30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 4

Day 4: I am thankful for the opportunity to be a WAHM (work-at-home-mom). There are days that it would be nice to "escape to the office" or to be able to work uninterrupted but the flexibility of my schedule and the chance to spend time with my children are priceless.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 3

Day 3:  I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. He really is the perfect man for me. We are so opposite but compliment each other very well - his strengths are my weaknesses and my strengths are his weaknesses, etc. We have been happily married for 7 years.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 2

Day 2: I am thankful for Sofia Grace who blessed us with her birth exactly 4 months ago today. She already brings our family such joy. Reagan and Evie fight over who gets to hold her, and Amelia loves to sit and give her hugs and kisses. Her contented and happy disposition is a reminder to me on a daily basis that we really don't need a lot of "stuff" to bring us joy. The best way I've seen it put lately is in the following quote, "Sometimes we need to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."

Evelyn, Amelia, Reagan, and Sofia

30 Days of Thanksgiving: November 1

I've had a couple of friends start posting one thing a day to be thankful for throughout the month of November. I did this last year on my food blog during the month of October (I titled the posts 31 Days of Praise). With things being fairly hectic lately, I've decided that I need to do this again to remind myself to be thankful for everything that God has given me.

Day 1: Today I am thankful for our laminate flooring (and a wonderful husband who cleaned it). Amelia got sick right before bed tonight and it was much easier to clean up the laminate flooring than it would have been to clean up the old shag carpet that we used to have in the living room.

Our poor little Amelia

Evie in the ER again!

Well, Evie got to go to the ER in her jammies for the 2nd time this year. She's had a cold, has seasonal allergies and now we're wondering now if she's got asthma like Jared.
Jared took her in and the asthma medication seems to be helping but they're going to do chest x-rays to make sure it's not pneumonia or something else. Now back to waiting for me...I guess it's a blessing in disguise that I still have laundry to fold.

Update: Chest x-rays revealed pneumonia in one lung and they sent her home with an inhaler and an antibiotic. We just have to take her in for a check with our family doctor as a follow-up. Please be praying that we can get her to rest when needed as 3 year olds are not big fans of sleep. She thinks medicine is cool and is used to taking it due to seasonal allergies since she was a year old so it should be pretty easy to get her to take it when needed.

On Days like Today

There are times in our lives when we go through struggles. Some are small struggles and others are larger. Today is one of those days filled with small struggles. The weather is gloomy and cold, my house is a disaster from an overly busy schedule throughout this last month. My little ones are choosing to exert their free will and I'm just plain tired.

On days like today when I would love to just curl up on the couch with a pillow, blanket, coffee, and a good book (without interruption), these small struggles reminded me of some things:

• The struggles remind me of how easy childhood really is and they make me wonder why I ever wanted to grow up so badly. But then I remember all the joys that being an adult, a wife and mother, bring - the hugs, the kisses, the little expressions of "I love you" that I get on a daily basis. It encourages me to provide a loving childhood for my children just as my parents provided one for me.
• The small struggles remind me of how my God must feel when I decide to exert MY free will and sin against him. The sadness that I feel over my childrens' disobedience pales in comparison to the pain it must bring the Father knowing that He willingly gave His ONLY Son to die for those very sins.
• The small struggles remind me that even though I'm struggling I still have things to be thankful for. A couple of weeks ago a cousin lost her dear son to a senseless car accident whereas I can still cuddle mine. Less than a week ago a young man that we knew felt so alone and hopeless that he took his own life, leaving behind a loving family and dear friends to mourn. I still have hope that just as there are daily struggles there will be daily victories. Somewhere there is a wife who longs to be a mother and will never experience the joy that bringing a little life into this world gives to you. I have four beautiful children for which I am thankful.
• The small struggles remind me that I know a single mom who works so hard to pay bills and yet have the energy to take time with her children. I know of a widow who would love to hear her husbands voice and feel his arms around her. I am so thankful for the wonderful husband I have to help me with our children, a man who provides for our financial needs. I still have a strong and loving man to provide strength and encouragement to this weary wife. 
• The small struggles of today remind me that I know a young missionary wife and mother who is thousands of miles from close friend and family and yet I have friends and family living close by whom I can share my burdens with. 
• Most of all, the small struggles of today remind me that no matter how small the struggle, my Heavenly Father is right here with me. I can access His grace to make it through this day and every day.

Kids

I just realized how longs it's been since the last time I posted anything on here. The kids are ever changing and grow more excited about Sofia's arrival with each passing week. Here are some updates.

Reagan -
At 4, he is always coming up with interesting and funny things to say especially when they involve Sofia. He is also very curious and wants to know about EVERYTHING - how things work, how they are put together, how to spell words, etc.! It can get a little tiring with all the "why's", "how's", and "what if's".

• (May 26, 35 weeks along) This morning Reagan wanted me to help him with something while I was sitting in the recliner eating my cereal. I set my cereal bowl on top of my belly and Reagan thought it was just the coolest. This is what he said, "Wow mom, you can use Sofia as a table! If I had a belly like that I would use it to set stuff on ALL the time!"
• (May 24, 35 weeks along) Reagan was awake by himself for a bit this morning and he said a couple of funny things that involve Sofia. He was sitting on my lap and was putting his hand on my cheek when he said, "Mom, you feel really warm." Then he put his hand on my forehead and my neck, saying, "Wow, mom, you are really, really warm. Are you feeling ok or are you sick?" I told him that baby Sofia was keeping me really warm, which lead to the next funny thing. Reagan was talking about how much he loves baby Sofia and how he can't wait till she pops out (he asks almost daily when she is going to get here). I talked to him about how babies stay in their mommy's tummies for about 40 week (I talked to him about this earlier the next bullet point) and then told him that Sofia had been in my tummy for 35 weeks. We counted together how many weeks there were left between 35 and 40, he got very excited when he discovered there were only 5 weeks till 40. Then I told him about how he, Evie, and Amelia all stayed in my tummy for 41 weeks so it could be longer than 5 weeks before Sofia came out. I asked him how many weeks he thought Sofia was going to stay in my tummy since everyone else had stayed for 41 weeks, he replied with a silly grin, "45 weeks I think." Then he started laughing.
• (At 28 weeks along) Sofia is borderline hyper today, which the kids LOVE because they like to feel her moving around. Reagan told me, "Maybe she is excited because God is going to let her out of your tummy today." I told him that she needed to stay put for another 11-12 weeks. He told me that was a really LONG time. I told him that babies are supposed to stay in their mommies tummies for 40 weeks or so until they've grown enough to come out. I told him that she'd already been in my tummy for 28 weeks and only had 12 left to go. He put his hand up on his forehead, sighed, and said, "WOW, 40 weeks! That is like more than 100 years!" I think we need to work on his math just a little more. ;o)
• Reagan has started following in Jared's footsteps where impersonations are involve. The other day he was walking around the house talking in a higher pitched and kind of squeaky voice for almost 30 minutes. I couldn't figure out why until he came into the kitchen by me and said, "Mom, listen. I can talk like _______ (a girl in his Sunday school class at church)."
• He can spell and write his name, "mom", "dad", and a couple of other things.
• Last night (May 25), they had the King's Kids awards program at church and I really didn't think much about it because Reagan is only in the Lambs & Flyer's class (3-5 year olds). So when they started giving out certificates I was excited for him (he got one for attendance and another for finishing his Lamb's book). Then they announced the "Flyer of the Year" trophy (the child with the most points) and Reagan had tied for the trophy with 15,400 points, saying 36 goal cards!

  

  Reagan and his Trophy

Evelyn -

We've discovered the Evie is ALL girl and a very girlie-girl at that. She LOVES pretties, frills, and being pampered. She is also very emotional, which can be a struggle to deal with at times because the littlest thing will put her in tears. 

Evie is our "giant" girl as I call her. She was just shy of 40" tall at her 3 year check-up and is only about 1.5"-2" shorter than Reagan (who is just above average for a boy). She's wearing size 5 in most things now and I am constantly having to change out her clothes due to growth spurts.

Evie turned "3"

 A couple of weeks ago, we got to make our very 1st visit to the ER (I know that's pretty amazing considering the fact that we have 3 kids 4 and under). Reagan decided to slam a door not realizing that Evie's finger was there. The door ended up cutting 3/4 of the way through the tip of her finger, chipping the bone, and ripping the nail off. She got a few x-rays and 4 stitches. Thankfully the doctor said the nail should grow back and her finger should get back to almost normal.

Amelia - 

Miss MaeMae (aka Meli, Amelia, etc.) is a very quirky toddler and a girl of few words. She entertains herself very well and LOVES to look at books. She will sit on the floor in front of the kids' bookcase and look at books quietly for 30-45 minutes at a time. She can be very silly or very serious but almost always good natured. She is a food fanatic and enjoys cuddling. She does some really goofy things like what I have pictured here.

Amelia likes to put her thumb in her mouth and a plate, bowl, or cup on her head when she is finished eating or bored.

Sofia Grace -
I've had a very different pregnancy with Sofia than with any of the other kids. First, I started out this pregnancy a full 17lbs less than I was at the beginning of my pregnancy with Reagan. I've only put on about 16 lbs this pregnancy so I'm excited to see what I'll weigh after she's born. I have experienced some interesting things like awful morning sickness, hot flashes, horrid heartburn, etc.
Sofia is very active like both Reagan and Amelia were. I also think that she is going to be another extremely long baby like Evie was (22" at birth) as she is CONSTANTLY stretching and I still have another 5 or so weeks to go. I am really looking forward to meeting her but not ready for the extra tasks that a newborn brings. Reagan and Evie can't wait for Sofia to "pop out" and ask daily if they can feel her move or how much longer she'll stay in my tummy.

Jared and I -
We are doing well and staying busy. Jared got promoted to Office Manager at the end of last year and we got to go for a week long West Caribbean cruise on the largest cruise ship in the world (the Allure) back in February. It was absolutely amazing and I'd recommend it to anyone! We've gotten closer to being debt free and should hopefully reach that point by Christmas of this year. We've already paid off almost $30k in less than 3 years!
We are working at getting in shape physically and being more health conscious in the decisions we make. Jared had lost 90 lbs in 14 months and has been able to keep from gaining any weight during my pregnancy. I am really looking forward to getting back into my workouts once Sofia gets here. :o)

Growing

It never ceases to amaze me watching the kids grow and develop, whether physically or mentally.

 

 At the Farmer with the kiddos.

 

Reagan is so inquisitive about anything and everything. He also remembers things pretty well. He is a logical thinker, which makes life interesting. He wants you to explain everything and sometimes struggles when the answer to his question is "Because...." He is starting to "outgrow" his naps, which means that I have to get more creative with ways to keep him busy so that he doesn't come up with his own ways to be busy. He likes to take charge of things (already quite the little leader) and be the center of attention. He's always telling us that he wants to be up on the platform at church. :o) Reagan fears almost nothing and has injured himself doing daring feat on several occasions. He is also my "big" helper when he chooses to be one.

 Reagan decided that her needed another place to put his hangers, so he used his toy hammer (yes, it was plastic) to pound a small screw driver into his bedroom wall.

Reagan pulling the girls in the wagon on one of our family walks.

Evie is our girlie-girl. She LOVES her pretties, dress-up dresses, and walking around on her tiptoes like a ballerina. She can also be very emotional, which has been interesting for Jared and I. We have to deal with her in a completely different way than we do with Reagan. She is also extremely tall for her age, she is wearing size 4T/5T clothes at 2 1/2! Evie can be very skittish of new people or things. She is also very anxious when in crowds. Evie is also not a fan of heights, etc. and she is also very uncoordinated like her mother.

 

Amelia is such a goofy little girl. She likes pretties but also enjoys wrestling with Reagan. She already likes to "bother" her siblings. If she discovers that something annoys Reagan or Evelyn, she will do it all the more. Remind you of anyone? (Maybe daddy or uncle Jeff...) She can be very cuddly one minutes and very independent the next. Amelia is a bit more on the stubborn side. For example, she had a vocabulary of about 15-20 words a month ago but now refuses to say all but, "go", "num-num", "woof-woof", "Jo-Jo" (Gma & Gpa L.'s dog), and "na-na" (no-no). She started doing this after we tried getting her to say things like "please", "down", and "out". She now chooses to grunt, point at, and whine for things that she wants even when you refuse to let her have her way until she "says" what she wants. If you ask her to say a particular word, she will look at you, smile, and proceed to either shake her head "No" or say, "Na-na" (no-no). She has also started getting taller and thinner, she now comes to Evie's shoulders when just a few weeks ago she was shorter than them.

 

 Amelia being her daring little self. She climbed up there all by herself.

Falling asleep in the highchair at lunch. 

(This is a fairly normal occurrence when she is going through a growth spurt.)

Baby #4 must be continuing to grow. I already feel like I am starting to "show" at only 7 weeks pregnant. Waistbands are starting to feel uncomfortable when I sit and clothes that were big on me a few weeks ago are starting to fit in the waist area again. Reagan likes to touch my tummy and tell me, "Mom, I can feel the baby." This usually makes me laugh and I have to explain over and over again that the baby is still too small for him to feel it. He is also convinced that this one is a boy, as that is what he prayed for.

There are days that I definitely struggle with everything that comes along with the job of being a "Mom", but a majority of the time I am thankful for these little wonders that God has entrusted to my care.

Busy, Busy, Busy

It been pretty busy over the last 6 months. In June, Jared graduated from WBBI with his Associates degree. Then he spent much of the summer working on stuff for his Ordination (I've got some pictures below). In August, he was ordained by Wyldewood Baptist Church. Miss Amelia turned 1 and is walking like crazy now. We've been really busy with church activities and family things this fall.

This week we found out that baby #4 is on the way and should arrive sometime the end of June. Then next week we will celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. :o)

Pictures from Jared's Ordination

 Jared reading his doctrinal statement to the council.

Members of the Council

Brother Workman giving the charge.

Us after the council's vote.

 Prayer with Brother W. R. Workman

Prayer with Pastor King

 Terry Rushing praying with Jared.

Prayer with Jonathan Shore

Prayer with Ron Davidson

Beka's parents with all the "Sahlstrom" grandkids

Imitation & Learning by Example

Over the last week or two, I've been noticing Miss Amelia doing things that she has seen her brother and sister do. It really makes me laugh sometime. :o)

• Amelia went through a little phase for about a week where she refused to eat her bananas unless she got to hold them with the peel on, just like her brother and sister.
• Bath Time Imitation - I always put a washrag in the tub with the kids because I want them to start learning how to wash themselves. During her bath on Saturday, Amelia took the washrag and was trying to wash her feet.
• Today at breakfast, Amelia picked up her bowl, which didn't have any milk or liquid in it, and started "slurping" her "milk" out of it. After she was done, she kept chuckling to herself in excitement. This all took place right after Reagan and Evie finished off their cereal and drank the milk out of the bowl.

Watching how Amelia picks up on things that Evie and Reagan do reminded me of the importance of being a good example to my children in everything I do because they learn more by what we do than what we say.

Reagan is a good example of this principle. When we go shopping, he will sometimes ask if we have a coupon for a particular item or if he wants you to buy something for him he may tell you, "But it will be free after coupons."