Slllowing Down...

This is just to let anyone who is curious know that the inevitable has happened--the virus on my computer got fixed, so now my scrapbooking software works again! Unfortunately, I tend to view blogging and scrapbooking as kinda the same thing--and i have a lot of scrapbooking to catch up on! So...this means my blog is not going to be updated very often for awhile! I know, disappointing to all two of my followers (who I appreciate by the way!). Just wanted to let you know I plan to blog in the future, but time is short right now! If you ever want to know how things are going in my world, don't hesitate to call, email, or facebook me!

In the meantime, the cutest males ever!

Give Thanks to the Lord...

Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!

Lately I have felt lead to post a blog thanking God for all the blessings in my life, because they are many. The past year has also been a very trying time in which it is easy to forget blessings. I was just talking with a friend the other day about how our joy can be stolen because of hardships, big or small. We become disappointed, we didn't get our way, someone we love is suffering, or we worry about the things we can't control (yours truly). Now of course we all have a right to feel these things when bad things happen. I am talking about the inability to let go of disappointment and worry--the habit of dwelling on it and letting it steal the present moment from you. I have two small children at home--the day is full of priceless moments full of joy if I will only let myself experience them. So this is a way of reminding myself that life really isn't so bad. Yes, people I love are going through hard things. I am going through hard things. However, there is so much to be thankful for--and so many good things to focus on too. My prayer is that someday, the negative will only take up a moment of my time, and the beauty of life will take up the majority of my thoughts!

My blessings:

1) My beautiful house. Though much smaller than most dream homes, it meets all our needs. There is a bedroom for everyone, two bathrooms, and a kitchen with lots of counter space! We have a huge deck, and a huge private backyard. Evan was astounded one day this summer when we had the sprinkler going and we were relaxing on the deck. He said, "Do we live here?" (meaning, this place is so cool! Do I really live here?) I said, "Yes. And you know who we can thank for that? God!" Evan responded, "Thank you God!" It was so special!

2) My two wonderful children. Evan is smart, kind, adorable, affectionate, and a true momma's boy. He is such a blessing! Ian is so so so happy! And full of life--you can see in his eyes that when he starts crawling I better watch out. I can already see he's full of mischief and exploration! And did I mention they are both adorable? And healthy? I was blessed beyond belief!

3) My husband. I don't know too many men who will get up with the baby, get up in the morning with the kids, cook, clean, and do laundry (I mean he's willing to help me, I still do those things too!) He also watches the kids pretty much anytime I have something going on without complaint. He is loving and caring--and very unselfish! I am a lucky woman!

4) We have enough. Even though it is easy to get caught up in materialism and our culture, when I truly look at our needs, they are met. I really cannot complain. Even though I don't get to shop for a recreational sport, I can purchase food at the grocery store and know the check won't bounce!

5) I have made the choice to stay home with our kids and so far we are financially stable. Like I said--we don't have more than enough, but we have enough. I would never trade being at home for a bigger house, two nice cars, and the latest fashions for all of us. Even though it can be tempting to look at my neighbor and get jealous, the trade off for a two income home just isn't worth it to me! I have been blessed because it works for us! Not everyone can be in our position!

6) Okay, this is getting long, so I will lump everything else together: family. My in laws are wonderful. My sisters are my best friends. I have a cousin who I am also close to. And I have friends who are fun to be with, are dependable, and point me to God when life is hard.

7) Okay one more! I have an amazing church. Duluth Vineyard is a healthy place where I have received healing for my past, and I have grown in my faith. Great worship, great preaching, great values. So glad I found it!

Okay, what about you? What are you thankful for? I challenge you to make your own list!

Okay, last one, I promise! Our church put on a free event with family portraits being part of it. We were blessed to have Al and Lyndsey Johnson from On3Design take our pictures! Here it is!

The New Mom's guide to survival

So as many of you know, I am the proud mother of two adorable boys.  I love them to pieces.  But, to be honest, I really hate the newborn stage.  Sorry, I know there are many of you out there who can't get enough of the little scrunched up faces, curled up little balls of cute, and sleepless nights.  I'm just not one of those people.  Give me a six month old who takes two naps a day and sleeps through the night, and I will be a happy camper. 


On top of not being a big fan of the newborn stage, I also had post partum depression with both my kids.  With Evan (the oldest), I didn't know I had it, and it took about three months to go away.  That was a very hard time.  With Ian (born 6 months ago), I had it for the first month.  Had it lasted any longer, I would now be on medication.  So...to put it mildly, I have had it rough.  My babies have also been colicky.  Double rough.  So, I feel someone must benefit from knowledge about the best baby products out there.  Here they are:

1.  The Hooter Hider/Udder Cover/Nursing Cover:  The best invention ever for anyone bigger than a B cup!  I envy those moms who can whip out their boob and it is covered by their infants head and their shirt!  I am NOT one of those women!  These amazing contraptions are a piece of lightweight cloth with a wire going through the top that allows you to see your baby and keep you covered at the same time.  I could not live without this invention!

2.  The changing table:  Anyone who thinks these are not necessary must have an amazingly strong back!  I LOVE that I am not hunched over every time I have to change my baby's diaper.  And it's got handy dandy shelves to store everything you could possible need for diapering.  Who wouldn't want one?

3.  Playtex drop ins:  When I was done breast feeding, I bet I saved hours of time not having to wash bottles.  These disposable liners are a pretty awesome invention.

4.  Halo sleep sacks:  Worried that your baby is cold, but don't want to use a blanket because you are worried about SIDS?  The sleep sack is an awesome little blanket that your baby actually wears.  It's like a Snuggy for babies!  It's the best thing ever!

5.  The bouncer (with vibrator).  My colicky baby would not give me a moment of sanity if I didn't have one of these.

6.  The Fisher Price Cradle Swing--Talk about amazing.  This baby swings forward and side to side.  It comes with many different sound options and a mobile to entertain your little one!

7.  The travel system-- LOVE my infant car seat and matching stroller.  And i used the stroller for the next two years up until Ian was born. 

8.  The sit and stand stroller.  If your child will be older than three by the time your next one is born, your older child will love that they can stand on the back and ride along.

9.  A neck/travel pillow:  For all those nights you will fall asleep in a chair while rocking your child.

10. The Exersaucer--You can easily move it from room to room and it entertains your baby for long periods of time!

11. The Baby Bjorn (or any front carrier)--Maybe it's just personality, but Ian LOVES this thing! Literally there is no problem that this carrier doesn't solve for him. He is always happy in it! I have also heard great things about the ERGO.

12. The Baby Bjorn plastic bib. Remember the 70's and 80's when we were kids? My parents had this bib with a shelf at the bottom to catch all our droppings. Seems like it is hard to find now! Go to Target.com and get yourself a plastic bib--you will save loads of time by not having to dig 90% of your baby/toddlers meals out of the high chair. And it is much less disgusting! Plus it is dishwasher safe and easier to wash in the sink as well!

13. The Boppy pillow--great for nursing and for that stage when they are learning to sit and are wobbly. It will keep them steady and provide a soft place to land if they fall!

14. A sound machine--one that plays white noise. It is much easier to live normal lives in our house with the sound machine. It drowns out all other noise so your baby is not wakened as often by your household!

Okay, I know this is quite extensive. I guess pass it on to your expecting friends! I am always one to be prepared, and any expertise I can pass on would make me happy! Coming soon: The list of things you really DON'T need when having a baby!

On being a single mom....(for a week)

So about three weeks ago, Jeremy was given the opportunity to fly out to Pennsylvania to help build a garage--for some much needed money. It was for a relative who knows how hard Jeremy, his brother and father work, and was willing to pay the airfare for them to fly out there to do this! Anyway, this left me at home by myself to take care of my two little boys.

Now to be honest, I was very anxious about it. For those of you who don't know, I really struggled with Post Partum Depression the first four months after Ian was born. And in general, I would say I have an ongoing struggle with anxiety and insomnia. That said, I was really nervous about being left alone for a week with my kids. This would also happen over the 4th of July, and none of my family were going to be in town to join me. I also usually stay with my mother in law when my husband is out of town--but she had company that week. My mother was also out of town--no one who usually helps was around!

I also admit that I have watched too many episodes of 20/20, Dateline, and other murder mystery shows that depict crazy killers breaking into people's homes and killing everyone. Needless to say, staying alone in the house at night with my two boys was not comforting.

Now to the good news: it was really not a bad week! For the fourth, I found a friend who was also a single mom for the day, and we got to hang out all day while our boys played! It was really nice! The rest of the week, I slept really well, and kept busy by visiting friends. I also went to Hibbing for the last two days and stayed at my crowded mother in law's house. She was ok with this, and it was nice to have company!

However, I want to share a few things that I learned over this week:

1. Single moms (of two) get about a half hour a day to themselves--when they are exhausted at the end of the night and the kids are in bed, or by some miracle when both of their kids are napping at the same time. Honestly, there is no break! And now I will preach a little sermonette on the subject:

I don't care how a woman finds herself in the situation, being a single mom is really the hardest job there is. Instead of taking an easier route (abortion or adoption), she has decided to take on the responsibility (and yes consequences of actions) for another human life. That little person comes out needing to eat every two hours, crying for every need, and not sleeping through the night. As a mom of two babies, I can say that it is extremely overwhelming! To be in it by myself would be nothing short of terrifying. I think our society has grown in our acceptance of these women, but I just want to add that I really hope that is the case. After having walked in their shoes for a week, just don't say anything negative to me about it. And remember, no matter how a woman got herself into the situation of "single mother," it involved a man completely shirking his responsibility in this situation. He should be the object of scorn and judgment, not the person doing the right thing.

2. God really showed me that he is my protector and he will take care of me. I slept extremely well that week, and I had enough patience for my three year old. I was so thankful and can only chalk it up to God giving me extra grace.

3. If you are a single mom, community is so important. I filled the week with outings with friends and having people over. The loneliness would have really gotten to me had I not had lots of companionship. If I were a single mom, I would find other women in the same situation, and "do life" together often. I cannot stress enough how much this really helped me.

To sum up, it was a week full of hard work, but much easier than I thought it would be!

Football? Hockey? No, a flat head!

Hey everyone! I know, I know, the posting is out of control. I am trying to make up for lost time! So, from the title, you probably already know what I am going to write about. As I mentioned in a previous post, our baby, Ian, had colic when he was two months old. One of the only places we could calm him down was his bouncy seat, which also had a vibrator in it. He like it better than our arms! Unfortunately, he also had a condition that we were unaware of, torticollis. In Ian's case, this means that while he was inside me, he probably had his head in a position that caused his neck muscles to tighten on one side. It wasn't severe enough for us to notice it right away, and all through his second month we would put him in the bouncer and not notice that his head was always tilted to one side.

It was only when a good friend of ours, who's daughter also had the condition, took notice while she was attending a shower at our home, that we were made aware of it. Even when she pointed it out, we weren't sure if she was right. However, not wanting to take any chances, I set up an appointment with our doctor. After examining him, our doctor agreed that he did have torticollis and that he should see a physical therapist. She also mentioned that if the flat spot didn't get better, we may also want to have him wear a helmet to correct his head.

I was really surprised that he actually had this, and was thinking only positive thoughts at this point. I really didn't think he would need a helmet. After about six weeks of physical therapy, it was decided that he would need one after all. It wasn't what we wanted to hear, but we also wanted to see Ian get better. Of course, there was some guilt about how many hours he had been in that bouncy seat, but we really didn't know until it was too late!

Many insurance companies do not choose to pay for treatment of flat heads, citing that it is "cosmetic." While it might be cosmetic, having a flat head is not going to do anyone any favors in school. We all know how cruel the world can be to even a "normal" kid, so we opted to go with the treatment. Fortunately, we have insurance that covered the physical therapy. They also cover the helmet, after a $2500 deductible is met! Which means we are paying for the helmet out of our pocket. Again, lots of money, but worth the sacrifice.

A lot of people ask me if I am having a hard time with this. I have to say that yes, it's hard to make Ian so hot in the middle of the summer (his head gets really sweaty), and it's hard because I can't get in there to nuzzle him. I feel the helmet blocking me whenever I go in for a hug or kiss. However, in the grand scheme of things, this really is a minor setback. We have a niece with severe epilepsy who cannot even talk, and she is five years old. Therefore, we are counting our blessings and thankful that nothing more severe is wrong with Ian.

So, this should answer all the questions regarding the helmet! I am happy to report that at his two week check up two weeks ago, they were already impressed with his progress! I am hoping by the end of the summer that we will be able to have the helmet off!

A Spot on the Sopha

This past weekend we visited some friends, the Sopha's, who are near and dear to our hearts. They moved to Iowa about a year and a half ago (has it really been that long?). You can read their blog, A Spot on the Sopha, to see why we think they are so wonderful! And to see their four, adorable, girls, Addie, Josie, Ella, and Gwen. Now, I will not say that I am an amazing long distance friend. In fact, I am a terrible one! Lucky for me, my husband is really tight with Steve, so that means we will be visiting these guys until one of us moves out of driving range! Here is a list of why we love them so much:

1. They both have the gift of hospitality. When they lived in Duluth, the parties were always at their place, sometimes with only a few hours notice (did I mention they have four kids?)

2. They have the gift of hospitality. Their door is always open--they are truly always there for you!

3. They have the gift of hospitality. When we go to visit, they cook elaborate meals, have a special guest room, and will pretty much do anything to make sure you have a good time.

4. Did I mention they have the gift of hospitality? Their hearts are so big--we miss them here in Duluth, but we really enjoy visiting them too!

Also, some amazing things we get to see and do when we visit:

1. Hold baby kittens!
2. See chickens and roosters!
3. Swim in their pool
4. Go to the local Bent n Dent where they sell all kinds of great finds (expired of course, but it's still good!)
5. Go antiquing
6. Go to an auction (I have never been yet, but it's on my list)
7. See their beautiful pear trees
8. Their girls play with my son for hours--and they are so sweet! And did I mention Steve and Julie have very well behaved girls? I only hope to follow in their footsetps with my own children.
9. Play Settlers of Catan with two of the best players in the world.
10. Visit a "just right" sized county fair. Here are some pictures of the fun:

Evan doing the tractor pull

Evan on his favorite ride, the "race cars"

At the monster truck show!

Evan and Gwen playing together so nice!

We love you Sopha's!

I've been gone...

Well, anyone who was generous enough to want to follow my blog has been greatly disappointed.  I had good intentions, but then I had a baby.  This is my second child, so I should have been prepared for the shell shock that happens  when another child is added to the home.  I was on some level--but they say nothing can really prepare you.  Let's just say between colic hitting hard in month two (gone now thanks to our favorite chiropractor, Adam Sundberg), a jealous three year old, and many sleepless nights--it's been rough!  However, I would love to introduce you to the reason I've been absent from blogging (well the main one), our new little boy, Ian Weaver!

And here is a more recent picture:

First haircut!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will just say that he is literally the happiest baby I have ever met. He is so smiley! Even more than his brother was, and I didn't think that was possible! I love this little guy and thought I would make my first post since his birth to be about introducing him! Welcome Ian!