So Many Babies....

So many of my dear friends have had or are expecting babies! It's been amazing to witness. It's also left me thinking about my baby, and how much she's grown over the last year. These photos are from last Christmas. Look at those sweet chubby cheeks. She was moving around a little at that time and she really got a sense and skill for unwrapping presents as well.

This year my girl is running everywhere, eating solid food (a little picky but that's typical), chatting up a storm, and pushing through her 2 year molars. She seems so grown up, more independent than I even imagined, loving, and emotional.

So with all the new babies around I've started to miss the 'Baby' in my baby girl. But only for a little while. Don't get me wrong in the middle of all the work and sleeplessness, I savored all the moments in the first year, and I do miss some of that. But my little girl still wants to cuddle with her Mommy and Daddy, she regularly brings her blankie and stuffie and will crawl on my lap and declare she is sleepy and curls up and falls asleep. I will continue to savor these moments and I think she will always be my baby girl. Even my mom still calls my sister and I baby girl. It seems to come with the territory.

As for adding a new baby into our lives.....would I be up for doing this all over again?
















In a heartbeat, but until then, Henry and I are soaking up every moment with our precious Zoey.

How To Raise Your Children.....

Some events and information that I have obtained in recent days has left me asking questions. Henry and I have talked a lot in the evenings after Zoey is tucked away to bed. I've been asking, 'How hard do you get to push your children to believe and do what you want?'
























We try our best to teach our children to make good choices. We start with their behavior, then the food choices, activities, friends, etc. Henry and I pray every night that Zoey's future includes a faithful and close relationship with our God. We pray that He keeps her safe and healthy and that most of all He would draw her near and help us to guide her in that direction.

I don't think that I want her to necessarily believe everything that we believe, although some day's it seems that it would be nice! I've been communicating with a dear friend and expressing some of my concerns and personal beliefs about a situation and it's left me wondering how to do that for our children. If they make life decisions that we disagree with, how much do we get to push to make or encourage a different choice? Or do we say our peace and love them and make sure they know we are always there for them? Henry is steadfast in the belief that while we may not always like or agree with the decisions our children make (who does?), God will be a guiding force for them.

Already when Zoey goes to bed and when we sit down to eat, we tell her 'Time to Pray Zoey' and she gleefully claps her hands together or reaches to hold our hands while we pray. I know that it's a routine for now, but I am praying that these small moments and moments for her will be pieces that lead her to big and amazing things.

God has his loving hand over Zoey and I pray and believe that someday she will look up and love Him back.

I have so few answers in life, but of that I am sure.

A Matter of Faith....

Last week many of us were horrified to hear of a child abduction in Sparwood, B.C. Three year old Kienan Hebert was taken from his home in the middle of the night. When I first heard about it on the radio first thing in the morning, I jumped up from our bed and ran downstairs to check on Zoey. I knew that one child being taken did not mean that mine had been also but I needed to see her and hear her breathing in the moment. I think many parents would understand.

Over the next couple days I could not shake this story from my head. It was constantly running in the back of my head. This is not unusual for me. Those who know me. know that stories of people hurting and in pain, whether I know them or not, find a way deep into my heart. I feel grief deeply with others who I do not know and even more with those that I do. I've learned to accept and even like this part of myself, being a caring person makes me who I am. However, the weight I was feeling for this family and for this precious little boy was growing and did not lessen over the days. I felt strongly that God was telling me to pray and pray often for this boy as he would be okay. I wasn't sure if it was optimism, as I always want the best outcome (as most do), but these need to pray and have faith would not leave me. I don't have such strong feelings often but I always take them very seriously when they come.

I had been fighting such a persistent cold all week and Saturday night was the worst so far. I had managed to fall into a much needed sleep until at 12:30am I jolted awake after a vision or dream where I distinctly saw the headline, "B.C Boy Found". Hopeful, I grabbed my phone and searched online to see if was true. I was saddened when I could not find anything. After that, sleep eluded me for an hour and I had begun coughing as well so I decided to relocate myself downstairs so I wouldn't keep Henry awake. One of us should be able to get some sleep. Once I was downstairs I still couldn't get Kienan off my mind enough to sleep so I pulled out the laptop and started searching again to see if I missed something. During this time, God was telling me to pray and pray persistently and so I obeyed. That evening I was unable to get to sleep until early morning, last I had checked it was somewhere around 5:00am when I was able to drift off.

We were up early Sunday morning since Henry was playing worship at the church. I had decided to stay home since I really wasn't feeling well but I wanted to have some time with Henry before he left. As I poured our coffee I told him about my experiences from that evening. I was telling him that I had seen the headline in my vision or dream and couldn't stop praying about it all night. I was telling him that I was a little confused by the level of pressing I was feeling. As I was finishing this thought and bringing our cups of coffee to the table Henry had opened the laptop and said, "You're not going to believe this...they found him". I think my eyes must have popped completely out of my head. I started to cry and I ask Henry, "Is he okay?". We say down together and read the amazing account of Kienan's safe return to his home. It is a completely unbelievable, unheard of story. His abductor brought him back to his home, and called 911 to tell them that the child would be found in the house. Only by the grace of God was this series of events possible.

I am sharing this with you because this series of events has had a profound impact on me and I want to share my unwavering belief in my God. The God who has his hand of protection and love around me and my family always. It has impressed upon me the power of prayer, not just my prayer, but the prayers of a country.

I am a worrier, it affects my life in a way that I keep to myself. People do not see the rapid fears and worries that assault my mind at almost every step of my life. However, I know, with one hundred percent certainty and confidence that my faith in God keeps me from self destruction. When fears plague me, I am able to breath and pray to the one who understands me and my mind the best. I give it to Him and a prayer asking for protection and will for our lives allows me to continue on. This is not to say I never struggle, I have many many struggles but I have been learning so much and I am so grateful.

I am overjoyed at the safe return of Kienan Hebert and I celebrate with his family as they are able to hug him, hold him, and kiss his head again. And I also am grateful for the way God has continued to reveal Himself to me and my family.

Priceless....

Tonight Henry and I were watching a slideshow of pictures of Zoey. Henry was looking at the newborn images and said softly, "I look at these, and I know 100%, I would do it again."

With tears I replied, "In a heartbeat"

Your Mommy and Daddy love you completely Zoey Faith <3

Nothing Wrong....

So I have been stewing for awhile about some points of view and I think it's time to put my (our) thoughts out there. I apologize if it comes across as a rant, it is not directed at anyone, there are just some thoughts that need to be expressed.


Zoey, my sweet, precious, sparkling, adventurous, loving, giggling, dancing, beautiful, Zoey, is shy around people sometimes. In new or different environments, she generally likes to be able to fall back to the people she knows best and is most comfortable with. A lot of the time, that's myself or Henry. This is a completely normal and developmentally appropriate response and behaviour. It is NOT a character flaw.

Zoey is smart and able to sense when she is comfortable. Once she feels safe she is able to explore and engage with others. Please don't take it personally when she is tentative around you. There are at least 20 other factors that sometimes play into how she responds to others. When we haven't had enough sleep, or are feeling sick or in pain, most adults struggle to interact with others.

Lately, as Zoey has learned to walk, she is becoming more independent and explores her environments with more and more confidence. It's exciting to watch and help her develop this confidence. However, even if she continues to be a little shy with others, Henry and I will never fault her for that perfectly normal behaviour.



So the simple point of this post is to let Zoey know (when she's older), others around us, and maybe other parents who have 'Shy' children, that it's okay! My daughter is not wonderful in spite of her shyness, she is amazing because of all the part of who she is, which includes a shyness. I am so grateful that Zoey has confidence in her parents and feels safe and secure.

Feeling Victorious....

There isn't a whole lot to update today but I felt the desire to share how proud I am of Zoey. For those that have followed along with me, you are familiar with the struggles and doubts that came along with 'Sleep Training'. A year might seem like an absurd age to finally have naps and bedtime figured out but I have no regrets. Our days consist of no tear naps, I tell her it's naptime twice a day and she wraps her arms around me, gives a little kiss and curls up and sleeps. Bedtime has been a blissfully peaceful part of our evening.



I know it was a struggle for a long time, many tears shed by Zoey and myself, long talks in the middle of the night between Henry and myself wrestling with the choices we made. But at the end of it, I know we will have the occasion rough night (we had one this week) but as far as the norm, Zoey is perceiving nighttime, and sleep as what it should be, quiet and safe. Sleep is restful and a chance for her little body to get the rest it needs.

I hope that Zoey always knows how proud her mommy and daddy are of her, for the big and small things. Always and Forever <3

Milestones....

What a week! My little girl is transforming into a toddler before our eyes! This past week has held some very big changes for her and she has handle them like a champ.

Last week we made the big decision to wean Zoey entirely. We had already weaned the day time nursing and I was only nursing at night for about ten minutes. It was working well for us, but on Wednesday she was playing with Henry before we read her story. She was jumping, giggling, and squealing on our bed as she played. Suddenly I burst into tears. Henry was a little taken a back (understandably). I told him that in that moment I knew Zoey was ready to stop nursing all together. I wrestled with deciding to make that transition that night but decided I wasn't completely ready yet. So we made the plan that we would wait until Friday night when Henry would be able to be home to put her in bed. I cried a lot on Wednesday night. I felt a little silly but I realized it was okay. For nearly 16 months Zoey and I have had that quiet and special time for just the two of us, and even with the challenges in the beginning, it was precious to me. I loved being able to comfort her and help her calm quietly and sleep. But my sweet girl is growing up and that brings me more joy than I could have imagined. So Thursday night I quietly read her Bible story, prayed with her, and she nursed for a few minutes. I brought her down to bed and she curled up and snuggled up with her Boots. Friday night my sister in law took me out for a drink and we chatted and just enjoyed the time together. Henry put her to bed, and for the first time in her little life, I wasn't there....and I was okay. I've been doing just fine since my tears on Wednesday. I still absolutely want to be here when she goes to bed but it's amazing seeing her grow up and learn these new skills. I couldn't be more proud of her.

As if that milestone wasn't enough, she is also WALKING now! Full tilt! She took a few tentative steps early in the week and by Thursday she was really going, and now, she almost never crawls and she toddles everywhere! On Friday, Henry got home from work and she ran to him. I got a little misty, it was beautiful. He has been so excited for the day when she ran to him when he gets home and it's one of the best parts of our day.



Zoey has been also eating a lot more which is huge! She is a little picky, or I should actually say, she knows what she likes. She will try almost anything, but to actually consume a lot, she has to like it. I think that's fair, most people would go by that rule. She loves Vegetable Thin crackers and could eat 5 nectarines a day if I let her! She adores any fruit and yogurt, and banana bread. She'll try the pasta we have or some of the meats but we are still trying to find more things she enjoys. But it's truly a joy seeing her nibble away at new foods and gobble them up. Again, we are so incredibly proud. Henry and I regularly look at her and just become overcome with how excited we are for her.



So Summer continues to be busy and filled with excitement and activities but I am loving every minute!

Summer - Day One

Well Summer is here! And we had a fantastic family kick off!

Last week I finished my school year and office hour requirements and now I'm trying to cram my days with fun activities for me and my girlie. This weekend we had a lot of fun things to do while Daddy was home for the long weekend. On Friday we went to Calgary to go to the Zoo and see some awesome friends we hadn't seen in far too long. The kiddos had a blast! It was busy but their little guy and Zoey got a long great (as well as a 3 1/2 and 1 year old can :). Zoey was so excited to see the animals this time! It was a stark contrast to the previous visit. She saw the Elephants and squealed and pointed. Henry put her on his shoulders and then got a good look at them. We saw some monkeys, a baby Gorilla, Giraffes, Hippos, and Lions! She was mesmerized by all of them. It was fantastic. After that we parted ways with our friends and headed to IKEA. We grabbed some grub there and managed to find Zoey a really cute Art Easel. She already loves it and talks and colors and 'Oohs and Aahs' at her creations.

This was the first trip we made with her since last October when we made the long trip to Saskatchewan. We fully admit we were scarred by that experience. It was a tough tough go but we have a new carseat and Zoey is a lot older now. She did great! I don't know how much longer she really would have wanted to go but it was a good trial run. In the fall we are heading back to Saskatchewan for my students Grad but I think we will be a little more prepared. Plus with her being older, I think she can be bribed and distracted much more easily than a 6 month old :)



Something exciting things have begun happening over the weekend. Zoey is weaning! We got back from Calgary and we realized she hadn't nursed all day! It was shocking, and she did fine. So we are in day four of no daytime feedings and only at night. Those will go away soon too but for now I'm trying to prepare myself for having this stage finish for us. I'm thrilled and devastated all at the same time. A very strange emotion, but I know that this is the perfect way for it to happen and it's time. She is doing so much better with eating solids. As I sit and write this, she is working on some toast, eggs and cheese. And with my being on holidays I can let her sit and work on her plate as long as she needs.

The rest of the weekend we spent outside. It was awesome! We did yardwork, cleaned windows, Zoey played on a blanket on the grass, on the deck with her new easel, and just enjoyed being around us and playing. We went for a few walks and ran some errands, honestly, one of the best weekends I can remember. On Sunday we went for another walk, played in her little pool outside and then capped the day off with a viewing of Tangled. She plunked down with Henry and the two of them nearly fell asleep. It was precious. Henry and I both agree we can get behind the idea of family movie night on Sundays. It would be a fun way to end the weekends. Just a thought.




Today Zoey and I have been keeping busy already. We headed to the library that's just across the way for us. When we got there we found out they were having a Toddler time so we stayed and sang some songs and looked at some more books. She did well. She really is a shy little girl but that's just who she is. Once she felt a little more at ease she crawled over to the book bin and pulled a bunch out, she smiled at the teacher, and made a couple friends (smiles mostly). It was a good thing to see, I think we will make that a semi regular activity. It's a pretty quiet and relaxed environment so she responds well to that.




We are so looking forward to having more adventures and quality time together this summer! So far so good :)

Sleeping Beauty

If I put Zoey down for a nap while she's still awake, I leave the door open just a crack. That way if she cries before falling asleep, I can still creep up to the door and peak in on her to make sure she's alright. There are a lot of reasons that I do this, but probably number one has to be, Peace of Mind. There have been a few nights since she's been born that I've gotten up in the night and had a peak in on her. I listen to hear her soft breathing and look just over the edge of her crib and see that she's sleeping. Sometimes I come upstairs and tell Henry about the crazy positions I find her in. Without fail, he will smile and laugh, and say, "we have one cute kid".



Today she fell asleep in the bouncy seat we have in the bathroom. Since she's still not one hundred percent stable (and the space isn't Zoey proofed yet) she will hang out in there as I get a shower after a run. It's a lovely routine. This time she fell asleep in her chair which is always unbearably precious. I finished cleaning up and brought her down to her crib to finish her nap. She woke up as I laid her down and she cried. I kissed her, covered her up, and closed the door leaving that crack open. After just a few minutes I went to check on her and I smiled when I saw her. She was staring at the designs on the bumpers, playing with the blankets, swinging her feet around. There is a great deal of sweetness in the simplicity of my little girl falling asleep, peacefully in her crib.

Putting It Off...

I've been meaning to add a post for Zoey's first birthday. Well it's been a few weeks and I haven't been able to get that done.

How on earth do I summarize what the past year has been like? It's been so indescribably amazing and huge. I've sat down a few times to try and write her one year post but the words have escaped me...

The last few weeks have been amazing and tough. Zoey is sleeping through the night....those who have been reading my posts and talked to me, know how much this concerned us. It wasn't a fact of not wanting or a unwillingness to get up with her, but it was a concern that we were doing something wrong. We also know that being able to get to sleep and stay asleep is an important skill. We are so so proud of her and so happy that we managed this milestone. It's as we told ourselves multiple times over the past year, there are so many times I've thought "I'm not sure how she'll do this?" and suddenly one day, she does it. The human body and Zoey in general is amazing and I have learned to have faith that God knows what the plan is for our little family.

I cannot believe how fast my little girl is growing up. I see glimpses of this amazing toddler everyday. It seems everyday she learns something new, develops a new behaviors or skill, and everyday she shatters our hearts with how much we love her.

In the midst of a fit where she thrashes when I hold her and screams till shes purple if I put her down, I step back and think about how frustrating it can be but wonderful at the same time. Learning big lessons, teething, and life in general can be tough and I marvel at the ability and honor to watch her learn even the tough things. I've always felt pretty good with patience with others, especially children. I am grateful for this trait as it's served our family well. It's not always easy but I hope that Zoey can sense how much she is loved and how unconditional that love is.

We have been reading Zoey Bible stories before bed and it's awesome. Henry reads it and we do the actions together, it warms my heart to be teaching her these important lessons and stories early. Last night we went upstairs to get her ready for bed and she crawled over to my bedside table with a purpose. I was about to tell her 'Don't touch' when I realized she was going straight for her Bible (a very cute pink one 'Just for Girls'). I gave it to her and she flipped happily through the pages. Henry came and sat down with her and they found the right story and she clapped and smiled as he read it to her. There has been a massive amount of ulcer inducing stress in my/our life for the last while. So much that some days I feel like I wander through my day in a daze. I feel as though I just need to 'Get through the day'. I try and keep my home from falling apart, complete my job in a manner that I can be proud of, make sure my daughter has plenty of time with mommy and feels loved, and manage time with my amazing husband. Some days this along with the other demands in my life feel overwhelming. However, I am in the process of relearning how to lean on God for everything and to take things piece by piece and not taking it all on in one shot.

Life is so amazingly good and I am feeling incredibly blessed. As people in the Province have lost their homes to fire and with what feels like an unending string of horrific natural disasters, I am grateful for everything I have.




My sweet and precious Zoey has brought so much joy to our lives and we are so proud of her. We thank God daily for her. I pray she always knows how loved and precious she is!

Mommy and Daddy love you sweetheart <3 Always and Forever

Becoming Confident...

I've been realizing that parenting requires confidence, something that does not always come easily when you feel like you have no idea what you are doing.

We are trying to grow in our confidence in what we are doing with Zoey. There are some areas in our everyday life that makes it a little more difficult some times. Sleep has been an issue this week. I'm not sure exactly what is causing the issue, but Zoey has been waking up nearly hourly the past couple nights. It makes it difficult for the poor thing (and her poor parents) to feel entirely rested in the morning. She has increased her frequency of feedings during the day in the last 48 hours so it makes me think perhaps teething, growth spurt, cold...anyone of those things. Henry and I talk a lot about what we want/think we should do. We read articles and books, talk to other parents. The general consensus, in my humble opinion, is that every child is drastically different and there are very few 'One Size Fits All' solutions. I have owned the choices we made and the difficult days that they may create in our future and I think that is part of trying to become confident. Henry and I know Zoey the best, we have a pretty good idea of what has/will work, but we are not so closed minded that we are not open to other suggestions and advice.

One of the difficulties we are having is we know Zoey would be able to cry it out, but since she stands up in her crib every time and it begins a crazy process of her crying, falling asleep while standing, falling down and starting all over because she's scared or bumped herself. If she does manage to sit down first, she wakes herself up every time her head bobs forward. We bought a new crib set for Zoey's birthday and it includes bumpers that we hope will help a little. As I was writing this post, I had to stop since my daughter was having a meltdown. She wanted me to pick her up but we are working to make sure she gets picked up not because she's crying. She worked herself up into a tizzy and once she finally settled I held her and rocked her a little and her muffled hics and soft cries began to slow into a sleeping breath. This reinforces the knowledge that she could fall asleep on her own, but who would want to deal with falling asleep standing up? We are talking about perhaps consistently going in and laying her back down. It's worth a shot.



This would be easy if I felt like we knew exactly what would work, or if her cries didn't go straight to our hearts. We love her so much and we are finding that balance between making sure she feels loved, supported, and comforted by her parents and also making sure as her parents we help her grow and develop the skills she needs.

I am trying so hard to relax about it all and give it to God. We will figure it all out. Zoey is a healthy, beautiful, spunky little girl. We love her so much and treasure every blessed moment with her, even the tough ones.




On an exciting point, we are trying to figure out what to do for her 1st Birthday Party! It's clearly all for us adults but it's excited none the less! My precious little girl is turning One and I cannot believe it!

Sleep Training....Sigh...

Brutal! Last weekend was exhausting for Henry and I. We've been working with Zoey on going to sleep in her crib without being fed first or being totally asleep. She's resisting, but mostly only for her afternoon nap. We generally have been fighting with her on it for an hour minimum everyday. She's so so exhausted but either falls asleep while standing in her crib and then wakes up screaming (who wouldn't sleeping like that!) or she'll give in and sit down but the movement of a head drooping as she falls asleep wakes her every time. The other day it was every time her head drooped she would bang into the crib bars. Poor baby. By the end of it I end up peaking through the little crack in her door to see if she's okay, and at the end of the hour, I wait for her to quiet down before I get her.

I pray the whole time, begging to see her just gently lie down and give into the sleep. I have been thinking I need to write down some where a note to her, so that when she's older, maybe even when she is doing the same thing with her children, she knows mommy was always watching her, listening for her soft breath, praying for her, loving her. As awful as it is, and as awful as she may feel in the moment, she's never alone. Her parents are always there. I think that is such a comforting idea. I know that I gained so much comfort from the presence of my parents when I was younger and as well as I get older. I think even more so, the imagery is significant when we think about our Heavenly Father. We sob and cry. We beg and ask why, but we are never alone. No matter how we feel, He is watching and loving us. We are doing this with Zoey because we know (or hope) it's best, and who better to know what is best for us than God.

So my Dearest Zoey. Whenever you read this, please know that your Mommy and Daddy love you more than they ever thought they could love another person. We are always watching you and loving you. We pray daily for you and look forward to a day where you will come to know the comfort and joy in prayer and even more so, in a relationship with your Heavenly Father. We love you, forever and always.




And now I'm going to get my baby girl and make her feel all better <3

Dragging Our Feet...

Feeling a little tired this morning. Teething has reared it's ugly head once again and is making a full night sleep for our little girl much more difficult. Sunday night was long as Zoey was up three times. We were tired but it's manageable. It's amazing how your body adapts and adjusts to the lack of sleep! Last night was longer, after the third time up I decided I needed to get her back to sleep without bringing her upstairs. Sometimes it's a difficult choice as just keeping with the routine is quicker and easier, but I wanted to give it a go.

The last time I tried she was teething as well, and I'de rock her to sleep until she went limp with sleep and as I would lay her down her eyes would pop open and she would scream. I'de try to comfort her, rub her head or tummy, turn on her aquarium, but she would fight my hands away and scream and pull herself up and beg me to hold her again. I rocked her to sleep again and again tried to lie her down once she was close to sleep. The same thing, she woke up screaming. I decided I would see if she would fall asleep if I went upstairs for a minute. In less than five minutes she was coughing and gagging. Zoey has allergies that result in a running nose, and when she cries, the nose runs more and it causes her to gag and cough and if we don't calm her she vomits. So I went back down and calmed her down. I think understandably I felt a little discouraged. After almost an hour she was still awake and anytime I turned to her crib she wrapped her little arms around my neck. So I gave in and realized in order for us all to get some sleep I brought her upstairs and fed her briefly. She fell asleep and slept the rest of the night.



That was a week or so ago, last night was a near exact replica, except that even after I brought her up she resisted sleep. I rubbed her tummy, and she seemed to need to release some gas. After a few minutes of gentle tummy rubs she was sleeping. I think getting to sleep needs to be a peaceful process. I completely understand that babies need to be able to get themselves to sleep, and when she isn't teething she is fully capable and she does. But when there is something bothering her, teething, stomach pains, otherwise, she gets much to worked up to sleep.

So after I had her asleep, I took her back down and she stayed asleep as I laid her down. Relief! I came back upstairs and crawled into bed greedily. Henry and I chatted about what we thought about what had happened for a few minutes and then curled up to go to sleep. Less than a half an hour later and she woke up screaming again. Very quick and sudden. Henry went to get her and brought along her Infacol. We gave her a dose and some more tummy rubs and soon enough she went back to sleep. She did manage to sleep the rest of the morning. I feel that it was gas pain that was keeping her up. I always end up kicking myself when we realize what the problem was, I wish I had tried something simple in the beginning. It's a learning process for all of us.




Henry and I are committed to praying for wisdom and help in raising this precious little girl and if there are nights without sleep to figure things out and to raise a daughter who feels loved and cared for, so be it. We are so incredibly grateful for Zoey and her continued health. Life is so full and we are soaking up every crazy, confusing, and exhausting minute!

Baby Blue Eyes

Zoey has the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. People tell me that she gets them from me and I think that is the most flattering comment. From the day she was born Henry and I have marveled at her big blue eyes. She has been wide eyed from the first hour. Now as she gets older these eyes carry so much expression. When she smiles so big that her face can't contain it her eyes dance. They crinkle on the side and squint. When she is scared or startled, her eyes get large and open. They try to take everything around her in and seems to be searching for someone to comfort her and make her feel safe. When she laughs her eyes close and then open wide when she tries to gasp for breath (mostly when she's playing with her daddy). When she is sad, tears cling to her beautiful lashes and her eyes beg us to make it better.



As my sweet girl gets older, it is bitter sweet in ways, but we are soaking in every milestone, every new sound, facial expression, and triumph. It's hard to believe she is almost a year old! It's impossible to imagine life without this beautiful blue eyed girl in our lives.

Delicious Fridays...

It's finally Friday and after such a long week, I feel ready to recharge a little bit. Poor Zoey had an incredibly tough week with teething. Every morning this week ended with sobbing and screaming. Some days carried into the afternoon, but we survived. Today seems to be going a bit better already but a good nap always helps!

She always perked up when her daddy came home. She is trying so hard to talk and when he would get home it was as if she would try to tell him everything she did. She's exploring the ranges of her voice, with high squeaks and low 'Oohs', it's been a perfect way to end our days.




Fridays are treasures to me. After a long week at work, I have the day off. So I get a chance to just play with my monkey. We clean the house, read, play with toys, and sometimes we even get out of the house! It's odd when you get out and realize, hey this is the first time since Sunday! It's a lifestyle I have adapted to however. Tonight I am planning on making Henry's favorite Ice Cream Cake. I was going to make it for his Birthday but since it had coffee in it, it was not allowed in January. I think it might be a nice treat to enjoy while we relax tonight.

This week I have also rediscovered one of my childhood loves, Adventures in Odyssey. It's a Focus on the Family radio show that's been running for over twenty years. My sister and I used to listen to them all the time. I would actually have them running as I would go to sleep. So it's been fun going through and listening to old shows and learning about the new ones. I was so sad to find out that the actor who played Mr Whit for many many years passed away last year. So it's a little different hearing a new actor, but I remember adjusting when the original actor Hal Smith passed away and I embraced Paul Herlinger quickly. It's the character that is treasured along with the people who bring them to life. It will always have a place in my heart, with all the lessons it taught me. I still remember specific things that I've learned and held on to that I gained from Odyssey. I hope maybe someday Zoey will find them a blessing to her as well.

Teething Can Bite Me...

My poor monkey has been had a couple days of intense teething. Yesterday was a tough one, she cried and slept all morning. Finally I decided it was time to try the Anbesol and within 30 seconds life was better again. The Pharmacist who gave it to us had put a fear in me, and seemed to be disappointed that we would even consider using the infant formula. We hardly use it, but it's a miracle when we need it. The slightest amount seems to take that edge off and she can enjoy her day again.

The poor little girl, it hurts as a parent to see her in so much pain, especially when there is not much you can do. I'm dreading the first Flu, Cold, and bad injury, but it will come and go and we will all survive.



Until then we will deal with the teething with snuggles, juice, Dora the Explorer, and the random dose of Tylenol and Anbesol. It's days like these where I am grateful to be able to work from home. I snuggle her in my lap as long as I can and power through emails, curriculum, and assignments. I've been doing this awhile now so I feel like I've been able to be pretty successful.

Last night, Daddy cured all ails while he played and giggled with her. He eventually brought his guitar down and let her strum with his pick. It was the sweetest thing to see her little bum bouncing to the music and her arms flapping excitedly when Daddy showed her how to make sound come from the large contraption. Someday Zoey will be able to appreciate how special it is to have a daddy that is more concerned about time with her than a potential scratch on a guitar. Not to say that we aren't learning the words 'Gentle' and 'Don't Touch', but moments like that are a beautiful thing.



Teething will someday end, and until then we will do our best to comfort and savor each precious smile!

I Wouldn't Change A Thing...

So I recently grabbed myself a new app. Henry got me a iTunes gift card for Christmas and I have been savoring every penny. Something about having that little chunk of change just for me is fun! I started with Bruno Mars' album, Zoey and I dance around to those tunes all day :)

The most recent purchase was a camera app. It takes pictures with my iPhone but turns them into vintage photos. I'm not much of a photographer, but I know what I like the look of and honestly, Zoey can't seem to take a bad picture! I think she gets a lot of that from her daddy.

I thought I would share some of the pictures I have taken. My gorgeous little girl with those big blue eyes, takes my breath away.

Trying To Do It Right...

Henry and I were chatting last night about Parenting. Man, I think of it as being a Mom is way easy, but Parenting, that's hard! That's just my personal spin on it :)

I've been thinking a lot about the pressure that parents put on ourselves and that we get from others. We were talking about how we all have pretty intense opinions about what we think works and what doesn't, but the one size fits all concept only works if all children are exactly the same. And anyone who has more than one child or has worked with children, knows that simply isn't true.

So the take away, we welcome advice from people in the know, I love to hear what worked for you, but when it comes to the decisions we make for our children, this club of parents needs to become a little more accepting. I know for me, I was a very attached child. I had a great deal of anxiety over the idea of having to be away from my parents or family. It was just how I was hard wired. I have to thank my parent for never forcing the issue with me. They were very understanding and in a way accommodating. I don't remember feeling embarrassed or pressured with my family to get over it and separate myself from them. One could have been very concerned when your 7 year old daughter is panicking over the idea of leaving for college. But I remember my mom just smiling, giving me a hug, and saying, "I promise when that time comes you will be ready, but you don't have to pack your bags anytime soon." The reality for me ended up being excitement when it came time to move to College. No tears were shed and I loved the years I spent there.

So when it comes to a daughter who has a little bit of separation anxiety, Henry and I are very unconcerned. My goal is to make sure that she knows she is loved, and is always able to come to us. Family is supposed to be a safe place to go and feel comforted and honestly I would be concerned if it was any other way. So I will not be pushing her to cut the cord, but over time I am completely confident that she will be able to strike it out on her own and grow into a fabulous and confident young woman and I can't wait. But until then I will hold on to my baby girl and let her feel safe in my arms.

Baby On the Move!

I've been trying to upload videos and it's just not working! So I am very sorry about that and I will keep trying!

Zoey is crawling all over the place! She is stunning! Over the holiday she really started to move and it was amazing. We really think she is going to be walking anytime now. She pulls up on everything and she wants to move even more. The little girlie gets so frustrated when she can't sit down on her own. She'll be standing and turns her head and half cries. So we are trying to help her realize she can sit down on her own and she'll survive. I'll hold my hand out and she holds on tight and plunks down. I want her to know that no matter what mommy and daddy are there for her and while we know she can do stuff on her own, we are right there for her, always.

It's daunting watching her grow up. It gives me so much joy but it all happens so fast that sometimes I just want to hold on to those moments. She sleeps so well in her crib now for naps that sometimes I'll cheat and just hold her. I've been struggling with feeling a little anxious about the whole weaning process...but I have resolved to give myself a break in that area. We have decided to continue at least to a year, it's healthy for her, and since it's working so well why not?



Work is going pretty well actually! I was anxious about how teaching and prepping was going to go after the holidays. Zoey is napping well for me and I'm getting a lot of work done and class is going great! My sister is coming over after she finishes work to watch her until Henry can get home which is awesome! So I feel like things are going well that way. I'm definitely tired at the end of the day and I'm always very much looking forward to the weekend. The Christmas holiday was fantastic and it was a holiday that for once when it ended it wasn't with grief it was with a feeling of, "Wow, what a great holiday!". We got a lot of things done and just enjoyed hanging out and Henry really enjoyed spending time with Zoey. It was lovely :)

Finally we are looking into some allergy issues with Zoey. Shes had a consistent runny nose for months and she also has the tell tale signs of red rimmed eyes and dry scabs behind the ears. I'm taking her this week to talk to the doctor and start talking about a plan. We've been using the humidifier, saline drops, Tide Free, no smoking, cleaned carpets, etc. So we will figure this one out :)