Thankful Thursday

1.  That Audrey has had a great first week of preschool!  She started a two-half-days-a-week program and is really, really enjoying it.  I've been grilling her with questions about it because it's still so hard to believe that for eight hours a week I'm not exactly sure what she's up to, but so far everything sounds like a lot of fun.  Except this boy named "Michael" keeps coming up... Let's hope she gets to know the girls in class too!

2.  Progress on house stuff.  David took Tuesday off and we took Audrey to her first day of preschool then went out to see our prospective house again.  We tried to walk in with fresh eyes and unattached emotions.  Turns out we still love it and it's still a really awesome house.  Then, we had the inspection on ours today.  We'll hear something probably the first of next week about that and any requested repairs (hopefully there won't be too many since we already did some for the first buyers...grrr). The next step after that is getting the appraisal done.  

3.  Fall, fresh beginnings, and ROUTINE.  I've said it before, but summertime for stay-at-home moms of kids under five can be tough.  All it really changes for us is that it takes away our routines and programs!  Now that September is in full swing, so is story time, my women's Bible Study, and, of course, preschool.  The calendar is loaded with exciting stuff and we're ready to jump back in!  I just need cooler temps and to unpack my Keurig and we're in business!

4.  Sam's Club.  Though I don't thoroughly enjoy going, I do like knowing that I'm saving money and avoiding having to buy that particular thing (our top items: water, clorox wipes, contact solution, paper towels, laundry detergent, and diapers) for months.  Plus, where else can you buy an Izod sweater, a 40-roll pack of t.p.,  get your pictures developed, and score enough free samples of food to count as lunch?  

5.  That feeling you get after you do something you really need to do but desperately don't want to do.  Like running in 88 degree heat with 99% humidity while pushing a jogging stroller after you've been eating junk all day and are dehydrated.  (Check.)  That feeling.  And then the feeling of a cool shower and slipping into your comfy bed with clean sheets and turning off the light before 9:30.  Ahhhhh.

August Recap

This month has been surprisingly less busy than the past several, even with the insane housing drama we endured.  More emotional and full of faith tests, but less busy.

On August 7th, we found out our buyer's financing fell through.  By August 9th, our house was back on the market.  In that first five days, we had seven showings.  None came the weekend after, but four more followed the next week.  We got one offer on the 13th from a corporation that hadn't even seen our place, but wanted to buy our house and rent it out.  We countered, only asking that they let us keep it on the market and give them first right of refusal, and they turned us down.  Because we felt sure they'd pass on it anyway after coming out to see it and it's long-term needs, we decided to press on and keep praying for a "regular" individual buyer.  Two to three more showings followed.  We got another offer on Friday, August 24th that was so low, we almost didn't counter.  But we did.  And miraculously, they met our price and we went under contract on the 29th.  Two days later, we went under contract again on our prospect house from the first time.  Shew.

Throw in two business trips for David, a family day at Lake Lanier water park for us, Preschool Orientation and then Open House (sob), half a dozen play dates and story times, five family pool/movie nights, and a LOT of house cleanings/straightenings for showings and that was August.  Funny how I don't consider that busy given what else our year has held!

The kids are doing really well.  We've been working a lot with Audrey on doing things independently to prepare her for preschool.  She's just about mastered pottying completely on her own (getting her clothes on/off, wiping, etc.), walking up and down the stairs without holding our hands, drinking from an open cup or glass by herself without a straw, and putting on her own shoes.  These are all things I probably should've been working on with her months ago, but I definitely am guilty of "it's just easier and faster to do it myself" syndrome.  So this month, I've been intentionally taking a step back and letting her do it and she's really come a long way.

She still loves to sing, dance, and read books.  She loves for us to make up stories with her, half of which she usually takes over and finishes telling herself, and her detailed network of imaginary friends keeps us all laughing.  We've squeezed in as much swimming as we could with her these last few weeks even though the water has been chilly.  She still enjoys it so much and I'm incredibly thankful we did lessons this summer.  

Since mid-July, we've been back into the routine of going to church each week.  Between that and story time at the library every Monday, I think she's starting to come out of her shell in groups a little better.  She actually stood up and participated in singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" at story time last week - a rare thing for her to do!  Preschool will help with that for sure.  

I just wrote a six month update about Luke, so I won't go into too much detail about Little Man.  He's just as sweet as he can be, and rolls right along with the punches even if he misses his morning nap (about 2-3 times a week, unfortunately).  He loves to observe, be talked to, coo, try to eat your face, and play in his exersaucer or jumpster.  His check-up is next week, so I'll be sure to post some stats from that.  

The two of them are still so precious to watch.  Audrey adores him, but has learned from his outburst of tears that she can't just snatch a toy away anymore.  As he becomes more vocal and requires her to share, we'll see if and how their relationship shifts.  For now, we still hear her in a syrupy sweet tone ask him "Oh Bubba, what's the matter?" or "It's alright, tell Big Sister about it.  I'm here.  You're alright" when he's fussing.  Too cute.  

In other family news, David's grandmother had open heart surgery on the 29th.  She's doing very well considering she had two valves replaced and a bypass.  We visited her before she had it done, but haven't been back since because she hasn't been quite stable enough for our young brood.  Keep praying for a full recovery for her and for David's dad, his aunt, and his uncle as they handle taking care of her. 

Some quips, stories, and quotes from this month:

 - We smelled some strong perfume or potpourri somewhere and Audrey complained that it was giving her a "nose-ache."

 - While she still whines and complains like the average toddler, her word choice in doing so is sometimes hilarious.  If we're at the park and the swings are all full, she'll gripe, "A swing is not available!"  If she drops food or makes a mess, I hear, "OH DEAR!  Now it's ruined!"

- One night while David was out of town and I was giving Luke a bath, I let her talk to David's mom on the phone to keep her busy for a moment.  I walk in the hall and hear a detailed explanation about our school supply shopping..."And they didn't have a box of 16 crayons at Target, they only had  a box of 8.  So we went to the drug store to find a box of 16 crayons and they had them.  Can you believe it?!"  (Hey, I wanted to follow the list they sent home exactly!) 

 - She's gotten really into praying lately.  It's so awesome to be driving down the road and she'll say, "Mom, I'm just going to pray now, okay?" and then she'll launch into a talk with God and thank Him for everything from her family to keeping her safe.  And no, it has nothing to do with my driving, although she has told me several times lately that Daddy is a better driver than me.  Ha. 

 - She'll take a song she knows and sing it with all the same letter, which I've tried to mimic and it's actually really hard to do.  For example, "Binkle, binkle, bittle bar, bow by bonder bhat bou bar."  She also likes to make up her own songs and sing them to us.  

 - We've been working on spelling things and sight words with her lately.  She's doing fantastic at it and knows about a dozen if she takes the time to slow down and look at the whole word.  She knows Audrey, Mommy, Daddy, Luke, dog, cat, cow, bee, love, I, you, and, the, & see all pretty well.  

So that's the gist of August.  C'mon September with your cooler temps, your routine, and maybe...finally...a closing?!  Do stay tuned and check the gallery tomorrow for pics!

Letter to My Big Girl Preschooler

Dear Audrey,

Tomorrow you start preschool.  It's a wonderful little program at a church about ten minutes from our house.  Your teachers, Mrs. Lindsy and Mrs. Caroline, are just as nice as they can be (and their voices sound as sweet as strawberries, you told me.)  You're going to crush them academically and gain so much socially.  You'll meet new friends, get to practice following directions, and interact with others.  You'll learn about God's Word and study Bible heroes.  Each day you'll have music class and play on the playground.  Sharing, creating, playing, growing...  Not to mention your little brother Luke will get to have some of my undivided attention like you got when you were a baby.  It's only going to be from 9:30-1:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It's a good decision.  It's the right thing for you AND me.

But, nonetheless, my heart still hurts.

I feel like it's the end of the beginning.  I realize that sounds so dramatic (as if there was any doubt who you get that from).  You see, I know you aren't mine.  Not really.  God gives us children for just a short time, but they don't really belong to us.  They're kind of on loan for parents to take care of, raise, and shape into adults.  But this is really the first situation that drives that home for me.  With very little exception, you have been in my care 24/7/365 since June 20, 2009.  Technically since October 1, 2008. And now, for 8 hours a week, you are going to be someone else's responsibility.

I laid awake last night and worried to death about it all.  I worried whether I should pick different shoes for your outfit in case the first choice hurt your feet.  I worried that you would be scared of the bigger kids on the playground.  I worried that they would forget to ask you if you needed to go potty and you would have an accident and be embarrassed.  I worried you wouldn't speak up if some other kid was being mean to you.  I worried your teachers wouldn't realize how smart, funny, and adorable you are. (You are, you know.)  I worried you would feel overwhelmed and lonely.  I worried about you washing your hands well, being able to open up your lunch box, and even tripping down the concrete stairs on the way to playground.  You name it...I worried about it.

I would do anything for you, Sugar.  I want to spare you from bullies, hard situations, and sad feelings like fear and loneliness.  If it were a perfect world, you'd never have to go through anything tough.  But it's not a perfect world and I realize I cannot protect you from experiencing that forever.  I have to think about the end goal:  you becoming independent.  I have to remember that, as our Pastor says, I'm not raising a child, I'm raising an adult.

So tomorrow marks a new step towards that goal.  I'll hold my breath and bite my lip and do whatever it takes to keep my tears from spilling over until you are safely out of sight.  Then I'll bawl and pray and bawl and pray all morning long for you.  And when I pick you up (I'll be the first in carpool line), I bet you'll look a little bit taller and a little bit older than when I dropped you off.  I know for sure we'll both be a little bit better for taking this step.

You are the light of my life and I can't wait to see you shine in this new way.

I love you,

Mommy
xoxoxoxo

Thankful Thursday

1.  My mother-in-law, Pam, whose birthday is today.  She's always there to lend a helping hand or a listening ear, but never in a "so helpful it's unhelpful" way.  With all the mother-in-laws jokes and stories I've heard over the years, I realize how very, very blessed I am to have such a great one!

2.  Strong grandparents.  My grandfather fell ill again and was put back in the hospital and then rehab a couple of weeks ago.  Yesterday, he was well enough to be sent home.  David's Grandmother has also had major health issues the past week.  Yesterday she underwent open heart surgery that entailed two valve replacements and a by-pass.  The doctors said it was quite a complicated surgery, especially for someone her age.  She has a long road of recovery ahead of her, but so far, she's doing well all things considered.  Pray both of them continue to heal well!

3.  A new contract.  After nearly a month and over a dozen showings, we're under contract again on our house.  What's more, our prospect house is still available!  By the end of the weekend, we hope to be under contract on it.  We are feeling every emotion you can imagine about this situation:  skeptical, hesitant, hopeful, excited, nervous, etc.  I will say that without a doubt, though, we realize that no matter what happens this go-round, we are going to be just fine.  Our prayer is for God's will to be done and for His best for us to take precedent, whatever that may be.  Stay tuned!

4.  David being home.  He was in Norway last week and Wyoming the first part of this week.  It's the first he's traveled since June, so we're thankful for that, but boy are back-to-back weeks tough.  I lined up plenty of help and play dates and we mustered through, but I am extremely grateful he's home with nothing else on his itinerary at the moment!

5.  Family movie nights.  For the past month or so, we've started a little tradition on Sunday afternoons. After nap time, we hit the pool with the kids, then come home to bathe them, order pizza, and watch a movie together.  (Or at least, David and I trade off watching a movie with Audrey while the other plays or walks around with Luke.)  Her first movie was Cinderella, then we watched Winnie-the-Pooh, Curious George, Toy Story, and It's a Bug's Life (she only made it through about half of that one.)  We've had to fast forward through several "scary" parts in each one and I think we're going to dial it back to Veggie Tales for the next couple of weeks, because the last two have been a bit too mature for her.  But, we have really enjoyed having the time together and it certainly ends the weekend on a fun note. 

Prayers for our house situation, a restful Labor Day weekend, and a great first day of preschool for AJ, please!!!  More updates to follow on all that and more, plus a recap of August and new pics coming soon, so check back next week.  


    

Happy 6 Months, Baby Boy!

Today is Luke's 6 month "birthday".  How on earth is he already six months old?  I am thrilled that he's growing like a weed and doing so well, but part of me is also really, really sad because I know he's my last baby and it's gone/going by so quickly.  

Here's a little peek at what our big boy is into these days:

• He started rice cereal at four months and then this past weekend we began feeding him baby food.  His first was sweet potatoes and then he had peas.  He likes them both and didn't even make a face at the taste of the peas!

• He is sitting up on his own, but still props on his belly a good bit when he does.  

• He can roll over both ways, but hardly ever does (as in, I think he's done it a grand total of about 5 times.)  I'm a little concerned about this and will bring it up at his next check-up in few weeks, but I think he's honestly just content to lay on his back or tummy or to sit up.

• His hand coordination is getting really good.  And, as is the standard for babies his age, what goes into his hands immediately goes into his mouth.  We have frequent talks with Audrey about things we need to make sure are out of his reach!

• He is an incredibly content baby.  Of course he fusses when he's tired or wants to be held, but 99% of the time, he'll stop as soon as I pick up him.  He rarely ever cries if he's in my arms and just loves sitting there taking the world in.

• He is still on his reflux medicine, but it seems the past week or so the spit-up has finally started to decrease.  We may try to wean him off of it after this round and see if he's finally outgrowing it now that we've started solid foods.

• No teeth yet, but I can tell he's working on them!  Lots of drool and gumming things.  

• He still loves his pacifier.  I try to put him down without it at night, but at some point (usually at several points) he wakes up and I have to go pop it in his mouth.  Not sure how to fix this issues. I guess the solution would be letting him cry it out until he can learn to either find it himself or use his thumb.  Right now I'm just not willing to do that for fear of him waking Audrey, so for the time being, I get up between 1 and 4 times a night just to reinsert a paci and then once to feed him.  

• He loves peek-a-boo and being tickled, both of which produce the most adorable giggles and grin you've ever heard and seen.  

• He wears size 4 diapers and is in 9 - 12 month clothes.  I haven't weighed him lately, but I think he has to be at least 20lbs by now and will be moving into a bigger car sear in the very near future!

• He adores his sister and the feeling is mutual.  It melts me to watch her love on him or see him grin at her.  I pray they have a wonderful relationship as they grow up together!  

And here's a look at his schedule these days:

Sometimes between 4:00am - 5:00am - Wakes to eat and goes back to sleep

Sometime between 6:45am - 7:15am - Wakes and nurses

7:45am - has 3 tablespoons of rice cereal mixed w/ breastmilk (soon to be mixed with fruit)

8:30am - 9:15am -I shower while he's in his bouncy seat, then playtime.  We usually read and/or he plays in the exersaucer

9:15am - 10:30am - Morning nap.  I finish getting myself and Audrey dressed, do laundry, and get the house ready in case of a showing.

10:30am - Nurses and I get him dressed

11:00am - 1:00pm - Play date or errands, us girls eat lunch

1:00pm - Nurses while Audrey plays

1:30 - 3:30 - Afternoon naps for both kids. (AJ goes down around 1:45 or 2 until 3:30)

3:30 - Nurses while Audrey eats a snack and I read to her

4:00 - 6:00 - play time, errands, chores, cook dinner, etc.

6:00 - Nurses, then eats a veggie and 3 tablespoons of rice cereal.  Dinner for all of us around 6:30

7:00 - 8:00 - play time, bath time.

8:15 - family bedtime story, devotion, and prayers.  Nurses then goes down for the night.

So that's Little Man's schedule these days.  Of course, it varies and we're flexible (waaaay more so than we were with AJ!)  At least two days a week, we head out around 9:30 to meet for a play date somewhere and he naps for 20-30 minutes in the car then. And occasionally he'll catnap here and there, especially if we're at home around 5:30.  He enjoys a good 15-20 minute pre-dinner snooze in my arms and frankly, I love it too.  I plan on dropping a nursing session in the next week or two and restructuring his eating times a bit, but just haven't had the time or patience to mix up anything in our world right now!

I love seeing his laid-back, sweet-as-pie personality develop.  He gets dragged around by two strong-willed females all day and just goes with the flow.  Guess he thinks we're worth putting up with, just like his Daddy does.  It'll only be by the grace of God if I don't make this kid a complete Mama's boy.  :)

Happy 6 months, Lukey.  We love you!

Thankful Thursday and a House Update

Boy, has it been a week.  To sum up what has been an extremely heartbreaking ordeal, here is the email I sent to family and friends on Tuesday night:

Hey Y'all,

Welp, the worst thing that can happen to a home seller happened today - just days away from the closing table we learned that our buyer failed to qualify for the loan.  Apparently there is a semi-new rule that has to do with tax returns and reaching qualified income level for several years in a row, and in 2011 our buyer claimed an $18,000 loss on an internet start-up, which dropped him well below where he needed to be.  Though he pre-qualified and was pre-approved, some of this stuff just doesn't get flushed out until the final underwriting stage, which is why we got this far thinking everything was going to go smoothly.  Their agent has been working feverishly all day trying to come up with an alternative either through that lender or another.  Apparently there isn't a solution to be found.  

So, back to square one we go.  The house will be listed again by Friday.

Devastated seems too strong a word, but disappointed is too weak.  We realize this is not life or death, of course.  We have our health, David has a job, we are not desperate to get Audrey out of a horrible school (yet).  BUT, we also had 2/3 of our stuff packed in boxes.  We've lost the peak season.  And, let's not forget that we're under contract on a home we love and the clock is ticking there.  We could lose it if we don't find a buyer soon.  Not to mention we have no idea what to do about Audrey's preschool and where to start her now.

On top of all that, we have to get this place ready to show again...and fast.  Instead of packing the final things, I spent today hauling boxes to the garage to try and make the place presentable again.  Tonight, I rehung pictures in the kitchen in an attempt to add some life and ambiance back.  Not at all what I expected to be doing and incredibly frustrating to say the least.    

Do we know God has a plan?  Yes.  Do we trust He wants the best for us?  Yes.  Do we understand why we've had nothing but smooth sailing and green lights and door after door opened only to have it all fall apart here at the very end?  NOT AT ALL.  But, one of my favorite quotes by Max Lucado sums it up very well:  "God owes no one anything. No reasons. No explanations. Nothing. If He gave them, we couldn't understand them. God is God. He knows what He is doing. When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart." - Max Lucado

So tonight, we're trusting His heart.  Crying and moping and pitching a holy fit (all three of which I've done quite a bit of today) isn't going to get us anywhere.  We're gonna pick up and move on and, hopefully, have a new offer by next week.  :)

Thank you for your support and prayers up to this point and we ask that you please continue them.  We'll keep you posted.

Love,

David and Heather (and Audrey and Luke)

So there you have it.  I've heard all the cliches:  "It's all gonna work out", "When God closes one door, He opens a window", etc.  Truly, the best thing I've heard from several friends and family is something to the effect of:  "Hey, that really sucks.  I'm so sorry and I'm praying for you."  

The house is on the market again and we have been crazy busy trying to get it show-ready.  Now all we need is a qualified buyer to make a great offer within the next two weeks, at most.  No problem, right?

Really, we're doing okay today.  As I said in the email, moping and crying and pitching fits isn't going to help a thing, so we're moving on.  In an effort to focus on the blessings in our life instead of this crazy fiasco, here is a TT list (first one in quite a while!):

1.  A visit from my Mom.  She's been in Maryland taking care of her parents since the end of June, but came over today.  We had a great time and a delicious lunch and it was great to see her.

2.  Our realtor.  He's a christian guy who has years of experience and it's wonderful to have him in our corner, especially this last week.  If you're in our area and in need of an agent, please let me know.  

3.  The show The Closer.  David and I have watched it for years and its series finale is next Monday.  We'll miss Chief Deputy Brenda Lee Johnson! 

4.  Cooler temps.  We played outside before AND after dinner tonight.  Thank the Lord and hurry up, Fall!

5.  Good customer service.  In this case, I'm referring to a recent trip to Kohl's where I bought a rug.  It rang up the wrong price and when I told the lady, she said, "No problem!" and simply put in the price I told her the sign said.  Then, shooting for the moon, I asked if I could use a coupon that expired the day before.  Her reply was "Absolutely!"  Wow.  Now if they would just quit being so pushy about their credit cards, they'd be perfect!   

Have a great weekend and keep praying for us, please!  We'll keep you posted.

Picasa Gallery Updated

As promised, new pictures are up - and lots of them!  Check out the Picasa Gallery for new albums from June, Audrey's birthday party, 4th of July, and July.

Enjoy!