to wrestle with his daddy as part of our bedtime routine. I know, doesn’t exactly seem calming, but it’s such a sweet & fun time for our little family.
  • Jonathan usually gets him dressed while I get the baby and myself ready, and he always runs to me to show me his outfit. He gives me a big hug! I think he’s going to be a words of affirmation guy.
  • I am being intentional about encouraging him to keep trying and not give up when he doesn’t get something right away. We don’t mind helping him of course, but we don’t want to be too quick to jump in either. Want to teach him grit & tenacity.
  • He seriously makes me LAUGH. Out loud. And genuinely laugh. I’m sure most people think their kids are funny, but I have a feeling he’s going to be funny like his daddy.

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  • He likes to help me in the kitchen. Sometimes he mixes/stirs, washes the fruits and veggies, but mostly he just taste tests everything & picks out the chocolate chips.

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  • If he sees  one of us with a “boo boo” he says “oh no, what happened? you fall and get hurt? you cry? you sad?” And he sounds s genuinely concerned.
  • He hates wearing socks to bed & can’t stand for anything to touch his neck.
  • Jase likes to pull the pillows off the couch & bed to make forts. He says he’s building a house or baking cookies. (I’m trying to get my OCD in check & not waste my time picking them up nine million times a day.)
  • He asks lots of questions now, like “What is that? Where are you going? Why’d you do that for? Do you hear that? How we gonna get it? Where’s _______ at?”
  • When it’s bright outside, he asks for my sunglasses and actually wears them. It cracks me up!

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  • When we’re leaving the house he sometimes says “You go t the keys, mom?” I guess he hears me and Jon ask each other that, but I have a feeling hs is going to come in handy reminding me things in the future.
  • He can spot any airplane and helicopter in the sky and  he’ll scream out “Hey dad, you hear that? Airplane! See it? How we gonna get it! Airplane, come back here!”

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  • We’ve had lots of fun play dates with friends. Thankful for some awesome kiddos he gets to be around pretty regularly.

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  • He LOVES to play in the basement!!

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  • When we’re driving somewhere, he asks if we’re going to see Grammy, Granddaddy, Papa (Pop), or Jimmy (Jade).

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  • Out of the blue he has turned more into a “dare devil.” He likes to jump, climb, wrestle, flip.

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  • He does NOT like to sit still for picture. We try bribing with suckers. It makes family picture time….interesting.

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  • He gets boy time with dad and brother when I take a class at the gym a few mornings a week.

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  • He thinks all dogs are named Mac.
  • Jase looks SO big & grown! At his checkup on 11/8 he weighed 34 lbs and was 38” tall. Wearing3T pants, 4T shirts, and 4T pjs. Size 9 shoes.He looks so much older than he is and most people can’t believe he is only 2.5.

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  • Super healthy, praise the Lord!

Sweet Jase- We are so thankful for your precious little personality! You have a giving heart and love to “take care” of other people. You are (for the most part) great about sharing. I always tell you that I love your heart to help others and I am so proud to be your mom. I pray that you continue to grow as a LEADER. Your daddy is such an awesome example for you and is doing an awesome job training you up. You are a hard worker and “wise beyond your years.” It is such a joy to watch you grow. It feels like every day is a gift and we just can’t wait to see the cool & funny things you’re going to do next. You keep us on our toes & we know we are BLESSED to have you for our son. We love you, buddy.

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Monday, November 23, 2015

A Deeper Walk with the Lord

This has been on my heart for a while.

I know so many Christian women who are struggling in their faith. Who desire a deeper relationship with the Lord but feel stuck & distant from God. Who don’t know HOW to grow in Christ. Who have great intentions, but find it difficult to make time to study the Word or to stay focused in prayer. Who have hurts they can’t seem to forgive, battles they can’t seem to conquer, prayers that don’t seem to be answered, and lots of questions about God. Who feel exhausted and beaten down. Discouraged. Isolated. And overwhelmed.

Ladies, I totally get all that because I have been there, and unfortunately if I don’t guard my heart and mind, I can slip back to that place. But that DOESN’T have to be your truth, and it shouldn’t be.

I can’t imagine there is much that makes the enemy more satisfied than seeing Christians struggle & children of God lacking JOY. When we lack joy, that makes us more like the world, even though we are called to be set apart and different. I believe the enemy absolutely wants us tangled in a web of his lies so we feel empty in our faith. That would make sense, right? Because he is the thief that comes to steal, kill, & destroy…and to keep us from serving God. When we’re focused on ourselves, we’re not sharing the Gospel or ministering to people who need us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. (So mission accomplished for him.)

But I also know we let the enemy have way too much power over us. When we remember that Christ is within us, we have the authority to CLAIM that we are more than conquerors.

I don’t say that in some weird hocus pocus kind of way. The reality is that the victory has already been won, so we need to start living that victorious life. (No, not that life will be perfect, free from trials, or even easy….but we can have JOY & a deep, intimate relationship with our Savior.)

Faith is so much more than trusting God with your eternity. That is the beginning. The crucial beginning, but only the tip of the iceberg. Salvation seals the deal for eternal life, but don’t you think God wants so much more for us than that? Ephesians 3:20 and John 10:10 tell us that he wants us to have abundant life…exceedingly, abundantly more than all we could ask or imagine, while here on earth. Does that not sound so appealing? An abundant life?? We…YOU…can have that.

Faith is about a relationship…an intimate relationship with the one true God. It is about loving HIM and loving OTHERS.

As I have grown in my faith, I have learned that my relationship with the Lord is a direct reflection of the time and effort that I put into it. And actually, that is true with any relationship. The only difference here is that with other humans, they may or may not match your effort. With God, he will ALWAYS give more generously & love more unconditionally. It’s tough for us to wrap our minds around that type of love sometimes (naturally, because his ways are higher than ours), so we tend to view our relationship with God within our human capacity. We expect him to respond to us, love us, and treat us the way others would…not the way GOD tells us in the Word that he does and will do.

Here’s the beauty…God is ALWAYS there. His hand is always extended, his arms are always ready to welcome us, and according to the Word, he desires to be close to us. He wants an intimate relationship with us. When we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. And there is so much peace, comfort, and JOY in that.

So here are a few things that have helped me grow deeper in my walk with the Lord. This is not some step-by-step guide or anything, but I do think sometimes it’s important to help people with practical suggestions.

  • If you ask any relationship expert, they will tell you one of the most crucial components to the success of a relationship is effective communication. And I can just tell ya, that is absolutely key in our relationship with the Lord too. Our form of communication is prayer. Like I mentioned earlier, you may struggle with this like I did. I would start praying, and then get distracted as my mind would go a totally different direction. Or I’d go through a whole day and realized I hadn’t spent any time in prayer. Or I would only pray when I needed something. There is no right or wrong way to pray, but I have found that it works better for me not to make it so formal. I can communicate with God all day long. Before my feet his the floor in the morning, as I’m making breakfast, driving to the store, before meals, folding laundry, while working out, etc. Prayer also means listening, so sometimes it’s important to just “Be still.” We live in such a busy, busy world that sometimes I think we miss what he has for us because we don’t slow down enough to hear from him. (Or if you’re like me, you find the ‘waiting’ difficult so you just keep talking to fill the silence.) So here’s what you can do. Make prayer a habit. Set aside specific times during the day or a specific place in your home or work where you can eliminate distractions & focus on your prayer. Maybe set some timers on your phone? Pray before every meal, when you’re in the shower, at red lights, or running. Definitely, definitely keep a prayer journal. It is YOURS so there is no right or wrong way to do it. I typically journal things I am praying for (with the date) and I go back in to write how God answered those prayers. It is so encouraging to see so many prayers answered, even if answered differently than I hoped or expected. Usually it was more than I could have imagined anyway! So if you desire a deeper walk with the Lord, spend more time talking and listening to him. Become a prayer warrior! I feel like this book really helped me learn HOW to pray.

  • Get to know the character of God by studying Scripture. What do you do when you’re working on growing in a relationship with another person? You get to know them better. Think about everyone you’re closest to in your life, and you can probably tell me a lot about that person’s interests, character, how they would react in certain situations, etc. And the way you know all of those things? You have spent TIME with them. If we spend TIME digging in the Word, studying Scripture, and getting to know God’s character, we will have a deeper and more intimate relationship. That might mean spending the first 10 minutes when you get out of bed every morning, or the last 10 minutes before going to bed every night reading your Bible. You might have to wake up a few minutes earlier, go to bed a few minutes earlier, turn off the electronics, set a timer on your phone, or put it in another room. I know that I lacked the discipline so I had to be very intentional and conscientious about making the time until it became a habit for me.

  • Be thankful. Thank him for everything and become the most grateful person you know. God loves a thankful heart.
  • People ask me all the time for suggestions of great Bible studies or devotionals. Don’t get me wrong. There is a place for those and I have done several that have really taught me a lot, shaped me, and helped me grow. I even recommended one above. But know this. THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT for the WORD of God. Lately I have been making more of an effort to chill out on all of the studies and books and just dig deeper in the Bible. Y’all, it is SO good! Like blow your eyebrows off good. Sometimes I hear women say they don’t understand it or they’re bored when they read the Bible. Once again, I think that is as simple as “you have not because you ask not.” Pray before reading and ask for wisdom & clarity. Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you understand. And know that the Bible is truly the most exciting, captivating, REAL, applicable, encouraging books I have ever read. Approach it with that mindset & perspective. There are some really great stories (truths) in there and you will be able to relate to more of it than you can imagine once you start really getting in there. *Also, you have to be cautious about what you’re reading. Not all Christian authors are truly teaching the Word.
  • Confess sins and ask for forgiveness. Repent, which means TURN from that sin and don’t continue in it. While it is true that God is always there/available, it is also true that our sin can separate us from him. Thankfully he isn’t like us…is quick to forgive and forget, never remembering it again. God is FULL of mercy & grace. We cannot take that for granted though. Sometimes sin is clouding our relationship with the Lord and putting up a barrier. If you know something in your life isn’t right, confess it, ask for forgiveness, turn from it, and ask for the Lord’s help not to continue in it. (You may have to ask this often!) You may also need to ask for the Lord to bring to light something in your life you may not recognize that is keeping you from a deeper relationship with him. Be prepared for the answer and be sure you are listening for it. Then be obedient in removing that barrier, even if it’s something you don’t necessarily want to give up. (I recently deleted the FB app from my phone. It’s embarrassing to admit how long it took me to do that because I honestly didn’t want to, but I woke up one morning and out of the blue just did it. I highly recommend doing some “cleaning up” in the social media world so you aren’t constantly connected and distracted from every angle.)

  • Find a mentor and church home. Ultimately, your relationship with the Lord is up to YOU. Your time & effort determine the intimacy in your relationship with the Lord. It is so important to take that personal responsibility & know that no mentor, Bible study, or perfect attendance in church services is a replacement for personal time spent growing, but I still believe we need accountability & encouragement. It is very rewarding being a part of the church body like you were designed to be.
  • God already knows your heart. If you struggle with being consistent and disciplined in a certain area (studying the Bible, prayer, etc.), confess that and ask for help. He WILL not hold back. This is exactly what the Bible is talking about when it says “Ask and it will be given.” I have found that the more time I spend in the Word and in prayer, the more I desire it. So maybe you’re young in your faith or haven’t had mentorship or a church family to teach you how to do these things. My best advice is to just START and pray for the Lord to give you a stronger desire to spend time with him each day. I know we live in a world full of distractions, so it’s more important than ever to carve out that time. It should be something you look forward to and not an obligation or something to just check off your list.

So really, it’s that simple. Stop making excuses. (I know that sounds harsh, but excuses are lies from the enemy we allow to have way too much control of our lives and keep us from that abundant life God has for us.) Eliminate distractions and make TIME (uninterrupted time) to spend with the Lord.  Have a thankful heart. Make a habit of prayer and studying the Word. Ask for forgiveness and turn from sin. ASK & believe.

There is nothing more rewarding than growing in your faith…

 

Monday, November 16, 2015

Kade’s 21st & 22nd Weeks!!

This little sweet thing turned 21 weeks on 11/8 and 22 weeks on 11/15. He was 5 months old on November 14th. Sweet as ever!

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Weight/Height: At his 4 month checkup on 11/11 he weighed 14.8 lbs (20%) and was  26” (64%). His head was 16 3/4 (38%). I am going to monitor his weight because I weighed him at 14.8 at 18 weeks, so that means his weight gain has slowed over the last few weeks. Dr. Carey said he is long & lean.

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Health: Kade had his 4 month check-up on Wednesday, 11/11. He received 2 vaccines – 1 oral and 1 shot. He did great with them! Our only concern at all is that he has sensitive skin (like Jase) & boogies in the nose. Other than that, he is perfectly healthy- praise the Lord!

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I do think he has a little bit of reflux, but nothing bad enough for meds. I use gas drops as needed, keep him upright after he eats, and put his mattress on a slight incline.

Recently started using Zarbee’s multivitamin with iron because it doesn’t have the dyes & artificial colors.

Sleep: We moved Jase to a 4 hour schedule around this time so I’ll probably start working on that soon. Right now we’re still 3.5/4 hour schedule. We start the day at 8:30 am. He typically has a 1 hour 45 minute wake time. He is waking up at midnight to eat. Unfortunately he eats a good bit, so he fills his diaper and it wakes him up around 3 am. I have to change his diaper and he does NOT like that!! He gets FIRED up & then I have to nurse him again to calm him down. We always lay him down on his back but he rolls back and forth a good bit so we don’t roll him back over if he ends up on his tummy. If he wakes up

He usually takes at least one really great uninterrupted nap every day. Sometimes I have to help him go back to sleep during a nap or two, and sometimes he’ll sleep really well for morning & afternoon naps. He will catnap in his car seat, but won’t sleep in there for an extended period of time.

Nursing: Well, my pump battery finally bit the dust. I followed all of the troubleshooting techniques but ended up having to buy another battery. He doesn’t have teeth yet, but he’s started biting at the end of a feed sometimes. He also gets distracted and pulls off, so I have to keep him focused. I’m wondering if maybe he’s not getting full feedings? That would explain waking for the nighttime feeding & not gaining enough weight.

What Kade is up to: Drooling everywhere & chewing on hands like crazy, but no signs of teeth yet. Rolling all over the place- tummy to back, back to tummy. Super content! My sweet, smiley baby. Awesome with independent playtime.  He seriously has the BEST fine motor skills I have ever seen on a 5 month old. He is also very strong. Prefers to be held straight up.Can hold weight in his legs & “stand up.” Would rather be on his tummy than sitting in the bumbo.

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Post-Partum: I have had a little bit of joint pain & some muscle soreness lately- not sure if it’s because I haven’t been taking protein after workouts or if it’s just from pushing a little too hard with workouts. It takes a while after pregnancy for your body and everything that loosened & stretched to get back to normal. I’ve taken a few days off to try to rest some & have spent some time icing and on the foam roller to try to help.

I also had a 24 hour stomach bug earlier in the week. I haven’t had anything like that since I worked at a daycare the summer after I graduated high school! It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t fun. Thankfully the boys didn’t get it, but I had NO appetite and felt pretty crummy.

Big Brother Jase: Jase has always been sweet to Kade, but lately he has been showing him a lot more interest. He tries to “play” with him now & talks to Kade a good bit. He asks him to play with him & Kade lights up around Jase! He always smiles for him. When we are playing in the playroom, Jase will stop plating and run over to Kade and say “Hey Baby Kade…here’s a cookie.” (Sometimes he pretends he’s baking cookies and gives them to everyone.) Love seeing you guys interact more & I pray you always have a strong bond, have each other’s backs, and are best friends.

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Thoughts: Sweet Kade, you are such a treasure. You are just confirmation that God always multiplies a mother’s love as the number of children grow. YOU are a blessing and a light in my life. I love that you always make other people smile with those sweet dimples and I pray your Daddy & I do our part in training you to be a WARRIOR for the Lord some day. Love you, my sweet, sweet boy. Watching you grow is SO much fun!

Sunday, November 15, 2015

“Baptist Punch” Recipe

This punch is SO easy & is always a huge hit at showers & get togethers. It’s “fizzy” like an alcohol-free champagne.

Mix together one 2 L of chilled ginger ale and one bottle of white peach grape juice into a punch bowl. Add frozen peach slices & you’re ready to serve!

Enjoy!!