We are gonna need wet wipes....

We are sitting in the living room, Blake in his bouncer seat.
Joseph walks up to him and turns up his nose, "WHAT is that putrid smell?!!!"
I told him that maybe he had a dirty diaper, just to leave him alone.
I get up to go change him and Isabel comes in and sees what's going on...I noticed Joseph was putting Blake carefully on the couch. So I'm waiting to see what they are going to do. Isabel says, "Ok, now undo his diaper realllllllly slow so I can get a good look and see if he pooped. We are gonna need wet wipes, I can tell." So, They undo his diaper and immediately, both Isabel and Joseph take off running and screaming like wild banshees.
Just a few of their comments...
It's everyyyywherrrrre
It Stinkkkkkssss
That's Disgussstinggggg
Ewwww Nasssty
He went in his paaaaaaants
AGHHHHH Poooooop

Why do I find this hilarious? Maybe I'm the only one, but...my blog and I'll post if I want to :) I love my life!

P.S. It really WAS everywhere!

The post where I ramble...

I just want to say that I watched the show Intervention tonight. It was absolutely heartbreaking. Heart. wrenching. It makes me so incredibly sad. This show has actually taught me quite a bit about addiction. I have family members, close family members, who were or are addicted to various drugs. They have done things to others because of their addiction that have really hurt others, I won't even get into those details. But, let me just say, quite frankly, it always pissed me off (I know that sounds tacky, I usually don't use that word...well, unless something really does piss me off). Gosh that sounds tacky. But, I refuse to replace it with another word. Anyway, I just thought it was ridiculous some of the things they did/do. But, after watching the show I see that the addiction takes over their lives, it's the drug that makes them make all those horrible choices. The drug kills the person you know, and there is just a sad, angry, lost soul left behind. It hurts to even watch. Don't get me wrong, I still hold them responsible, because they chose to try the drug in the first place. But, I do have more compassion for their struggle now. Anyway, the whole reason I bring this up is this: It scares me to death...the fact that those parents never thought their children would be addicts, and now their lives are RIPPED apart. Even the loved ones and family/friends that don't actually do the drug...their lives can be ruined just by having an addict in their family. Some of them come from troubled homes, but I think just as many had "normal" upbringings. That shakes me to the core. I can't imagine having to ever see my children struggle in this way, or living "that life". So, we as parents must pray NOW for our little ones...that God would protect them from any stronghold that would prevent them from living the life that God has planned for them...pray that they are kept free from ANY addiction. It's never too early to start praying for our children's future.

On a MUCH lighter note, Isabel decided to get her hair cut. She wanted it up to her chin. I still wanted to be able to pull it out of her face, and that short seemed a bit drastic. So, we went shoulder length, and I figure if she still wants it short, in the Spring we may go ahead and do it chin length. We shall see. Anyway, it's so adorable...we LOVE it!



Also! Christmas was fantastic! I hope my Mamaw and Gma enjoyed celebrating Jesus' birthday in person...I can't wait until I get to do the same. I am in awe that we are starting the year 2011. In awe. How did we get here? How did it happen? WOW! Anyway, hope everyone had a blessed, fabulous Christmas!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

I don't get it. I don't understand why some people make such a fuss about the details of Christ's birth and how/why we celebrate. I celebrate Christmas because I am a Christian...I believe in God and the fact that He sent His son, Jesus, to save us. So, maybe December 25Th isn't the right day. Maybe December isn't the right month. I wasn't there when Christ entered this world, but Christmas is a time to celebrate the fact that He did come. For us. Was He born in a barn? Maybe not. Does it matter? Weather it was in a barn, or in a house...the fact is he had a rather humble entrance, when He deserved MUCH better. He is my King. I will honor and adore Him, and not get caught up in the silly little "what ifs". I know He came to Earth. For me. For you. For all of us. I don't care what the naysayers can "prove"...my faith sustains me...He sustains me. I am so thankful, that so many years ago, I was loved and cared about before I was even knit together in my mother's womb, that my children, and grandchildren to be, were loved...were thought of.
Happy Glorious Birthday, Christ Jesus! My Savior, my Redeemer, my true Father.

For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6

Teens...Eeeek!

If you have a child, they are inevitably going to turn into a teen. There is simply no way around it. We have four kids, and they are pretty spread out, age wise. Well, at least I call 14 years, 9 years, 5 years, and 3 months old, spread out. I was young when I had our first child. So, I have always been a "young" Mom with him...at school and sporting events and the like. With the middle two children, I'm about an average age Mom. And while 31 isn't on old age to have a child, I think I will be on the older side of Moms when our baby Blake starts school. I guess my point is that with our oldest, who is now a teenager, it seems like it wasn't that long ago that I was a teenager myself (even though he is sure it was ages ago). So, I feel like I should know quite a bit about that stage of life, it hasn't been tooooo long, and I'm not that forgetful. Yet. The problem is this: I know all about being a teenage girl, but nothing about being a teenage boy. Oh my. For our oldest, things started changing about 2 years ago. Dare I even say the word, "puberty". Ugh. I am not comfortable with stuff like this. I know I should be, with four kids and all. But, yikes...I am not. I remember several years back, we were riding along in the car, Andrew (our oldest) in the front seat beside me, staring ever so intently under his arm. I asked, "What are you doing???" Andrew replied, "Looking for puberty, Mom!!" Haaaaaaa! It is one of my favorite memories of him, I almost had to pull over because I was beside myself with laughter. I knew he meant he was looking for arm pit hairs, which were a sign of puberty, but how he said it just killed me! After I could calm down though, I thought to myself, "Oh my word, this child is going to go through that stage, and I'm going to have to deal with it". Not the best realization I've ever had to come to. Anyway, I'm rambling on a bit here, but I'm just amazed how my son, in a couple of short years, has gone from a little boy, to a young man. He even has a mustache (of sorts). I have had several talks with him about "stuff" but I am constantly wondering if I am talking to him enough, if I'm getting through to him...if he's comfortable with it? Will he ask questions and talk to me when he needs to or will he be too embarrassed? Will I miss something important? My biggest issue is sex. I have talked with him about the importance of waiting until he is married. I have explained that's how God designed it. But, let's be honest here...a lot of kids Don't wait. I didn't. His dad didn't. And he knows that it's something I regret, I tried to talk openly about it with him, without sharing too many details. So, I don't know if it's right to continue to push waiting until he's married (I mean, I know it's right to push that but is that ALL I should push?)...but should I also push birth control, etc, knowing that he may not wait? On one hand I don't want to act like that's an option, not waiting until marriage, but on the other, I don't want to be a grandmother any time soon...and I don't want my son to get an STD that is so rampant these days. Wow. It's overwhelming having a child this age. Then, there are the talks about drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, fitting in, etc, etc. The biggest thing I feel I can do is pray for him. Pray that God keeps him free from any addiction, any abuse, and unGodly strongholds in his life. I pray that he is confident in who he is, never feels the need to impress anyone, and lives for his Savior, and Him alone. I love my son, he is an awesome child...but I admit, I am not in love with having a teen and all these "issues" to deal with. Since he's the first...the oldest...it's pretty much trial and error with him (poor guy!) and I'm sure I will learn and grow with him, and handle it much better with his two brothers who will go through all this later in life. And. We won't even talk about Isabel. Teen years...with a girl. Oh my. Lord, be with me.

I love...

The way he is milky and drowsy after eating
How just when he falls into a deep sleep he lets out a sweet sigh
His toothless, gummy grin, complete with dimples
When his eyes search my face and then lock onto my own eyes
The way he sucks and sucks on his paci until he is so tired that it just falls out of his mouth
When he is asleep on my chest
How he still "roots" when he is next to me
His perfect little toes and fingers
How he likes his hair being washed
His coos (he is really trying to say something, ya know)
The way he smells
The way his face lights up when his siblings are entertaining him
Just holding him next to me
Just the fact that he's mine....

These are just a FEW of the things I love about our newest addition, and as you can see I'm not quite as spent as I was with my last post :-)

Spent

I titled this post Spent, because I am spent emotionally and physically. Warning: this could be draggy. Besides the thrush issue and then getting sick, I am getting headaches and nausea about every other day. I am still coughing and tired from being sick almost two weeks ago. I feel like my body is so exhausted it just isn't healing like it normally would. Also, I'm not sure why I'm nauseated every day. To add to the joy, I'm thinking Blake doesn't feel so good himself. He is super cranky, and not eating quite as much. 2nd Warning: Going to get a bit personal here. I started breastfeeding Blake from birth, and I quit a week ago. After the painful thrush and getting sick, it was just too much. I felt like 8 weeks of breastfeeding was at least 8 weeks, and much more than lots of kids get. The thing is, even though I made the choice to do so, I'm heartbroken about it. Blake was growing really well from MY milk. David asked what it was that was so special about breastfeeding (in a nice, caring way I mean). I told him, I just felt empowered as a Mom, I'm using the gift God gave me as a Mom, to nurture my child, to help him get what he needs and help him grow. I felt such an awesome bond with Blake, it was something no one else could do for him, and I was "good at it". It was also very tiring...not to ever get a break, and then I got sick, he got sick, and I was in terrible pain...so we switched to formula. But, I am sad about it, very sad. In fact, every time I think about it, I cry. Like right now, for instance. When I force myself to take a step back and look at the whole picture, I know it isn't just the breastfeeding...I'm just emotional...period. A newborn requires LOTS of care, pretty much non-stop care. Any Mother knows that. It's basically all I can do...the house isn't up to par, and I feel like a horrible, neglectful Mother to my other children. I can't keep up with the laundry, or scrubbing the tub, and my floors look terrible. I feel not good enough. I am very snappy. I feel like a failure as a Mother and wife several times a day. Then, there are also moments when I am able to remind myself not to sweat the small stuff, that this time will pass, and I will absolutely miss these days of my kids being "kids"...of Blake being a precious, tiny, infant (Is there really anything more perfect?). But, those times are few and far between these days. My body feels weak. I can't remember anything...I keep thinking my mind is going to "get back to normal", but it hasn't. And, I'm beginning to think it never will. I feel a little like I'm drowning, and there is no one there to help pull me out, or even throw me a life raft. The thing is, I know how to swim if I could just muster the energy and if my brain would let me remember how. So, that's where I am today, this week, this month. I'm spent. I'm thankful God never let's me feel totally hopeless, but I must be honest in saying this is as close as I've ever been to feeling that way. So, prayers are appreciated. Love you all :-)

Sick...and manly things...

We are still working on the thrush issues. Also, last week I started coughing, then Sunday, after our church festival, I came home and started having chills. Took my temp...102. Nice. Or not. Anyway, I held out Monday thinking it was a 24 hour thing, but felt HORRIBLE and was not super hard caring for Blake while being so sick. Monday night was terrible, so Tuesday morning I got myself right to the doctor. Bronchitis, Pharyngitis, and Folliculitis. Sounded like a joke. I had a fabulous hair follicle that got infected, spread into a bacterial infection...or something like that. Anyway, for the past few days I have been MISERABLE. Today is the first day I've felt decent...but, I've pushed myself because I need to get back into the swing of things so badly. It only takes one day of me not getting things done around here and the household turns to crapola! Anyway, I hope to only improve over the next couple days.

Outside, the weather has been so great...I am LOVING it! I walked outside to find the hubs and Joseph "making" something from sticks. Looked manly to me. Isabel and I just watched. It was a bow and arrow. Hmmmm. Pretty cool. It actually worked. I decided to take a couple pics...the shadows were horrible...oh well :-) Isabel thought she would take a photo modeling with a stick...see, even with a stick, she's still cute :-)