aidenchristopher

9/10/09 - Tomorrow is Aiden's first day of Pre-K. I have mixed feelings! He is nervous but excited...cautiously excited. At least he's old enough now to put his feelings into words (such a difference from when he tried preschool when he was just 3!). Tomorrow is orientation day, so I get to attend with him. I think it will be a fun experience for us both, and hopefully one in which he feels more comfortable w/ his teachers, new friends & the classroom. Please be praying for him! Pray for him to trust his teachers, feel peaceful /calm about this new experience and for him to have FUN! (-:

I'm curious to see how Logan will do while Aiden is at school...the boys are the best of friends, and Maddie's not exactly at the "play with me" stage/age yet. It will be nice to have special time with the younger two kids, but I'm really going to miss my big boy, Aiden! He'll go to school Mon-Weds-Fri from 9:15-11:45, so his school days are short (just the way I like it!) and he'll still be home for lunch every day. I really want this year to be a positive experience for him, so that next year when he *has* to go to school, he's confident and ready. Thanks for praying for him!

Madison is such a joy! They all are, of course, but this age is so much fun. And BUSY! Boy does she keep me busy. She's a climber, and she's adventurous...a dangerous combination. She wants to do EVERYTHING her big brothers do. She follows them, copies them and just adores them in general. She's talking more and more every day it seems. Her words include: Mama, Dada, up, uh-oh, oops, hi, bye-bye, no, and ball. She can point out her nose and her "pretty hair." She throws her arms up in the air when we ask, "How big is Maddie?" and she LOVES giving kisses! Her favorite food is broccoli (weird, right?) and her least favorite food is eggs. She loves lots of different foods though, and she's pretty adventurous when trying new things. She'll eat just about anything we put in front of her.

Logan is growing up so fast! I can't believe he'll be 3 and 1/2 in November! He is FULLY potty-trained now...no more Pull-Ups at night. Hooray! He's been day-trained for a long time now, but I thought we'd never ditch the nighttime Pull-Ups. Basically he just started waking up dry (or waking up in the night and calling for me to help him go potty). After a week of dry Pull-Ups in the morning, we decided he could wear undies to bed...and he's done great! No accidents to speak of. So excited to have another one completely out of diapers/training pants. Two down, one to go! ;-)

The boys are taking soccer this Fall. They'll be taking lessons on Saturday mornings together (same class) and with a neighbor friend. They are super excited! Practice is here in our neighborhood (how convenient)! We bought their soccer balls and shinguards today and Aiden's been wearing his all afternoon!! I think they're going to love it.

Hopefully I can post some pictures here soon. I post all of my pics on Facebook, so if you read here but would like to see photos, check me out on Facebook. (-:

7/4/09 - Happy 4th of July! And what?! It's been THREE MONTHS since I've updated?! Oh my goodness...there's so much to update, I have no idea where to start. So much has been going on the life of the Peters's family!

As I write this, our little princess is just three weeks away from her 1st birthday! She has six teeth now, and she LOVES to use them to eat just about anything! She took her first steps at 9.5 months old, and was walking with ease by 10 months. We couldn't believe it! She's fast, too. If you turn your head for just a minute, she beelines for the steps and climbs all the way up them and into the upstairs hallway. Little stinker! She continues to adore her big brothers, and thankfully the feeling is mutual. Madison also has a bit of a temper...lots of times we have to take things away from her that simply aren't safe to "mouth" on, and boy does she get mad! Her favorite thing to walk around with is SHOES. She loves shoes...loves grabbing them out of the shoe basket and biting on them. Ick!

Logan turned three years old on May 5th. We had a GREAT birthday party for him at the Little Gym, where the boys take gymnastics classes. Logan invited his neighbor and church friends, and of course his cousins. The kids had a fabulous time running around and then enjoyed pizza, pretzels, grapes & of course, CAKE, for dinner/dessert. Logan picked a Thomas cake again this year. Yes, he's still a big train fan! Both boys are, in fact.

The boys completed their gymnastics class in early June and "graduated" from their class with a ceremony/show and all. It was very cute! They both came home with medals and certificates. Now they're in a class together on Tuesday evenings. Our Tuesdays are a little rushed - class is from 5:30-6:30pm, which is smack dab in the middle of our dinnertime (we typically eat at 5:45-6) but I keep telling myself it's only for the summer, and once a week is no biggie. After class we either pick up a pizza or serve PB&J's for dinner. (-; The kids don't seem to mind those menu options!!

Logan recently had his 6-month dental check-up. He did great! We are really blessed by having two boys who are laid back about going to doctor/dentist. He literally just sat there with his mouth wide open, following all the instructions of the hygenist and dentist. He even let them do a fluoride treatment! He was happy to come home with two new "buddies" (stuffed animals), a whistle, and of course his new toothbrush & floss buddy. Hopefully Maddie will be as easy as the boys are at the dentist!

Aiden will be five years old in just 2.5 months. How did *that* happen? It hardly seems possible. He'll be attending preschool at a local Christian school three mornings per week. I have mixed feelings, honestly. I know it'll be good for him but I do believe it will be a difficult transition; one we'd appreciate your prayers for. I hope he loves it. The school seems wonderful and we know several people whose kids go there and ADORE it. In fact, when Aiden and I went to visit a couple months ago, we found out that a friend from church works there! We had no idea!! She just so happens to be the wife of Matt's softball coach (he plays softball for our church), too, so Aiden knows her from games. What a blessing it will be to have a familiar face there!

Aiden's anxiety issues have definitely improved. I hope as he continues to grow and mature, his ability to handle his worries will continue to improve. I am always praying for his little spirit to feel encouraged and supported and loved, and that he would fully understand the love and acceptance that Christ has for him...and that Mommy & Daddy are going to be with him and support him every step of the way. In many ways, I think the transition into preschool will be harder for ME than it will be for him. This is just one way in which I need to remind myself that my kids belong to the Lord and they are simply "on-loan" to me here on Earth. Why is that such a hard thing for me to swallow/comprehend? I know Jesus loves my kids even more than I do - and that's an awful lot of LOVE!! It's hard to believe my little baby boy is growing up/old so fast!

Let's see...trying to think of what else is "noteworthy." Last weekend we vacationed to Lancaster, PA with my family - my parents got hotel rooms for us all at a great hotel. We packed so much into the three days we were there. On Saturday when we arrived, we had lunch at Eat-N-Park, a family favorite. The kids scarfed down their lunch and were just so excited to be there. We first went to the Hands On House, a childrens' "touch" museum. They loved it - they got to do their own facepainting, build and race cars on a track, pretend to milk a cow and feed a pig, play dress-up, pretend like they were going grocery shopping, etc, etc. We then went to check into the hotel, and after unpacking and setting up travel beds, we met my parents @ a local family restaurant. The boys were excited to pick out their own food from a kids' Noah's Ark food bar! (-: So cute!

The next morning we all enjoyed a yummy continental breakfast (best cinnamon rolls EVER!) and headed out to the Choo-Choo Barn and a Thomas store. The Choo-Choo Barn featured a HUGE train layout. The boys' eyes twinkled!! I loved watching the joy on their faces. The Thomas store was terribly tempting for me! I never knew there was SO much Thomas paraphenilia. We left with a new DVD, a book & some Thomas vitamins. Not bad! ;-)

We had lunch in a caboose (!!!) at the Strasburg RR and even got to see a real train come roaring past us. Aiden covered his ears but enjoyed it; Logan and Madison were TERRIFIED of the loud noise...but what an experience! Seeing a real, live train so close up was pretty neat.

We went back to the hotel for "naps." Madison was the only one that napped. Aiden hung out with my folks in their room, and Logan went the outlet mall with ME! What a trooper. I only went to four stores (there were SO many more I wanted to visit - maybe next time) but he was such an angel...and quite funny, too. He kept me - and everyone else around - in stitches, as usual. (-;

After nap we went to a local farm to see some animals, play on a playground and feed some goats. Dinner was at The Cracker Barrel (YUM!) and after dinner, we went back to the hotel where the kids completely crashed.

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel again, then went to a local pretzel factory (the first pretzel factory in the USA!) to make our own pretzels, take a tour and, of course, eat some delicious hot pretzels! We were already headed in the direction of "home," so stopped at an aquairum and pet store for a last fun outing. The boys loved checking out the tarantulas, snakes, fish, turtles, and bunnies. Aiden, Logan & James Michael even got to touch real stingrays in a "touch tank." They were soooo excited!! I didn't get pics of this event, unfortunately. Wish I had!

We had a BLAST in Lancaster and were blessed by great weather and lots of help from my parents. Thanks again Mom & Dad. We loved every minute of it! The kids did great (slept all night and were pretty well-behaved). We can't wait to go back someday!

Several weeks ago, my best friend Betsy came to visit and stay with us for four days. The kids LOVED having Aunt Betsy here. Matt went on his annual fishing trip during some of the time Betsy was here, so it was nice to have her company and help with the kiddos. We also got to enjoy some girl time - chick flicks once the kids were in bed, reminiscing about days of old (we've been best friends since the 4th grade!) and eating dessert (delicious Coldstone Creamery Cake!). I hosted a 4th grade "reunion" at our house on the last night she was here. There were 7 of us - wish there could've been more but I kind of threw it together last minute. In total we had 15 adults and 9 kids! It was a busy evening but very, very fun!! I'm glad we did it.

In a couple weeks we're headed to Fenwick Island with Matt's family for a weeklong beach vacation. We can't wait and are praying for good weather and good behavior from the kids. I hope it will be a fun, restful time - I'm not convinced on the "restful" part, but at least I hope it's refreshing for our spirits and our family! (-;

Matt & I are really enjoying the Summer with the kids. They are growing much too fast but I'm loving [almost] every minute of it. Yes, they have their "moments" of bickering, back-talking, sassing and blatant disobedience, but as parents, we're doing our best to "train them up in the way they should go," and we find ourselves constantly on our knees asking for the Lord's protection over the kids and guidance for us as we continue to love, discipline and direct our precious babies.

I'll try not to let another three months slip by without updating the site, and hopefully within the next several days I can add some photographs as well. I hope you were able to stick with me on this update. (-: Thanks for reading and not giving up on me!

4/2/09 -Is anybody still with me on this blog?! I feel like I might be talking to myself...and that might be the case seeing as how seldom I am able to update these days. This morning I feel like I have some blogworthy stories though. I know this entry will be disjointed...it's early; I haven't finished my cup of coffee, and I'm tired. Bear with me.

Yesterday Aiden had his bi-annual dentist checkup. We love the dentist office we take the kids to! It was his best appointment yet! He was much less nervous this time (thank you, Jesus!) and he didn't shed a tear. He did tell me right before the appointment, "I'm a little nervous" but I assured him he'd be okay and do a great job, and he did! Thankfully, no cavities and no other concerns. Phew! The dentist was impressed by Aiden's healthy, clean teeth and encouraged him to keep up the good work. He got to pick and watch a "Bob the Builder" DVD while having his teeth cleaned. He also left with a sack of goodies - play handcuffs, a camo bandanna, a wallet, a yo-yo, a whistle and of course, a new toothbrush, floss and "flossing buddy." Have I mentioned that we love the kids' dentist's office?! ;-) Logan has his check-up sometime in May. He's excited to go so that he can get some new toys. Talk about incentive!! Once he kicks his binky habit (yes, he still uses the pacifier for sleep times - and no, I'm not worried), they'll give him a $20 GC to the local toy store and tickets to the movie theatre!!

Speaking of milestones for Logan, he is [almost] completely potty-trained! Had you asked me a month ago about when I expected him to be potty-trained, I would've chuckled. I thought for sure that milestone was months (years?) away. But something clicked, and now he loves the potty. It took him a couple months to do #2 on the potty. For the longest time he was waiting to go at naptime, when we'd put a Pull-Up on him. No more! Now the kid looks for excuses to go #2 - several times a day. "I think I have to do moy poops!" Cracks me up. Matt & I are enjoying not changing "big boy poops" and we're definitely saving some money. Although, our water bill might be going up...he LOVES flushing. *sigh* He still wears a Pull-Up at night. I know in order to get rid of the nighttime Pull-Up, we'll need to start cutting off his liquids by a certain time in the evening and taking him to the potty immediately in the morning. We're so proud of his progress though! Ahh, the things parents get excited about.

In Madison news, she is a handful! A happy handful though. What a joy!! She is so adorable and seeing her little face light up with that beautiful smile is enough to melt anyones' heart. She is a speed demon, crawling all over the place. She's been standing up for quite some time now, but every once in awhile she'll take a step or two (hands-free) from one piece of furniture to another. I'm sure she'll walk before her brothers did (11 months & 10.5 months). She even lets go of furniture sometimes and can stand for several seconds on her own!! She loves eating, but her favorite foods remains her oatmeal. She's like a little bird...you can hardly fill up the spoon with her next bite and her mouth is wide open, waiting.

She started sleeping through the night (a solid 10.5-12 hours) right around the time of my hernia repair surgery. What a blessing that was! Since Matt was on "Daddy Day Care Duty" for a couple of weeks, doing all the baby care/lifting, this milestone could not have come at a better time. By day's end, Matt was ready for a break, and it was wonderful for him not to have to get up in the middle of the night to feed & rock her. I am still marveling at the blessing of that - it seems so simple a thing, but really, I know it was the Lord's gift to us. We all needed that sound sleep!

I had my surgery on the 10th of March. I guess I did update the website a couple days after that? I don't remember what I wrote. I am feeling so much better now. No more pain! Every once in awhile I get a twinge of discomfort in my belly, and in the mornings I always feel a little sore/stiff, but it's so nice to be on this side of surgery (healing)! One prayer request - the original bulge/bump that I felt above my belly button is still there (???). It *might* be a little smaller than pre-surgery, but it is concerning to me. It didn't hurt before surgery, it doesn't hurt now...but shouldn't it be gone?? The surgeon explained that since my surgery was laparoscopic and the repair was done with mesh, that the "opening" wasn't closed, but that the mesh is used as a barrier to keep intestines/bowels (sorry, gross) from pushing through in the future. She said the bulge could just be "pudginess or fat" (her words) still pushing through, but that if I have increasing pain or a bigger bulge, that I should call her back and we'll re-evaluate. PLEASE, PLEASE pray that this does not happen. I do not want to have go to through surgery and recovery again. I had help w/ the kids for almost 3 full weeks post-op, and the doc commented on how that is a lot more than most patients have. I know I didn't overdo it in the way of post-op recovery time, so I'm really not sure what's going on - if anything. I am praying that it's fine and that in time, the bump will be less noticeable?? Thanks for praying.

One more random thing - I am reading the book, "The Five Love Languages of Children." Loving it! It's pretty much the same as the original "Five Love Languages" book, but obviously geared towards kids and how they love and receive love. So far, I am quite certain that Logan's primary love language is NOT physical touch. Ever since he was a toddler, he has wanted to be [physically] independent, pulling away from me when I try to hold his hand, etc. He's hard to pin down for a long hug/snuggle or kiss!! Aiden, on the other hand, is a snuggle monster! That boy loves to love. Perfect example - the boys were up extra early today. I was still quite tired and not ready to get up, so I told them they had to lay in bed with me for a few more minutes before turning on the TV. Logan laid beside me and as I tried to give him a hug, he scooted away from me. Aiden was on the other side of Logan, but 5 minutes into "resting," he got up and said, "Can I please lay in the middle? I want to be close to our Mommy..." He was so up in my face, I could hardly breathe. He put his arm around me, patted my back and gave me an Eskimo kiss. Once it was time to get up, I asked Logan for a morning hug but he just grabbed his Boodee (blanket) and slid off my bed without obliging my request. Stinker! (-; I still haven't quite figured out his primary love language, but it's definitely not physical touch! Aiden's love language, on the other hand, just might be physical touch! I did pray for a loving, tender baby when I was pregnant with Aiden (did I forget to pray for that when Logan was in utero? Ha!).

I guess that's it for now. We're all battling colds right now. It's been about a week and a half now. I thought we were turning a corner yesterday but this morning, Logan sounds like he has croup! Poor kid sounds like he might cough up a lung. I am debating whether or not to take him into the doc's, but it's been 3+ weeks since I've gone anywhere with all 3 kids since I'm not allowed to lift them or lug around the baby's carseat, etc. I'm thinking sticking to the steam baths and extra liquids is going to be the remedy, anyway.

I have to find the cord for uploading pictures but that will be my goal for naptime today, since I finished all the laundry yesterday. (-; Hope everyone is well! If you made it through this update, props to you and thanks for sticking with me.

3/13/09 - Goodness, I am just not doing well with keeping up this website! It used to be so easy back when we had just one kid. ;-) Funny how that works!

I just added some "new" pictures tonight...still, they are pictures from Christmastime. *sigh* Will I ever get them all posted?!

In our family news, I had a double hernia repair surgery on Tuesday morning. Wow, SO not fun. But thank the good Lord it's over with. Matt's been off all week and he doesn't return to work 'til next Wednesday. At that point in time, we're counting on friends and family to help "fill in the gaps," so to speak, with helping out w/ childcare, etc. I'm not supposed to lift more than 10 lbs or so for 5-6 weeks. I spoke with the surgeon this morning and she said it'd be great if I could get through 3 full weeks without lifting Madison. After that, I can minimally lift her. I miss snuggling my baby!! I'd rather hold a fussy baby all day long than not be able to hold her at all.

Aiden has been very understanding of the fact that I can't do much in the way of lifting/hugging/bending down, etc. but Logan doesn't quite get it. He understands that Mommy "had her belly fixed," but he forgets about being gentle around me and I have to brace myself every time he runs past. He's also been on the whiny side because he wants me to hold and lift him but I just can't.

Thanks to everyone for praying & helping us out in so many ways! Please continue to pray that my recovery would go smoothly and that there wouldn't be a recurrence of the hernias. I can't imagine going through that surgery/recovery again! The doctor said my surgery was straightforward and easy, so everything should be fine. Now to just stick to the doctor's orders about not lifting!!

I'm leaving so much out...the kids are growing big and fast! Aiden continues to be such a tenderheart...during my recovery this week he has checked on me countless times and brought me Dixie cups of water to my bedside. He's also colored me pictures to tape to my dresser, and tells me to "just call if you need me for anything." Such a sweet, compassionate heart he has. Last week Aiden had a viscious stomach virus - the worst I've ever seen. From start to finish it lasted for almost 5 full days. Three days in, we had to take him to the ER for mild dehydration. The day we took him was supposed to be my surgery day, but we canceled the operation for that day and re-scheduled it to the following Tuesday. Thank the Lord we did that, b/c I don't know how Matt would've been able to manage a super sick child and a wife recovering from surgery, not to mention two other children! Thankfully - and amazingly I'll add - no one else in our house got sick. Praise the Lord for hearing our prayers and answering them! I have NEVER done so much Cloroxing and Lysoling in my entire life. I cleaned all 4 bathrooms twenty times over that week. It was awful. And it was heartbreaking to see my little man so sick. I'm so thankful he's back to normal and a healthy guy now!

Logan is our funny man! His sense of humor is awesome. Whether it's a joke, a dance or a facial expression, he can always manage to get a laugh out of us. We're in the midst of potty-training him, and tonight he finally went poop on the potty!! Yay Logan! He's been peeing on the potty for a couple months now. Right after he pooped, Matt took the boys to the local toy store so Logan could finally get "Gordon" to add to their Thomas train collection. He was so excited! We had offered this incentive for the past two months and it didn't work 'til today. It seems that once Matt & I finally threw our hands up on the air and stopped pushing the issue, he decided to go! The kid's always had a mind of his own and liked to do things on his own time. That's his "way!"

Madison is all over the place! What an ornery little girl. At 7.5 months old, she has been crawling for over a month now! She even pulls herself up to "standing" and cruises some, too. She LOVES solid feedings - her favorite is her oatmeal. The boys love watching Madison's "sour faces" when she tries new foods or foods that are freezing cold, straight out of the fridge. They also continue to love on their little sister, and both are wonderful helpers with her. It is pure joy to watch my children love one another like they do. She was baptized at the end of January with her cousin, Joel. It was neat to have the kids christened together. We celebrated with a brunch back at our house. It was a joyful day for our family, and we were so glad Grandma Weaver was still here visiting so she could celebrate with us.

Sorry this update has taken me so long! I'll try not to let as many weeks pass between posts. And my goal is to get all of these old photos posted ASAP! Enjoy the weekend.

2/17/09 - So much to update. Never, ever, EVER enough time! And Christmas pictures still on the front page? Entirely unacceptable. I will make this my mission for today...to update the website. So be sure to check back later...sometime after naps today, we should be "current" here!

Grandma Weaver returned home to PA on Sunday. We miss her already! It's strange not to have plans with her nearly every day. The kids miss her a TON and Logan doesn't understand why she had to go home. I explained that she was ready to go home to Pennsylvania and his response was simply, "But...why?!" Thanks, Grandma, for all your help with the kids, meal prep and the laundry while you were here; more importantly, thank you for being YOU. I enjoyed all the time we had together to chat, laugh & reminisce.

On that note (reminiscing), today marks one year since my Grandpa went to be with Jesus. I miss him...a whole lot. But I take great comfort in knowing that Grandpa is with the Lord, and that one day we'll see each other again. I hope you'll join me in praying for my Grandma to sense the Lord's peace today.

We had a wonderfully sweet & fun Valentine's weekend. This is the first time Matt has ever had off for President's Day so it was nice to have the extra family time together over a "holiday" weekend. On Friday night we celebrated Grandma's birthday at my parents' house. On Saturday, the boys had their gymnastics classes in the morning. Saturday evening we hosted our Small Group Bible Study here, and had a Valentine's theme, of course. It was so much fun! The boys LOVED having their friends here, which always brings a lot of joy to my heart...I love hearing the laughter and the silliness. (-: I made chocolate-dipped heart-shaped sugar cookies for dessert and the boys waited patiently all day for their treats! They loved them, and despite the thick layer of chocolate on the cookies, the boys still managed to crash at bedtime. It was an exciting, exhausting day!!

My sweet Valentine sent me 2 dozen beaaaauuuutiful multi-colored roses and a box of chocolates. (-: I received them on Friday, so I WAS quite surprised! ;-) He knew I'd be at gymnastics on Saturday morning so he wanted to ensure that I'd be the one to answer the door, hence the early delivery. On Saturday morning I woke to find my Valentine's card and the Colbie Caillat CD on the kitchen counter. The boys each opened their own Lightning McQueen box of chocolate hearts ~ so exciting! (They love chocolate!!!!)

On Sunday the boys and I headed to church as I had to teach the 2's-4's class. The boys never attend unless I am the teacher (on a once monthly basis). They usually go into "big church" with us. We had quite a crowd of kids on Sunday! The boys enjoyed playing with friends and "new" toys. Sunday afternoon Maddie and I did the weekly grocery shopping trip together. Giant had a "triple coupons" deal going on, so I got some AWESOME steals, including a lot of free (after coupons) baby food! Hooray for FREE!

Yesterday was a great day for us. Love the extra family time! We left in the morning while we had our house cleaned. What a TREAT! We've been married for almost 6 years, and we've never had our house professionally cleaned. WOW! It was so incredibly nice not to have to worry about the cleaning this week. What a blessing! They did everything...including making the boys' beds and arranging their "buddies" just so. The boys thought that was hilarious! Matt ran around like a kid on Christmas morning, "Woah, they dusted all of the baseboards! Wow, the inside of the microwave is spotless! Check it out, they got the stains off of the highchair." (-; I enjoy cleaning, and having the house cleaned for us is expensive, but it was a great one-time (or once in a rare while) treat for me.

While the ladies were at the house cleaning, Matt took us to Panera for breakfast. The boys are just like Mama...they LOVE going out to eat, and breakfast was particularly cozy for us as a family. It's so sweet to watch the boys pray out at restaurants, especially when your 4-year old prays and says [completely unprompted], "Thank you Jesus for this special breakfast out at Panera today."

After breakfast we went to Toys R Us to return a couple Christmas gifts that we could not use/already had. (Yes, we're a little late in doing so but I'm glad we finally got that accomplished!) The boys had a little over $60 in store credit, so we let them pick out some things for their Thomas collection. They each picked a new train, and together they agreed upon buying the signal crossing attachment. So exciting! They could hardly wait to get home to open it. We also had enough money lef to buy the DVD "Wall E." We've heard lots of good things about it, but we've never seen it. I can't wait to watch it!!

That wraps up our special holiday weekend. I have TONS of photos to post from our month and a half visit with Grandma Weaver so be sure to stop by later today. I never posted Christmas day pics either. Geesh, I have my work cut out for me...

2/3/09 - Madison's CRAWLING! She started with a few slow strides on Superbowl Sunday two days ago (at 6 months, 4 days old) but has since picked up speed. She's still slow to get going but then seems to gain speed and confidence as she moves. I can't believe she's already on the go! All three of our kids started crawling at 6 months - Aiden at 6 and 1/2 months, Logan at 6 months, 3 days old and Maddie at 6 months, 4 days old. Amazing - these kids are strong & determined.

Another exciting happening...I received a call from the director of the preschool that we applied to (for next year) saying that both boys have been accepted! Right now, Logan is on the waiting list for a Mon-Weds-Fri slot, which is what we really want (so the boys can go on the same days). He is enrolled in the Tues/Th 1/2 day program but we mainly applied for those days in order to secure a spot. If he isn't able to get into the Mon-Weds-Fri class, we may not send him to preschool next year at all. We'll see.

Aiden was accepted into the program we really wanted for him, a Mon-Weds-Fri 1/2 day program. The school is BEAUTIFUL and I know several friends who have their kids there, and they all love it. We're already praying for the transition back to school to be a smooth one for Aiden, and would appreciate your prayers for this as well.

1/27/09 - Madison will be 6-months old tomorrow... 6 MONTHS!!! She had her wellness check-up this morning. She now weighs 15 lbs, 11 oz. which is "average" on the weight scales for her age. Her length/height (which I can't remember right now) were on the high end of the scale. No surprises there! Our kids are always very tall, thanks to Daddy.

The pediatrician was pleased to see Madison sitting up and scooting around (she was trying to crawl off the table). She also seemed happy amount the amount of babbling that Maddie was doing and also seemed surprised when she heard the baby "la-la-la-la-ing." She told me I can go ahead and increase her solid feedings to twice a day (we've just been doing oatmeal in the morning) and add in fruits & veggies. I added a splash of applesauce to her oatmeal this morning because she seems bored with it already. She loved the sweet addition to her morning cereal! (-: I always enjoy introducing new foods to my babies. I just can't believe it's already "that time" and that my third baby is ready to explore the world of solid foods. That happened fast!

The only concern the doctor had was for Maddie's dry skin. All three kids really suffer from severely dry skin, especially in the winter. Our nursery and the kids' bathroom is stocked with Aquaphor, Aveeno lotion, Aveeno oatmeal bath, Eucerin & Cortaid. *sigh* The latest recommendation is that we wash her head/hair with Dove soap (we've been using Head & Shoulders per the doctor's earlier recommendation) and then put a thin layer of .5% hydrocortizone cream on her head. Sounds...messy, but if it helps to relieve the itchiness, I'll try it! Her eczema isn't just on her head, but also in common places like her arms and legs. If the Cortaid doesn't help, we have to give her a 1/2 tsp. of Zyrtec before bed. She scratches at her head all the time, so I know it bothers her.

Speaking of the little munchkin, she's waking up from her nap now. I really hope to get some pictures posted here soon! I post them on Facebook all the time, but uploading and labeling them here takes a lot longer. It's just a more tedious process on the website, for some reason.

Hope everyone's enjoying the snow day! The boys & I are hoping Matt makes it home early from work so they can play in the snow with Daddy. (-:

1/25/09 - I just noticed that my last entry was dated "'08." Oops! It's still hard to remember that it's already 2009!!

Today, Madison & her cousin, Joel, were baptized together. Matt & I felt very blessed by the family members and friends that participated in the events of the day. I love that the babies were baptized together...it was neat to be up front at church w/ my sister and her family, and to look out into the congregation and see so many people that love us and love our kids! We truly do belong to a wonderful church, one that supports us and helps to train up our children.

Baby Joel slept through his baptism, and Maddie gabbed during hers! ;-) When I said to our pastor, "She's a little wiggly," his response was, "Well the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree!" I always have been known as a talker - outgoing & energetic! Madison does seem to be a lot like Mommy in that way. I felt filled with love and support as we stood up front, and I loved the closeness with Matt and our three kids. Thank you all for being there! It really meant a lot to us. Most importantly, thank you for promising to help us teach Madison to love and honor Jesus as her personal Saviour! She really is a precious baby girl...a gift from the Lord. We're so thankful for the blessing of Madison Grace!

After the church service, we hosted a brunch back at our house with help from Kristen & James. Family members and friends who couldn't make the church service joined us at the house. We had a crowd, and it was a great time of fellowship and fun! I tried to snap some pictures here and there, but didn't get as many as I would've liked. Oh, well. The memories of everyone being here will live in my memory!! ;-)

1/20/08 - Proud to be an American today! Obama wasn't my choice for President (not ashamed to say it!) but it is what it is...and what a historic and exciting day for our country! The boys and I have been talking about the inauguration all week, so we watched this morning's ceremonies together. I took pictures (yes, of the TV) and Aiden decided to the do the same with his camera. I took the pics so I could show the kids someday because surely they won't remember. I got a cute one of the boys looking up at the TV while Obama was on the screen. We even had an Inauguration picnic lunch! We thanked Jesus for our food and prayed for our new President. Mommy didn't want to miss any of it, so that seemed the best way for me to catch all the news while the boys had fun picknicking in the basement.

Thanks for continuing to pray for health for our family! The baby woke up with another cold yesterday - surely the same one that Logan has had for a week now. She's pretty miserable and waking more often at night than usual. We've also recently started her on oatmeal, and she seems more gassy and fussy than usual. It's hard to tell whether the fussiness is just because she's sick, or if it's a reaction to the oatmeal (upset tummy). We tried oatmeal over a week ago, then stopped after two tries to give her belly a "rest" (per the doc's advice). I started it back up yesterday. She LOVES it, and opens her mouth wide for every bite...giggling and kicking her legs in between bites. It's very cute!

1/15/09 - Boy, I am just not doing well with keeping up with the website! I had to come on tonight to report that Miss Madison is sitting up now! Yay! She's still wobbly and uses her hands either in front of her or to her side to prop herself up, but she's sitting! She's so pleased with herself. I hope as she gets better and stronger, she'll be more content to play on the floor for longer periods of time. She is also pretty close to crawling already (at just 5.5 months!). I can't believe it. Aiden crawled at 6.5 months and Logan first crawled at 6 months, 3 days old. I think she's definitely going to follow in the footsteps of her older brothers! (-: Determined little gal.

My Grandma has been here for almost two weeks now and we're really enjoying her company. The boys ask to see her every day! They love showing her their toys and having her read to them. I've enjoyed her company and her help! She's been a tremendous help with my neverending laundry & with the kids, too. She'll be here for awhile longer and we're so thankful for the special time we have with her.

In other family news, we've all been battling colds - cold after cold after cold, it seems. Please say a prayer for us for HEALTH, as well as for Kristen, James, James Michael and baby Joel. It seems as soon as Matt & I put away humidifiers, we get a two or three day "break" before we have to set them back up again. The cold that Logan has now (and Aiden and Maddie are starting to get) is deep in his chest and is mostly manifesting itself as a barking cough and a runny nose. All of the kids - and Mommy - are just so tired. Madison's been sleeping like it's her job the past couple of days! And Baby Joel is so young, it's a little nervewracking for my sister since he's so congested. Thanks for praying!

1/5/09 - Happy New Year! My first post in 2009! I'm feeling particularly "deep" tonight. I know this is more of an online journal/baby book rather than a blog, but I have some thoughts running through my mind that I'd like to jot down here, in hopes that you might be encouraged or convicted...or both! (-: My entry does stem from an experience with Aiden, that we went through today in fact.

Aiden is a very sweet, sensitive boy. He's also strong-willed and energetic, and sometimes that gets him into trouble. The boys are obsessed with their Papa's old train set. My Mom and my Grandma baby sat the boys this morning while Madison and I went to Old Navy. They were excited to see Papa's trains, even if they weren't allowed to play with them (Papa has some parts that need replacing and some of the trains need to be fixed up, so right now they're "off limits" for playing with). Anyway, after naps today, Aiden was in a funk. I mean, a total funk. To this moment I'm not sure what was up with him really. He laid in bed for a good 20 minutes after I woke him up from his nap. He said he felt fine; he was just really wanting to play with Papa's trains and told me, "I just can't stop thinking about it." At one point he even started crying, "I know we can't go back to Grandma & Papa's today but I sure wish we could. I just love Papa's trains." He bummed around for the rest of the afternoon and didn't perk up 'til Matt brought home a pizza for dinner. (-;

Fast-forward to bathtime this evening. Matt asked Aiden to stay out of the tub while he was washing Logan (they bathe together every night but sometimes it's just easier for Matt to tackle washing one kid at a time...it's faster). Aiden did just what was asked of him. He waited for his turn in the tub. I had to run downstairs to get Madison's medicine and Aiden opened the gate for me. He stepped onto the gate with both feet and started swinging on it. I quickly told him to stop doing that so he wouldn't break the gate. On my way back upstairs I heard Matt sternly say to Aiden, "Stop it Aiden...stop it right now, you'll break the gate." And then it happened...the gate broke. Just as I reached the top of the stairs, the gate broke right off the wall. The color in Aiden's face quickly drained. He looked horrified...sad...embarassed. My heart broke into a million pieces right then and there. Matt, in a moment of sheer frustration by Aiden's disobedience, yelled at Aiden for breaking the gate and Aiden was speechless. Matt got Aiden in the tub and talked to him about disobeying and how important it is to listen. Thankfully, the gate was able to be re-attached, but that's kind of besides the point.

After Aiden finished in the tub, Matt sent him into our bedroom to get dressed. He approached me with a genuinly sad expression and just fell into my arms. He had tears rolling down his face but he wasn't making any noise. Then he quietly said right into my ear, "I feel awful about all the things I did today. You know, my sad attitude about Papa's trains....and the gate. I didn't mean to break it." His sincerity was enough to bring me to tears. I just felt so bad for him, yet so proud of his honesty and his sorrow for what he had done. What a great opportunity the Lord handed directly to me...I had the chance to talk to Aiden about obedience and forgiveness. I assured him that Daddy & I weren't mad and that the gate was able to be fixed. I reminded him that the Lord wants us to obey. And I thanked him for apologizing and told him he didn't have to feel sad anymore. It just made me feel all warm and fuzzy to experience that with Aiden.

Aiden's sadness over his mistakes reminded me of the many times that I "fall short of the glory of God." There are times when I mess up and I can hear God saying to me, "Don't do it Jenny. Don't do it!" but as a sinner, I do it anyway. And immediately I am overcome by guilt and sadness, disappointment in myself. I know my sins have been paid for. I am forever grateful for the Lord's forgiveness and mercy. When I forgave Aiden for his disobedience, I felt such peace and my love for Aiden increased (is that even possible???). I imagine that's how it is for the Lord with us. He wants us to come to Him seeking forgiveness, and He delights in forgiving us and wiping away our mistakes.

I don't understand why some people choose to be unforgiving. We are told to "forgive as Christ forgave us." Perhaps it's because it's all too easy to get caught up in the sting of wrongs done against us? Maybe it's because it's difficult to forget even if we say we've forgiven. I'm not saying it's always easy, but I do think that life is too short to hold grudges and to let others' mistakes and wrongdoings against us bring us down. My prayer for me is that I am quick to forgive, even when it's not easy. And I also pray that I can be as humble as Aiden was tonight. His sweet spirit really moved me.

12/29/08 - Madison turned 5 months old yesterday! I can't believe it. I need to post Christmas day pictures. What an interesting Christmas we had!!

Since Christmas Day when baby Joel was born, our family's been battling a bug (well, Kristen's family and my parents)...the flu maybe? At any rate, as a result we've not yet celebrated Christmas with my family, which is so, so strange. It almost hasn't felt like Christmas. It's the first time in 29 years we've not spent Christmas day together, which was sad for me (and for everyone else, I'm sure). Of course we are thrilled with the birth of baby Joel but because of the illness that's been going around, we haven't even been able to spend time with him or help Kristen & James out much!

If the thought crosses your mind, you might say a prayer for us - that my family stays healthy, that Kristen's family & my folks feel better, and that the adjustment for my sister's family is a speedy one as Joel has entered the scene. It sounds like James Michael is doing a great job as a big brother! He's always interested in Madison, so at least he knew what to expect when he was told about a "baby" joining the family. I am looking forward to holding Joel again and getting to know the little guy. If I have time at the end of this entry, I'll post a few pics from my hospital visit when baby Joel was just three hours old! (-:

The plan is for us to finally celebrate Christmas on Thursday...January 1! How odd to think that we'll celebrate two Christmases ('08 and '09) all in the same year (technically speaking). It is nice to stretch out the season some though. Usually everything is a bit rushed and then in the blink of an eye, Christmas is over. This has definitely been our longest Christmas season yet, even though it technically was a very short season this year.

We were able to celebrate Christmas with Matt's side of the family on Friday at Grandpa Joe's. The boys loved playing with their cousin and they were really excited to open presents for Grandpa and their aunts and uncles! We enjoyed a casual pizza dinner and an ice cream cake that said, "Happy Birthday, Jesus!"

They've received so many nice gifts for Christmas. Their favorite is their new train table from Santa! Aiden also received a huge fire engine from Santa Claus and Logan an Army tanker, complete with Army guys to go with it! We're so blessed by family who literally helps us clothe and feed our kids!! (-:

I'm hoping we can get over to Brookeside Gardens some evening this week to see the lights display. My Mom told me today that inside the nature center, there's a model train display. The boys would absolutely love to see that!

My Grandma is arriving this coming Sunday and staying for several weeks (hopefully a month)! We are super excited for her visit. I am really looking forward to the time to just sit and talk and catch up. She's also a great help with my never-ending laundry piles! (-; The kids are counting the days 'til her arrival as well.

That's it for now. While all three kids are napping, I'll go ahead and upload my hundreds (yes, hundreds) of photos. Hopefully I'll also get a chance to post some now, but if not, check back later this evening.

12/25/08 - Exciting news...we joyfully welcome baby Joel Thomas Key to our family! Our new little nephew was born today, Christmas day! What a wonderful Christmas gift, especially to Kristen, James & James Michael. I got to meet (and hold!) the little man this afternoon. What a cutie! He was 7 lbs, 10 oz. and I believe 20 inches long. I'm not sure about the exact time he was born; my Dad said 12:25'ish/12:30 but how cool if it indeed was 12:25pm?! How easy to remember 12:25 on 12/25? (-;

Please pray for my sister to get some much-needed sleep tonight, and for the adjustment to life with two kids to be swift. I am anxious to see James Michael as a big brother and I hope he welcomes baby Joel with open arms. We love you Joel Thomas! Happy Birthday & Merry Christmas! (Funny to think that baby Joel and Madison are both celebrating their 1st Christmas today!!!!)

***I'll update on our Christmas later this weekend. We had a CRAZY day...the boys loved every minute of it, and Matt & I are zonked. (-;

12/22/08 - The boys are SO excited for Christmas! On Friday night we went to a Living Nativity. They really enjoyed seeing the animals. I hope the experience helped them to focus more on the real meaning of Christmas. They were excited when they got home and saw our creche - it's like the Living Nativity made them see the creche differently...it opened their eyes to it in a new way! They also have a DVD called, "The Very First Noel," which is the story of Christmas told by one of the wisemen, so the boys are very familiar with the characters in the story.

Every night before bed, the boys each get to pick a song to sing. We usually sing all together, but the past few nights they've wanted to take turns doing solos. They both picked "Silent Night" last night. Logan's little voice singing glory to God just melted my heart...

"Silent night, holy night. Hall is calm. Hall is bright. 'Round yon burgeon mover and child...sleep in heabenly peaceeee...sleep in heabenly peace." (-: I just wanted to hug him forever! And I'm sure Jesus enjoyed that rendition of "Silent Night" even more than I did!

On Saturday night we enjoyed celebrating Christmas at Matt's Grandfather's house. The kids thoroughly enjoyed playing and running around with their cousin, Gavin. The food was great, the conversation was warm and we feel very blessed by the gifts we received. The boys had fun playing with their new toys all day yesterday (a Matchbox cars police station, a tractor, a Transformfer to name a few).

It's hard to believe Christmas week is here already! Where did the month go? Come to think of it, where did 2008 go?! We are planning to celebrate Christmas here with our kids first thing Thursday morning, of course...I anticipate an early rising by all...like it or not! (-; After opening gifts here, we'll head to my parents' house for brunch and presents. After napping back here at home, we'll be hosting Christmas dinner. I'm excited to cook my first full Christmas dinner for our family & guests...it'll be a small crowd though; just us, my parents & Matt's Dad. On Friday we're celebrating Christmas w/ Matt's family @ Grandpa Joe's house. So much fun to look forward to!!

If you usually receive our Christmas card, don't worry...they WILL be coming! I am so, so, so very late in sending them this year. I've written our letter and made 65 copies, I purchased our cards last year after Christmas, and the photos are printed off, too...now to tackle the stamping and addressing. Don't be surprised if you get yours after Christmas (I'm sorry)!

Matt & I have been talking about 2008 and what a great year it was for us despite some trials (two car accidents, work stress, etc.) ~ we are so blessed! And we're absolutely determined to make 2009 our best year yet as a family. (-: God is good...all the time!

12/18/08 - I have a terrific example of the Lord working all things out for the good! It's such a simple, silly thing really...but I do believe it shows how God is in the details!!

Last year we took Christmas cookies to the firestation where Aid had his 3rd birthday last September. We decided to do the same this Christmas. Aiden and I carefully packaged 5 different Christmas cookie types in pretty little Christmas boxes. I labeled them, and took a picture of the boys with the boxes. They were so excited to go to the firestation! I explained we may not be able to see a truck if they were out on a call, but we'd try.

After getting the boys' haircuts, we headed to the firestation. Kristen & James Michael met us there. All of us waited outside, knocking on the door but no one answered. After checking the back of the station twice and knocking again, I called their number and left a message. I didn't just want to leave the boxes there...

We decided to leave and two minutes down the road, Kristen called me on my cell phone. Apparently I had called another firestation in our area (I left a message calling from Kristen's cell). She said that the other station, which actually happened to be equally close to home) called her back and said they were there, we could come on by. We decided to head to the other station in hopes of being able to drop off the cookies. At this point, Logan was in tears about not being able to go in...so disappointed.

So, I gave the boys the good news and off we went. We arrived at the other station which was HUGE! We were greeted by two big, friendly firemen at the front desk, who gladly accepted the cookie boxes. I think the boys enjoyed hearing the two guys telling other firefighters about the treats the boys dropped off! I asked if we could see a truck, and not only did they show us one truck...they gave us a full tour of the firehouse! (-: The guy that showed us around clearly loves his job. He was eager to answer Aiden's questions, and he gladly helped hoist the three boys up onto the trucks and into the ambulance. There was even a fireboat!!

This is an outing the boys will not soon forget. It was neat to be able to have a personal tour and to meet "real, live firemen." (-; Aiden and Logan play fireman every.single.day but of course they were playing it in full-force the minute we walked through the front door from our "field trip" today. I'm so thankful for such a great experience for the kids! I think we'll continue this tradition each Christmas. Such a small thing, but a simple way to show the firefighters that we appreciate their work and how they protect our community.

So see, if we hadn't left the message on the "wrong" station's answering machine, we never would've gotten such a great tour! (-: Thank you, God, for this fun and unexpected opportunity today.

12/17/08 - Two cute things the boys said today...I have to post them before forgetting them!

After making peanut butter blossom cookies, I asked Aiden to pick up all of the Hershey kiss wrappers. He gathered them up, then asked me, "Should these be recycled or retrashed?"

As I was putting Logan into bed for his nap, he reached for the box of tissues by his bed and said, "I need a tissue in my bed in case I do bless you's." (-:

12/11/08 - I was tagged by my friend, Janelle, to fill out the following two surveys. I tag Lauren (F), Kim (W) & Betsy. (-: Janelle...some of my answers are identical to yours so there's no need to change them (how perfect)!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Unfortunately, an artificial tree. Matt won this one! I would MUCH rather have a real tree. But I admit, we do save a lot of money by not buying a tree every year; however, I'd rather spend the money and have a tree to smell than not.

3. When do you put up the tree? The day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually no later than January 2.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes!! Especially with nutmeg. And I love Starbucks' eggnogg latte even more.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably my Cabbage Patch doll.

7. Hardest person to buy for? James.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Our kids! It's hard to stop buying for them!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we have three.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? You know, honestly, I don't think I can recall a time where I said, "This is awful..."

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? So many to choose from! I love the TV classic, "Rudolph." But since that's not a movie per se, I love "Home Alone" and the real version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." And Lauren reminded me (how could I forget?) "The Polar Express."

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October'ish

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, not a Christmas present...

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All the different Christmas cookies we make!

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, only white.

17. Favorite Christmas song? "Silent Night" and "Oh, Holy Night."

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home first, then to my folks' house. Matt's Dad's house the day after Christmas. They're all local though.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither, we have a snowman pointing the way to the star!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? It all goes by too fast.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Snowmen, of course! I collect them.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Sweet potatos, turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, bread, cranberries (think "Thanksgiving"), etc.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? DVD's, clothes, perfume, pans for my kitchen

****

Five names you go by:
1. Jennifer
2. Jenny
3. Mommy/Mama
4. Jen
5. noony
6. J

That's 6...I know.

Three things you are wearing right now...not necessarily in any order
1. glasses
2. PJ top
3. PJ bottoms!

Two things you want very badly at the moment.
1. coffee
2. a better day today than I had yesterday!

Two things you did last night:
1. went to bed at 8:45pm
2. ate pizza for dinner

Two things you ate today
- nothing yet!

Two people you last talked to on the phone
1. Matt
2. my Mom

Two things you are going to do tomorrow
1. Go to a Christmas tea party at my parents' house
2. Do some holiday baking (hopefully make Oreo truffles, specifically)

Three of your favorite beverages:
1. water
2. coffee - esp Starbucks
3. lemonade

12/2/08 - December!? YAY!!!! I thought I should hop on and update while I have a quick minute. After two immunizations this morning, Madison is sleeping soundly. I've got lunch to make for me and the boys, but like I said, internet time for updating the blog is sparse these days. (-;

Logan had his 2.5-year wellness checkup this morning, and Madison had her 4-month wellness appointment. Logan weighed in at 28 lbs and while I can't remember how many inches he measured, I remember that his height is in the 80th percentile. The doc told us that he is "on the skinny side" so I should make sure he's getting enough to eat and keep him on 1% milk (not skim). I'm not worried; I feel like the kid is always eating! Maybe he'll have a big growth spurt during the second half of his third year?

I had to fill out a questionnaire before the appointment. It covered various developmental areas...colors, physical abilities (jumping, balancing on one foot), sentence structure, etc. He knew everything (literally) on the paper. When the doctor looked over the two pages, she said, "You know he's nearing the four-year mark on all of these things??" (-: We're proud of our smart boy! He learns a lot from his big brother.

Madison weighed an even 14 lbs which is the 60th percentile. Her height was in the 90th percentile. No shocker there...our kids have always been on the tall side! (Thanks to Daddy!)

She was trying to roll over the entire time she was being examined. She even tried to sit up! The girl is always moving and wanting to see what the boys are up to. The doctor commented on how strong she is for her age.

Madison sleeps so well, for the most part. She sleeps 10.5-12 hours at night, waking only once for a feeding - and it's always very quick. She naps just twice a day already. Her morning nap is super short - 15-40 minutes - and her afternoon nap is typically anywhere from an hour and 45 minutes to three hours long! It's nice because her afternoon nap overlaps w/ the boys' naps, which is great for me. It enables me to get stuff done and to have some "breathing space" for myself!

Maddie Grace happily gurgled at the doctor and blew bubbles, talking the whole time we were in the office. It was quite an event! While Madison was being examined, Logan drew all over the exam table with my pen - oops! The doctor quickly washed it off with an alcohol wipe and Logan said, "Sowwy." She was nice about it, "I forgive you...we all make mistakes sometimes." Aiden was talking the whole time, Logan was up/down/here and there, and Madison was cooing, laughing & drooling. At the end of the appointment, the doctor commented on how well-behaved the kids are!!! I had to laugh and take a deep breath. I kept thinking, "We're almost done, we're almost done, we're almost done." (-; They really are such great kids, but it was definitely a lot of work to take three kids to the doctor's office and to answer all of the ped's questions!! WHEW!

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