Happy 11 Months Luke!

It is hard to believe that a year ago I was busy making final preparations for your arrival. These past eleven months have gone by quickly, and it doesn't seem like you should be approaching a year old already. This past month in particular has been a very busy one for our family, and unfortunately I didn't take as many photos as usual.

You are into everything! You crawl quickly everywhere, and you have become an expert at pulling up. You can pop up and down so quickly! You can "walk" along things as you hold on. You have also become quite a challenge when you ride in the grocery cart, because you have mastered wiggling around the seatbelt, standing up, and trying to climb in the back. The first photo below shows how I barricaded you in one day at Target to keep your from climbing out. And you are SO fast at wiggling out! You have also started climbing a little bit this month. You have climbed up the bean bags I've been using to barricade you in.

This month brought your first two instances of cuts/bumps/bruises. First, you cut your tongue when you were crawling with you cup. Later in the month, Troy was pushing you around in the stroller in the front yard when he accidentally pushed the stroller off the curb. The stroller lost its balance, and fell over and you hit the side of your head on the curb. You handled it like a champ though! Troy told Daddy, "Daddy, I forgot to turn." Troy's response was so sad and innocent all at the same time.

You went swimming for the first time this month, and I think you really enjoyed the water (minus getting a little cold). Overall, I think you really enjoyed hanging out at the lake.


You still like to eat, but you've slowed down a little bit. I'm certain your favorite food is yogurt. You get so excited when you see it, and if we bring it out with other foods at the same time, you want it and nothing else.

You learned to sign "finished" this month, and I also think you signed "milk." You continue to babble up a storm, and you know how to yell at us to get our attention. This month you started showing us how "offended" you are when we take something away from you or tell  you "no." You've also started looking up at us before you touch something you know you aren't supposed to touch. It is pretty funny!

You enjoy putting objects into other things like baskets or buckets. You entertain yourself for a long time putting things in and out. You like to play with balls, and one of your favorite activities is playing "soccer" with daddy, Ella, and Troy. You also continue to enjoy looking at books.

You stayed for an extended period without us for the first time at the end of this past month. You did great, and had lots of fun being spoiled by your aunt!


Luke @ 10 months
Troy @ 11 months
I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old, but I do have this photo of Ella with her 10 month sign :)

Happy 10 Months Luke!

Happy 10 Months Luke!

These past couple of months have flown by! You have become so "grown up" for a baby . . . the days of sleepless nights and constant feedings seem like so long ago.
You had your first Caskey peach this month, and you loved it! You gnawed on the peach all the way down to the pit. You ended up eating 5 peaches in all at your first Farmer's Market. Have I ever mentioned that you love to eat? ;) You continue to be a big eater - eating just about everything. You have gotten a little more picky in that you don't love your cheerios quite as much now that you've had lots of other foods. I think that yogurt is your favorite food - you get SO excited when you see it!
You are extremely mobile now, crawling everywhere! And you can crawl fast when you want to get somewhere, particularly if you want to chase after Reeses. I need to do some serious re-babyproofing around the house so you can explore more (I've gotten a little lax with things since Ella and Troy have gotten older). You've also started pulling up in the past week or so. I finally had to lower your crib down.
You love to play with toys, and you continue to love to chew on tags, especially of your swaddling blankets. You also really like to look at books. You'll point and "talk" as you look through the pages. You also continue to be very vocal, "yelling" to get our attention or when you are excited about something.

You continue to like to play with Ella and Troy, and I think they like playing with you more and more as you are getting older. They (especially Ella!), are so excited when they see you do something "new." Ella will excitedly tell us what she saw you do and then tell us you've never done it before. :)
Luke @ 9 months
Troy @ 10 months
I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old, but I do have this photo of Ella with her 10 month sign :)

Happy Father's Day!

I do not have the words to express how truly blessed our family is because of my husband, and his love as husband and father. His life constantly shows his love towards our family in everything from his leadership to his firm hand to his gentleness and compassion. Thank you for all you do and are for our family!

(Sometimes it is still hard to believe I've got a kid for each letter now!)

D-A-D photos from past years

This year, I had Ella and Troy answer questions for a Father’s Day questionnaire I found on Pinterest. Their answers (particularly Troy's) were, uh, interesting at times. : )

• What is Daddy’s name? 
• Ella: Daddy 
• Troy: Trent
• What does Daddy do for fun?
• Ella: Play soccer outside
• Troy: Sit down, I mean, play ball
• What does Daddy do at work?
• Ella: works
• Troy: work
• What are his favorite things to eat?
• Ella: green beans and sweet potatoes
• Troy: pickles, how about sandwiches with spicy stuff in it {I have absolutely NO idea where he got this answer from!}
• What does he like to drink?
• Ella: Dr. Pepper
• Troy: Dr. Pepper
• How old is Daddy?
• Ella: 31
• Troy: I can't remember; I can't even know
• Where did you and Daddy meet?
• Ella: when I was a baby
• Troy: I can't remember, is it at McCarty?
• How long have you know Daddy?
• Ella: a long time
• Troy: (reached to the sky)
• How tall is Daddy?
• Ella: (reached to the sky)
• Troy: (stood up, pointed to the sky)
• What is Daddy’s hair like?
• Ella: tiny (showed with her fingers)
• Troy: short
• How much does Daddy weigh?
• Ella: 80 lbs
• Troy: reached to sky
• What makes Daddy the best?
• Ella: plays fight (wrestle) and plays ball and plays defense
• Troy: cuz I love him
• What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
• Ella: play fight (wrestle)
• Troy: play defense

Happy 7 Months Luke!

Seven months . . . closer to one year old than being a brand new baby. You are such a funny baby: you complain and demand our attention, and when we look at you, you give us the biggest, cheesiest smile. You “talk” a lot, and you smile a lot too.

You had three more teeth pop through this month – all on the top. Your teeth are so cute, and it is crazy how many you have already. You love to chew on toys and blankets – maybe because you have so many teeth coming in. You are pretty content in the car or stroller if you have a blanket to chew on while you are riding around.

You started sleeping a lot better this month. Most nights you’ll sleep long enough that I’d consider you sleeping through the night. It is very nice to get some decent sleep again. : ) You have also started taking much longer and more consistent naps, which is also very nice for us. You still like to sleep on your belly. If you fuss for very long after I lay you down, I often find you flipped over on your back. You can roll from your back to your belly, but I think you are usually too sad to think about doing that in your crib. You also scoot around a lot in your crib. I don’t know *exactly* how you are moving around, just that you do because I find you in a different place than where I laid you down to start at night. In fact, you have a certain corner of the crib that I often find you in when I check on you before I go to bed.

I feel like every day that passes you are more and more content. You are definitely a mama’s boy right now, but you have gotten to be more content when others have you when I’m not around. In fact, you are actually more content with others when I’m not there (probably because I’m not there to distract you!).   

You have really started eating solids this month, and now that you have decided that eating solid food is OK, there hasn’t been anything you haven’t liked. You’ve loved all the different fruits and veggies you’ve tried, as well as yogurt and puffs. I think yogurt is probably your favorite food right now. You’ve gotten really good at eating puffs, and you entertain yourself for a long time while you eat them.

Your grabbing skills have gotten even more refined this month. As evidenced below, you didn’t like the sticker (or maybe that I was taking your pictures) and you did something about it!

Although you weren’t happy in the photo below, you generally really like to be outside. You’ve started showing some hints that you may suck your thumb, but you aren’t a full-fledged “thumb-sucker” yet. You really love your siblings, and you are very tolerant of them, smiling and laughing with them. You also have become fond of our dog Reeses (even though you didn’t seem so interested in her at first).

Luke @ 6 months

Troy @ 7 months

(I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old)

Happy 6 Months Luke!

Six months is one of those milestones that seems really big – halfway to no longer being a “baby.” Many days you remind me how much less you are like a newborn and how much more you are like a one year old. You don’t have to eat as often anymore. You grab and knock my phone out of my hand when I’m holding you. You smile when you see my face or hear my voice. You watch me as I walk away, and even cry sometimes too.

You started using your jumperoo this month. Generally, I think you like it, but you’d prefer if someone sat by it and talked to you while you are in it.

Your interactions with Ella and Troy also show how much you are changing. You love (most of the time!) when they talk and play with you. Ella, who has recently learned to read, loves reading books to you. Troy randomly kisses and hugs you many times a day. One day Troy told me, “I like Luke better than I like my big pillow.” And, he really likes his big pillow!

You started going to Bible class at the end of last month, but I forgot to mention it in that post. You were pretty unsure at first, and I had to hold you quite a bit the first couple of classes, but you have gotten a lot better in just a month in sitting in your chair and being content a good part of the class time.I think you are going to be our first non-blue-eyed baby. Though your eyes have been blue, they’ve been darker than Ella’s or Troy’s from the beginning. Within the past month, the color near the center of your eye has started changing to brown. Maybe your eyes will be like mine – brown near the center and green on the outside. Only time will tell!You started sleeping in your crib at night as well as during naptime this month. I was anxious about the transition, but once you figured out that your crib was OK for sleep, you’ve done pretty well. Your dad figured out that you prefer to sleep on your belly – crazy to me since you have not been a fan of tummy time (though you’ve started liking it more lately). You have gotten pretty good at holding yourself up during tummy time lately as well.I LOVE your smile – it is infectious to me. It reminds me SO much of Ella’s smile at the same age. I also love your laugh, and love that we can make you laugh easily. I got a good video of you laughing recently (at the end of the post). You started rolling over this month, but you aren’t a very “rolly” baby yet.

You are getting pretty good at grasping toys (and hair!) as well as putting toys in your mouth to chew on which is a good thing since your front two bottom teeth popped through about a week before you turned 6 months. Your teeth are pretty cute. : ) We tried to give you food again a couple of times this past month. You didn’t hate it, but you also didn’t love it. We’ll keep trying though!

Luke @ 5 months

Troy @ 6 months

(I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old)

Happy 5 Months Luke!

Every day you become more expressive and more aware of the world around you. It is such a joy to watch you grow and learn.

You still aren’t sleeping very well at night, and I really hoped that after being back in the routine you’d start sleeping well again, but that hasn’t happened. Soon we’ll be moving you to your crib at night (out of our room), and hopefully that will help. We haven’t moved you in there yet because we didn’t want to disturb Troy’s sleeping, but it is time. We’ll probably let Troy sleep in Ella’s room for a few nights while you adjust to your crib. Your naps still aren’t very regular either. Generally you take lots of little naps during the day rather than longer ones. Every now and then you’ll take a longer nap, but you haven’t fully transitioned out of the “catnapping” yet.

You are extremely expressive, and your faces crack us up. Sometimes your expressions are serious and sometimes they are silly. I love the look you get on your face when you spot your hands or your feet. You’ve been chewing on your hands a lot lately, and sometimes you suck on your fingers. You’ve even sucked on your thumb a few times. You also love to grab your toes/feet and try to chew on them. Your flexibility is so cute!You haven’t rolled over yet (on a flat surface anyway), but I really think that is more my fault than anything. You just don’t get the floor time you need to practice your rolling over. You do wiggle around a lot and can roll halfway (below) very easily.

You really enjoy being outside, and are very content outside. You will sit in your bouncer for a long time while Ella and Troy trounce around outside.

You tried sweet potatoes this month, but really didn’t want anything to do with them. You made an awful face, and tried to keep me from putting more in your mouth. I’m not in a big hurry to push food on you because you don’t *need* it yet, and also because of your soy allergy.

You love to kick, and you have really gotten good control of your legs in the past month. I inadvertently put your bouncer together wrong, resulting in your toys being at your feet instead of your hands. Turned out that you loved them being down there because you could kick them!

I love making you laugh (and we can get you to laugh pretty easily these days). Your dad got this video of you talking/laughing at him one day.

Luke @ 4 Months

Troy @ 5 Months

(I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old)

Blessed By A Choice

As my husband and I quickly approach our ten year anniversary, I’m more grateful everyday for the choice that I made in my spouse. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who is going to help my walk with God and not hinder it. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who is committed to our family and committed to raising our children in the Lord.  I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who exhibits patience towards me. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who works hard to provide for our family, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who exhibits the agape love of 1 Corinthians 13 in our marriage.

As a 21 year old, I know that I did not fully grasp the importance of my decision when I said “I do.” I have a feeling that if I am blessed with another ten years of marriage that I’ll look back at this ten year mark and think I didn’t know the half of it then either. I’m so thankful that looking back over the past ten years brings joy, and that I’m confident and comforted by my choice in my spouse.

And, my prayer for my children choose someone who is a Christian, seeking to follow and obey God daily. As I pray for them, I must teach them. I have to first teach my children to love and obey God. If they don’t live that life, finding a spouse who loves God isn’t going to be important to them. There are many other influences in the world telling them what their priorities should be in a spouse, and loving God isn’t on that list. I also have to teach them about the gravity and significance of marriage. Once again, there are many other influences telling them that marriage isn’t significant, that it isn’t really that big of a deal such that marriage can be stopped and started again without consequence. However, marriage is something to be honored as precious and valuable.

Though teaching my children about marriage is a complex matter, instilling the importance of a spouse who loves God as well as instilling value and worth in marriage should lay a strong foundation for preparing them for marriage. I know that I am blessed because my spouse loves God and honors marriage, and my desire for each of my children is that they make choices that result in marriages that are blessings as well.

Happy 2 Months Luke!

Wow, two months old! It is amazing how much can change in a month. I already feel like I have many more things to write about you this month compared to last month. Overall, you seem less content at two months old compared to one month. I’m not sure exactly what the fussiness is all about, but we think it may be acid reflux or possibly an issue with dairy.  Hopefully we’ll figure it out soon so you won’t feel so bad.

You are more alert every day and you have been sleeping for much longer stretches at night. I knew you were growing, but I was amazed to find out that you weigh more than a pound more than your brother did at 2 months. That might make wearing hand-me-downs a little difficult!

You started smiling this month and it melts my heart. I love to see you smile! You have found your hands and at times like to suck on your hands. I’m curious to see if you end up being a thumb-sucker.

You are an extremely expressive little boy from smiles to wrinkly foreheads to big eyes. Sometimes we joke that you have “big-eyed” us when we you give us a certain look. You’ve also started making the cutest baby noises.

You can be quite picky about the way you like to be held. Sometimes you make your dad hold you like the photo below to be happy. :) Luke @ one month

Troy @ two months (I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old)

Things I would have missed

Here are just a few of the things I would have missed today if I wasn’t home with my kids. I’m thankful for the opportunity to see and be a part of even the littlest things happening in their live every day.

• Troy doing a great (left-handed!) job using a spoon with his yogurt.
• Ella marrying two of her sock monkeys.
• Troy climbing on a stack of boxes (to turn on a light), smiling, and saying “I’m up high!”
• Ella singing to the UmiZoomi theme song and doing the “crazy shake” at the end of the show.
• The kids excitement to spend just a few minutes learning memory verses.
• The kids fighting over the opportunity to do a “special” task (letting Reeses in and out of the house).

Ella’s Fourth Birthday Interview

Last year I started a new birthday tradition for Ella (and I’ll start it with Troy when he turns 3) with this birthday interview. It is hard to believe that Ella is four, although, her uncooperative spirit during the questioning reminds me of how “old” she really is getting : ). She wanted to answer questions, just not the way we expected her to answer them. 

Here are Ella’s answers (in bold)!

1. What is your favorite color? Blue, I mean purple. Purple and blue.
2. What is your favorite toy? Ball
3. What is your favorite fruit? Peaches
4. What is your favorite TV show? Barney
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Chicken nuggets and cheese
6. What is your favorite outfit? Dress
7. What is your favorite game? a game on my ipad (her innotab that she calls an ipad)
8. What is your favorite snack? Goldfish
9. What is your favorite animal? The both monkeys; the two sock monkeys  (she has several sock monkeys, but two current favorites)
10. What is your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me
11. What is your favorite book? Clifford Book
12. Who is your best friend? Karsyn
13. What is your favorite cereal? The one with the smarshmallows
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Swing and slide
15. What is your favorite drink? Apple juice
16. What is your favorite holiday? Easter
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? The Both monkeys
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Nutrigrain bar
19. What is your favorite thing for dinner? Chicken strips, mac and cheese, and couscous
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Christian
21. What is your favorite movie? The new panda (Kung Fu Panda 2)
22. Who is your favorite Disney princess? Ariel
23. Where is your favorite place to go? the zoo
24. What is your favorite Bible story? Jesus
25. What is your favorite Old Testament story? Moses
26. What is your favorite memory verse? “But be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (I still laugh when I think about her when she first learned this verse. She would say “not eaters only” instead of “not hearers only.”) 
27. What is your favorite letter? E

“It’s mine!”

Troy has been extremely possessive lately, and reminds me a lot of the toddler’s rules of possession (modified).

Troy often says (or yells or whines), “it’s mine!” to Ella, me, his dad, or anyone else that he feels is threatening his ability to posses whatever he has.

I’ve been really struggling with trying to foster an environment for the kids in which they are better at sharing their things. I know they are only 2 and 3 (almost 4), but I don’t want them to be materialistic or selfish. I don’t want them to be so concerned with physical things. I want them to be willing to share their things with others. I want them to not melt down if a toy gets broken or lost. I want them to be easy going and flexible as they play with each other (as well as others), and to understand that it is important to share and take turns and exhibit selfless attitudes.

I know that I need to be correcting poor attitudes and poor behavior consistently now.  I know there is no “trick” that will instantly turn my kids into kids who share with kindness. I know these characteristics aren’t something that just magically happen when they get to be a certain age. And, although I know that they won’t suddenly understand how to start sharing once they hit a certain age, I do know that their understanding of the concept of sharing will increase with age. Ella has proven that to me.

I also know that this task, although with most tasks in parenting, requires a lot of patience and perseverance.  And don’t get me wrong. They do share. Sometimes. : )

Impeccable Timing

If you are a parent, you probably know that kids have impeccable timing. Like, the NEED something the moment you step into the bathroom or they come down with the stomach bug the weekend you have something major planned.

Today was a prime example in my house.

After trying to switch cell phone rate plans online (without the system working properly), I finally decided I’d chat with a  representative (online, thankfully) to try to get the problem resolved. I know this was a risky thing to do because the kids weren’t sleeping, but they were in the other room playing and I thought maybe I’d be able to get the problem fixed without much interruption. Wrong. About midway through the chat, they are both running into the room and Ella is yelling at me (which is only one of the reasons I’m thankful the chat took place online and not on the phone). She’s yelling because Troy has poop on his hand. And, then she sneezes and has snot all over her face. Two kids needing my attention right in the middle of me trying to fix our cell phone plan.

Despite that kind of timing, it also seems that they have impeccable timing in other ways too. Like Ella knows just when to tell me she loves me or Troy knows just how to smile at me to melt my heart. I love them so much, and I hope that I don’t get caught up in the little frustrations of the moment – because they are just that: little. And they really mean nothing in the scheme of things.

Parenting from Proverbs: Do Not Withhold Correction

Proverbs 23:13-14:

Do not withhold correction from a child,
For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
You shall beat him with a rod,
And deliver his soul from hell.

Today’s passage is often one that is controversial within the world today. However, as a student of the Bible, I cannot neglect the wisdom and instruction of this passage as well as others such as the following passages:

Proverbs 13:24: “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly”

Proverbs 29:15: “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”

Proverbs 19:18: “Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.^”

Proverbs 3:12: “For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Proverbs 13:24 is very pointed: if I love my children I will discipline them promptly, but if I hate my children I spare the rod from them. This passage is in direct contrast with most teaching in the world about raising children. Most of the world says that if you love your children you’ll withhold the rod from them. However, I should not fall into the ways of worldly thinking. I need to look God’s Word which is “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).  When spanking my children, I must keep the purpose and end in mind, particularly as given in the Bible. I am spanking and disciplining my children because I want to “deliver their souls from hell” (Proverbs 23:13-14); because I want them to have wisdom and avoid shame (Proverbs 29:15); and because I want them to learn obedience, so they learn to obey God.

More parenting from Proverbs

Happy 2nd Birthday Troy!

Happy Birthday Troy!

It is amazing how grown-up you seem these days. I recently took you to out to take pictures for your two year old birthday, and I couldn’t believe the difference in how well you listened and followed my instructions during the photo shoot as compared to your 18 month photos. Six months make a big difference at this age!

You love to color, and often ask to color. You are starting to learn some of your letters, and you can identify “A” and “T” and sometimes “B.” You also know a lot of the sounds the letters make because you and Ella love to watch these videos from KidsTV123. You love to sing “A is for apple, a a apple!” You even frequently ask for “abcs” or “cat” (cat is for the letter “c” in the video).

You really like Mickey Mouse (aka “couse”) as well as Woody. You like to sleep with your Mickey Mouse and Woody and always ask for them before you go to sleep. You also really enjoy actually playing with your toys. You make your animals walk around and make animal noises. You drive your cars around. Although these things seem simple, these were things Ella never really did with her toys – she just didn’t (and still doesn’t for the most part) play with her toys like that.

You have a big personality. Although that big personality sometimes manifests itself as frustration, it also shows through your big smiles and laughs, as well as a sweet shyness at times. You love to make yourself laugh as well as others around you, In fact, you feed off of people laughing at you.

You love singing, and actually have a pretty good feel for the tunes of songs. You can almost sing the entire song of “Jesus Loves Me” (just missing a few words), as well as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” You also chime in on many other songs and also do the hand motions. Speaking of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” one your favorite things to do is to run around the room with Ella right before bed singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and the “ABCs.”

You went to your first two year old Bible class this past month. You’ve been a bit unsure about it (upset when we drop you off), but you have been generally OK once you are actually engaged in class. I think it was mostly a few things coming together at once to make your first experience a little scary to you, and I think you are really going to love being in the older class.  With our help you’ve also started saying prayers. There’s also been a time when you said one by yourself in a slew of fast speech: “God, thank you Ella mama daddy Amen!”

Your speech continues to impress me. You speak in more and more sentences all the time. You also speak SO fast and with a lot of inflection. We often joke you are speaking in a foreign language!

(Side note: I saw the idea for the above photo on Pinterest)

Signs you do: more, finished, milk, hungry, thank you, please, thirsty, sleepy, bath

Words you say: No way I can even count or name them! You say so many things!

Animal noises you make: chicken, duck, cow, dog, horse, frog, pig, cat

Body parts you identify: nose, eyes, mouth, ears, hair, head, hands, belly, shoulders, teeth, tongue (you love to point out your teeth and belly)

Favorite foods:  Generally your favorites are yogurt, cheese, peaches, beans, chicken, and crackers. You also LOVE to dip.

Favorite activities: walking, running, and tip-toeing to explore everything, especially following Ella or chasing a dog; mimicking Ella; reading books; watching Mickey Mouse or Finding Nemo or Cars or How to Train Your Dragon; playing with balls (you love to throw any kind of ball); playing outside; playing with toys, especially talking on the phone or putting things over your head or playing with the kitchen stuff; trying get any electronics or drinks you can spot.

Troy @ 23 months

Ella @ 24 months