8 MONTHS

How babies change so fast in this first year!
I was sitting behind a newborn at church, only 3 weeks old! I had already forgotten the stretches and noises those teeny ones make.
Even at a short 8 months ago you forget all that. Now it's screaming and mama and dada... which, I tell you is equally adorable!



 We have battled many a cold this fall and I just took little O to the Dr today for a bunch of junk. Luckily, it's nothing but a cold at it's peak and it should subside soon.

 I have enjoyed some late night moments with Owen. He gets to coughing and, for anyone for that matter, it's hard to get back to sleep after that!  We go in the dim of the bathroom , turn on the hot water and sit in the steam. Just me and him... no brother distractions, no business. Just me and him playing Itsy Bitsy Spider a hundred times.

Boy, this one is a smart cookie.
He is a problem solver.. a toy out of reach? Just pull the blanket and viola, toy comes to him!
He's learning so much right now, it's incredible.
Weighs 18 lbs. 4 oz
Probably about 28 inches long
Not even close to wanting to crawl... he'll have you wait on him, thankyouverymuch!
Likes to eat bites of things now... burger bun, green beans, cracker... but no bananas, please!
Many people have said it... He talks with his eyes. Big and brown and the 1 of the 3 sweetest eyes I've ever seen. Whether he's shy or happy, the eyes say it all.
We took the boys to the Christmas lights at the park, and he was so quiet looking at all of them. Just soaking everything in.
He is definitely a little more reserved than my older mister social :)
He loves to look at books and point out eyes on everything.
Loves music and  think he wants to be a drummer :) 

I am SOOO looking forward to Christmas and getting to finally have you here with us than just a belly and a dream.
Owen... are more than we ever imagined. You are loved so much. Happy 8 months, Sweetie Sweet!

7 months

7 months old.... how can this be? 
There's so much to say about how we feel about you.  How God knew what a perfect little guy to send to us....
I watch your brother play with you and it's getting so much more fun now that you can really respond to him. You laugh and try to do the same noises and movements.
He tells me all the time how glad he is to be your big brother. And it shows in his eyes.
He wakes up every morning to sneak into my room where you are still sleeping :) and curls up next to you and breathes you in. He kisses your cheeks and holds your hand, waiting ever so IMpatiently for your eyes to open.
You're nickname is Sweet-Sweet... and that is so fitting for your personality.
Ever so sweet and even natured.
When we are in public you are oohed and ahhed over and you usually don't give a smile too easily to strangers. When you are around people you know and love you are always quick to show those sweet little pirate teeth! ( That's what I think they look like!)
Speaking of... you have 3 teeth on the bottom and you're working on the top 2. They are so swollen and I know any day I will see the little edges popping down.
I got you an amber teething necklace since you are cutting multiple teeth at once and it seems to be helping. Before you were very uncomfortable at night and I thought the drool would never stop. Now that you are wearing it you don't fuss as much, though you do still chew on everything... and you're drool is SIGNIFICANTLY less.  I feel much better about it than giving you Tylenol every night.
 Sitting on your own now.. and there's no turning back! You like to see the world and laying down will not do anymore!
Very curious about everything... some of your favorites are paper of any kind, but especially ones that crackle, balls, spoons to beat on the highchair, and books! You are so much like your brother in that, books will stop you from anything and be read to. How I love that time with you too.
Don't know about crawling -as now that you have mastered the art of sitting, you loathe tummy time! 
Still nursing well.. just a bit more distracted these days.
Sleeping good again, but you are getting a little spoiled by rocking and snuggling to sleep... however, I wouldn't change it for anything! You will eventually not need me so I'm getting them in while I still can!

Here are your stats for the month:
weight : 17 lbs 12 oz  (50th %)
height : 27 1/2  (75th %)
head : not sure the measurement, but remembered that its in the 90th %!
hair : still very little, but it's growing and looking more and more red! (Grandma Shelia is thrilled!)
eyes : very hazel.. can't tell if they will be dark brown or stay lighter and greener

We love you so much, Owen Mitchell, and can't imagine our lives without that sweet face!
I enjoy every minute with you!

I see the moon!

6 months ago our family changed forever......
It's so hard to believe that it's already been 6 months into this new family of 4!



These last few months have been full of changes and new things...
Owen has started eating solids... sweet potatoes are his favorite, apples are close in 2nd.
I feel he is going to be my messy boy... He loves to "help" feed himself and is quick to grab the spoon! Most of the time the result is splatter all over everyone!
I have been making his baby food and it has turned out to a be a very economical, gratifying and strangely easy process! I like knowing exactly what he's eating too... no worrying about "other" ingredients.

He has really started talking a lot... many sounds and is more intentional with them. He's a communicator just like the rest of us! I'm still pushing for "ma-ma" to be his first word :)
(Chances are it will be da-da or bub-ba)

For a little guy who has such an on-again off-again relationship with his pacifier, he is loving it right now... He's wanting  to go to sleep with it and it does help soothe those achy teeth... I guess he feels like if he can't have mama...  that's the next best thing!

When he laughs he gets his whole body involved.... He wiggles down deep and shakes his head from side to side... cutest thing ever! He also has started cocking his head to one side and looking at something or someone. At first, I was concerned he may have an ear infection but after a trip to the doc, they said he was just being cute. I've tried to get a picture of this... but he's too quick and unpredictable!

He loves music... surprise, surprise... I know! He loves to make noises with his toys and when there is music you better believe he's moving... even if it's just his little foot turning circles!

Recently a big milestone is that he is rolling both ways and also sitting up with a little support. He is no longer accustomed to lying down... he wants to see things!

There are so many reasons why I LOVE this stage of babyhood.... they are aware of so much, taking every sight and sound in and loving it! We love to be outside now that the weather is more permitting and he LOVES to watch the leaves on the tress, especially when they blow in the wind. I especially love watching him and seeing those eyes big with amazement and awe.

There is so much about this little guy that we love... He's the best little brother in the whole world and the song is so true...

The moon sees somebody Asher sees..
I often think that God above,
sent Owen down for Asher to love.
Picked him out above the rest,
Cause He knew he'd love him best!

So much Joy from such a little guy!

Fun times on South Avenue

I was awake last night with my sweet little boy who wanted a midnight snack. I got to thinking how much fun our house is gonna be with these 2 boys and how fun it would have been to have a sibling close in age.  That got me thinking about my childhood and how many wonderful friends I had and how much fun we would have, especially in the summer.
Here are just random things that I would do that I remember doing, and hopefully some of them read this and remember them too.  Made me chuckle a little at some...

I had a storage shed turned playhouse that we would pretend to be pioneers and dress up. We would make dirt pies and spend HOURS in that shed! It was usually loaded with wasps and hotter than all get out... but we played!!

I remember Nicki and I having Barbie extravaganzas... man we had a LOT of Barbie stuff and what we didn't we would make out of boxes and washcloths. We would set it up and play for a whole week without taking it down!
I remember her cat and her poodle.. one of which was named Tippy but I can't remember which.
We got tired of jumping the fence so her Dad built us a ladder over it. Cant tell you how many times I scratched my wrist up and down on the top of that fence! We had some fun times.

I remember our Bass twin boys that lived next door for a while. We would play Power Rangers and X-men and I was always "included" but totally left out. I imagine that I was a big pain most days when I would want to play, as I am sure they totally didn't want me to a lot of times. They are still near and dear to my heart!

The Popes...  We had so much fun. They had a tire swing that would swing soo high!
We would swim in their cow-tank and I remember making whirlpools.
We would put on plays under a sheet on their laundry line and make our own costumes. We made our parents come and watch. Specifically one about weather... I think.
(This one made me smile since I haven't thought about it in forever..) We would roller skate in her basement! They had a great concrete floor and we would turn on some tunes and skate away!
They had a dog named Charlie and a cat named Crackers.. both were the sweetest things!!

I remember the Durhams and some knock down drag out fights between Lindsey and I over whose feet were bigger! I remember when they moved and they had the sweetest Rottweiler ever, can't remember his name though.  I always remember what a great christian family they were and how babies were always a topic of conversation since her mom was a nurse and she had 2 younger sisters. Their house even smelled like babies.

I know that If I don't write this stuff down it will leave me forever...  It's already foggy and some I don't know if I dreamed or if it was real. But I do know this...
I feel so blessed to have had great friends that I could always call on to play when there was a snow day or summer vacation.

I hope my boys have good friends like I did. The house next to ours is for sale and I am so hoping and praying for a sweet, young family with boys to move in!

4 months

We had family pictures done at the beginning of July and they were so good. Little stinker Owen barely smiled until Lauren put her camera away! We got a good representation of our family though. That's all I wanted. I'm not a pose and click kinda gal... I like candids, even if they involved tongues sticking out of a certain 4 year old and a sober baby. ( Sober being serious... not involving alcohol)

Owen.....
Oh my... this month was so great. I feel that I say this every month. But I love to see you grow and change.. even though that means your growing :(
You are pure JOY rolled into a tiny chubby cheeked package.

You are so curious about your world now and everything goes into your mouth.
You love to roll around from side to side and play with your toes. Cutest thing!!!

Still cackling at your brother and are as ticklish as I have ever seen!!

You LOVE music... which is expected in this family, you have been hearing it as an embryo!
Your favorite songs for Mama to sing are twinkle twinkle and Jesus loves me .

You are napping MUCH better than you have been for a few weeks. I truly think that you were not feeling good that week you didn't want to be laid down, you needed some extra snuggles. 

Saying gooogooooo and talking up a storm. Just like your brother, I have a feeling that you will be talking very early on. (Your brother said 11 words at 9 months old!) Heaven help our dinner table!

You weigh 15 pounds and are 25 1/2 inches long. On the 75th percentile for both
In the next few weeks we will start you on some cereal... ( I think that I jumped the gun on Asher and could have turned him off to certain textures because of it. As with savoring this baby-ness I'm not rushing into it this time!) Though you sure study me when I am eating and Aunt Amy gave you a little suck of her apple and left you wanting more.

My favorite thing about you is your sweet brown eyes... Oh how they melt me!
When you smile your whole face lights up, you shrug your shoulders and you offer it so generously (unless there is a camera involved! :)
I love when you are nursing and stop to smile at me. I like to see that little tongue still hanging on, but all those gums are shining up.

Thank you for being you. You put up with a lot some days!
So glad that the Lord saw fit for us to raise you!
You are so loved!!!

Mindful Mothering

Mindful Mothering Mondays


One of my favorite blogs is Lydia's. She is 29, has 5 children and blesses me EVERY time I read her blog.
What devotion to the Lord this one has!! You know that her love for the Father is great when it bleeds from her words.
She has started a online community about Mindful Mothering Mondays. A day to link up and talk about your joys and struggles as a mother.
I doubt that I will link up each and every week, since this blog is more for me than I think for people to read... but in case you have happened by, read them. It will refresh you and let you know you're not alone!

My Monday played out like this....
Owen fought sleep for EVERY nap.
It was rainy, therefore made us all sleepy and, a hair, crabby.
Asher had to each lunch by himself... :(  Again, because little one didn't want to settle in.
Watched way too much tv



I remember at times when Owen was fussing and not settling down, my temper was getting riled. In that moment, I couldn't help but think about negative things from the day.. how I wish this or that would have happened instead of this plate I was dealt. 
I caught myself and prayed. Prayed for help, for reassurance, for patience. For joy.
Appreciation overwhelmed me
Appreciation for healthy baby boys.
For a home to protect me from the rain
A husband who works hard for me to rock this babe everyday and make brother lunch with octopus hot dogs.
THIS moment I will never get back.
He may be crying and he may be watching too much tv, but they are safe, they are loved.
They won't remember, but I will.
The sweet little kicks out of frustration, the way O wants to find his thumb so badly...
The way A makes castles out of the pillows on the couch and "fast-backwards" a show to watch again and again.
And those things I never want to forget.

I am choosing joy.
And sometimes that takes everything I have but is all that it takes.

4 years

It's incredible how I can look at your hands and how much they have grown and they have no dimples anymore. Every piece of baby-ness is creeping away.
I stumbled upon videos of you when you had silky long hair and how you said "Wadeh" for water. Those days seem like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time.
You are so precious, my firstborn baby.

You are all about Superheros. And Turtleman :)
We pretend all day everyday.
We build "thorts" and caves to play in
I know that you are excited for Owen to be big enough to sleep in your room and be a playmate
You are very proud of being his big brother, and for the most part, you care for him very sweetly.
You are certainly proud that you are the one Owen laughs at the most!

You have a scientific mind like your mama and love to know the names of things and love to look at books on animals... especially snakes! Yuck!
You have really liked that Daddy is learning the guitar and you help him out with the whammy board! :)
You are becoming a Daddy's boy. You watch the door for him to come home and can't wait to wrestle him to the ground
I'm glad... because their is no other earthly man that I would rather you model yourself after than him.

You are going to be starting preschool in the fall and so you are very excited!
I know that you are going to make friends and have a ball, but it just reiterates how much your growing, and so it's bittersweet for this mama.

There are so many qualities that I see in you that make me so very proud. You have compassion for others and creatures, you love your family with all your heart, and simply the best.... is that you have a want for Godly things. You want to "share your heart", as you say, with the world.
You grow me and teach me new things everyday....
You keep me praying to our Lord for the little things as well as the big things.

Those blue eyes slay me still, and I do love you the last number!!!

3 months

Oh my, Owen boy.....
How sweet you are.
Talking and Laughing all the time... especially at your brother!

Your naps have taken a hit this month and are pretty inconsistent, although I think you are getting better.  Needing less to go to sleep than before.

Nursing still like a champ, but giving Grandma's a heck of a time with the bottle!!!

You are probably weighing about 14 lbs, and about 25 inches long.

Very strong boy holding your head very steady and getting those legs kicking all the time!!
You like tummy time for small periods at a time, but you are close to rolling over!

You have begun to find your hands and have gagged yourself sick on a couple occasions

You like your baby massage and mommy singing to you at night ( Mommy likes that time too!)

Overall, you are a very happy little guy who rarely fusses about much. You like to look around and see what's going on. Thats why you like our Moby time!!
I'm so blessed to have you and see you grow each day.... I will continue to kiss your cheeks a hundred million times a day, so I hope you're ok with that!

Staying close

I have been struggling....
I know people told me that having 2 would be hard.
From day to day, it seems ok.
When I'm in the heat of the grind I pay no attention. But then I stop and reflect on the day and what it became.
I feel I got through the day, but rarely do I feel Asher and I have connected and had fun.
This is where I am.
Asher has been a Mama's boy up to this point. Daddy has always been special, and he has always loved to play with him more than me, but recently he CLINGS to Rich.
Tell me this is normal... that this is good for a little boy to do.....
This Mama worries it is because he doesn't think that I love him or that I am willing to care for him like I used to.
I know that this seems a little overdramatic, since I know that he knows I love him.

It may be his age, followed by Owen coming along, but I just feel very disconnected from him.
I will admit that it is hard trying to balance your time between 2 kiddos that need and want your attention.

Since Owen has been born we spend a LOT more time staying home than we used to. I am not a person who likes to go all the time. It wears me out. ESPECIALLY with a 4 and 3 month old.
Owen's naps are very inconsistent right now so I'm never guaranteed a good hour to spend playing with Asher, laundry, dishes.... I simply have to pick which is most important at that moment.
I don't know if this is just only child for 4 years... but it seems like Asher just needs someone to play with him constantly. I don't remember having this much trouble getting him to play when it was just the 2 of us. Now that we have some competition in the mix... he's very needy and very much seeking attention however he can get it.  We reassure him all the time how important he is in the family and what his job is as an older brother.
I just feel like I don't enjoy him right now.
I feel all I do is get on to him for this or for that because he's roaming around the house with nothing to do. And THAT is when he gets in trouble the MOST.
 
So.... this transition period has been pretty rough on everyone.

Calling all Homeschoolers!!!!

Ok... Is there something that requires every mother of a 4 year old to immediately worry about your child's education?
The time has come for us to start thinking about school....
My heart is very conflicted.
I feel very inadequate, very undisciplined, and scared to entertain the idea of home school with Asher.
I mean, these days I barely get enough time to brush my own teeth let alone play with Asher.
But there is something within my heart that keeps pulling me to do so.
It's not that I don't have experience.. I took a few teaching courses in college, as well as, teaching preschool for 3 years before Asher was born.
I feel like I could... but 
Would it benefit enough? Would Asher listen to me?
The more I roll it in my head the more things come that point to "try".

So.... I am committing to at least 30 minutes a day of "school time" to at least work on skills that he will need for Kindergarten anywhere.
He needs the practice of sitting and focusing on a task for longer than half a second.
I need to get a little more structure at home and I think that I will really see an improved behavior on Asher's behalf. I know he has watched entirely too much tv and been left to his own devices too much since Owen was born. Not that that kind of thing is bad, but Asher seems to long for predictability. When he doesn't feel in "control" of situations or when there are mixed signals he freaks. Hmmm...... a little Daddy? 

I think that we will take a route of a theme each week and incorporate learning math, spelling, art and science about that theme.
Asher is a "hands on" kinda kid and so we will HAVE to have some activities that make him get up and going once in a while to keep his interest.

So.... I need advice. LOTS of advice.

GO.............

Working my way back to the kitchen...

It's been quite a while since I have posted about our meal planning and recipes. Partly because we are just now getting out of "survival with a newborn" mode and am able to do a little more in the kitchen than look up a take out number!
Here and there we have tried some new Pinterest recipes and while I try to rate them on my board, sometimes I lose track.
Here's what we have been eating recently.....
I don't know about anyone else, but heavy and hot cooking in the summer (we already have 90 degrees here) doesn't sound great.  So we have opted for more simple meals that are still yummy but have more fresh ingredients and lots of grilling!!! My hubs is the bomb at grilling!!!!

 Crispy Chicken Taquitos: These puppies are super simple and I think I made about 30 of them!! I went on a rampage and made a bunch to pull out for this or for that after O was born. You can use shredded fresh chicken breast or you could also opt for the canned stuff. You probably couldn't tell the difference anyways! I would have added some beans to them to give them some added bulk and veggie serving.  I topped mine with sour cream or guacamole!

Grilled Chicken Caesar Sammies : This I didn't follow anything about except our sammie was made from grilled chicken and I topped mine with Caesar dressing... Pretty much got some Italian bread... had Rich toast it on the grill along with the chicken. We had Gouda cheese (my favorite) and topped with whatever you wanted.  While I didn't follow it this time, this sandwich is a must try. I love all things Caesar! Also... Rich said that the bread was too much, but I love all things rustic and toasty and it seeps up the juices from the chicken and sauce perfect.

Bacon Pear Pannini : First off... I don't know if that's how you spell Pannini... Panini... they are both showing wrong spelling! Anyways.... this is one of our favorite meals. It's super easy and so good for anytime, paired with soup in the winter or watermelon in the summer. Red Pears, Turkey bacon, cheese and bread. My only variation on this sandwich is pretty much cheese.  Why mess with a good thing... and lo and behold... gouda it is for me. Here's why I love Gouda..... it'smoky like a cheddar, but tangy like swiss. It's perfectly both hard and soft and melts well in this sandwich.  As many sandwiches as we eat I need to invest in swinging by Panera a little more often for REALLY good bread. The loaf stuff you buy at the store bakery just doesn't cut it for me.  I would love to get their tomato bread that has crystalized brown sugar on the outside! It's amazing!

Alongside these things, we have had lots of grilling foods like Brauts and Burgers! Rich is so funny because he's really working to fine tune his skills.  He's made some rockin burgers these past few weeks.
I have some recipes to share next week as well. Hope everyone has an awesome Memorial Day! We will be spending ours with family and the swimming pool!!

2 Months!

Owen.... sweet chilli puddin pooh!
You are just that.... round and rollie and oh so chill. You hardly ever cry and you take such a beating from an older brother who loves to "pet" you 24/7!!!!
You weigh 13.5 lbs and are 24 inches long, and so far, you're predicted to be taller than your Daddy.
Your eyes haven't changed a whole lot, they are still pretty dark ,with some brown spots in them.
You have the absolute sweetest smile that makes your whole face light up!
You are still sleeping great and nursing like a champ.
Grandmas are getting frustrated because you don't take a bottle very well! ( you just like your mama too much... same as your brother:)
Your tongue goes a mile a minute and you coo and ahh all the time!
No doubts that you will probably talk early like your brother did.
My favorite time is when you first wake up from your nap and I free you from your swaddle, and you S---T--R--E--T--C--H  and then, inevitably ,smile big.
You have the most precious cheeks that are so sweet and no one can keep from kissing them all day!
I love when you are nursing and you look up at me and just stare at me.... studying all the features of my face.

You are so special to us and we have been so blessed by you and your sweet personality. 
Keep on growing and glowing little O!!

A Summer List

So, I stole this idea from another blog I read...Summer List
And as I think that this will be the summer before my big kid starts preschool and I have another little guy that is gonna keep me busy I need to be reminded to do things... fun things!
We did this last year and it was pretty successful, other than a few things that were a little too overzealous for a 3 year old. This year I'm making it where we can do everything that's on the list! Even if I only do one thing a week I can at least have 20 weeks worth of fun activities!

Summer List 2012!!!

zoo   FISHING    bubbles   PICNIC      BERRY PICKING ( Ok that may be more for me :)


SIDEWALK CHALK     backyard camp out    STAR GAZE    watermelon seed spit     

                            POPSICLES                     pool               smores


     throwing rocks in creek w/ papa hoot       BLANKET TENT       sprinkler     


LIGHTNING BUG CATCHING       dance party on the patio      PICK FLOWERS     


         mud paint       TIRE SWING       fireworks          WEENIE ROAST        bikes         
                            
                                   BAKE  COOKIES                  bowling


 LIVING ROOM THEATER        badminton       STORY TIME    obstacle course 


GAME NIGHT      dollar movie     COOKOUT WITH FRIENDS     nature center  


 MAKE ICE  CREAM       fly kites     PLAYGROUND       paint         WATER TABLE     

                                                       sleepover with cousins       

Mothers Day

Every Mother will tell you... as the day approaches they wonder. Will I feel loved and appreciated this year? Will there be flowers or cards or massages ( yes, please!)?  Will they even remember?

My Mother's Day started on Saturday because my sweet husband technically works on Sunday and so any holidays honored on a Sunday he doesn't get to be a part of.  So... the plotting began as he and Asher snuck into Asher's room and whispers came. Then they emerged and Asher's smile was so sneaky and precious! He lead me to the couch where I, traditionally so, closed my eyes and held out my hands. Placed before me was a card which was quickly snatched away by an excited almost 4 year old, who wanted to open it for me.  The words are short and sweet followed by messy letters scattered throughout the page and a left handed attempt at a baby's name by Daddy. 
Another card follows with sweet words that say how hard this time in our life is, raising young kids, but when we are further down in this journey we will look back with such love and fondness.

Actual Mother's Day was a pretty typical Sunday... feeding a baby during the sermon, much crying all the way home by 2 sleepy and/or hungry boys. Lunch of leftovers.
Rich had plans... napping plans...:)
Asher has been having some really bad sleep going on, so when usually he protests, he was game.
Owen and I slept in the rocking chair and Rich and Asher slept in our bed.
It was refreshing.
Rich also gave me pick of anything I wanted to eat for dinner, and imagine the shock and awe when I said, Mexican!
El Puente it was and it was sooooo YUMMY! By far, my favorite Mexican place! I think I could eat it every day.
Many times I got a hug at the knees and a "Happy Mother's Day" from my oldest.
Lots of smiles and snuggles from my youngest.

Throughout the day I thought about expectations that some mothers have for their day of appreciation. And I thought mine was pretty special.  But even if it wasn't... we mother anyways. There are still cheeks to be kissed, dinners to be made, bottoms to be wiped.  We do these things not to be appreciated, but because we are mothers. 
I am very thankful for my family and it is a PRIVILEGE to be a Mama to my boys. A task that asks so much of me, but I willfully do it and feel it is my Godly calling to do so. I am grateful they are as forgiving as they are.. and despite my many shortcomings as a mother, they are still excited to celebrate me for a day.

March 14th, 2012

The day we met our sweet Owen.
I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty scared going in. My first C-section was a very tough recovery for me, as I had allergic reactions to my pain medicine and it really didn't do the trick on the pain either.
The night before as I lay in bed with Asher the fear of another baby and if we were really messing up his life were overwhelming. He would have to go without all of Mom and Dad's attention and we wouldn't have the same time we did before.
After many tears and Rich and I talking it over we knew that God blessed us, including Asher with Owen and that they will need each other someday.
I honestly can say I got some good sleep that night.
We had planned to get to the hospital about 10 sine they had planned the surgery for noon, but my OB called at 11 that night to tell us she wanted to do it sooner and to be there at 9 and the surgery would be at 11am.
Quick call to the family and all the changed plans are in place.

7am
We woke up and got ready. I even curled my hair and did my makeup.. which was probably the last time for quite a while!!
Arrived at the hospital and all the grandparents were waiting there already. Already making the nurses laugh! Papa John ( Rich's Gpa) had been having some knee trouble and instead of making him walk all over the hospital they wheeled him in a wheelchair. As they were wheeling him up to L/D he says to the lady at the window that his water broke! I guess it put everyone in a good mood and with all the excitement and laughter it put me at ease as well.
I get checked in and the time flies by! They are really ready to get me in there and outta there, because it seemed like they had me prepped in 30 minutes!
I had really poor veins for in IV and with Asher they stuck me 7 times before they finally got a good one. 
This time it took 1!! I was so thankful. But it actually didn't hurt at all.
I was ready to go in at 10:45 and so they got my anesthesia on board and we were rockin!
It was more nerve-wracking this time since I was very aware and shaking quite a bit, so all that fed my anxiety. I was so excited to hear his cry and see his sweet face and count his fingers and toes.
Rich came in and sat beside me and held my hand and tried to keep me talking, but Owen was out in no time.
11:03 we heard his first cry and it was the sweetest thing.
Rich said he looked just like Asher and that he had a little birthmark.
I think everyone there was awaiting to hear how much he weighed... 9lbs 5oz and 22 inches long. BIG BOY!
Although not as big as we thought...
Recovery was great... I loved holding him and studying his every inch and when I was holding him I wasn't shaking. My family came in and everyone had a chance to snuggle him.
Time in the hospital was great. I was not in NEAR as much pain as the first go round and was up and walking that night. All my nurses were awesome and praised how great I was doing and how sweet Owen was.
I will never forget when Asher first saw his brother... It was the sweetest look in his eyes. Pure love. He got to hold him and love on him and everyone made over him being the big brother. In fact, my mom took him down the cafeteria for dinner and he showed everyone his big brother button and he said  he was going to tell everyone that his brother was "born-ed" .
Later, as Owen was getting a little fussy, Asher leaned over to whoever was holding him and started to sing "twinkle twinkle" and was telling him he was ok and he loved him. Tears were in everyone's eyes on that one!
While I did enjoy the time in the hospital, I was anxious to get home to Asher and I know Asher was anxious to be home with all of us.

It has been a time for adjustment and patience for sure. On all fronts. Balancing time with Owen and Asher is trying, and some days I succeed and some I don't.
Forget about the gourmet meals that I was making 3 times a week, forget about laundry and dishes done. But that's ok, my main concern is my boys and the rest will still be there tomorrow!

My foot is going 90 to nothin....

Here we are.... 5 days out.
I think that Owen is just as cozy in there as ever.....
I can't help but sit here and think and stew over what's going to come this next week.
I honestly think that the waiting is the WORST!
I have time to mull over and double check everything about my plans and this and that until it keeps me up at night and drives me crazy!
My bag is packed and has been for a good week, in hopes that he would come on his own... :/
Owen's bag is packed and has been for 3 weeks!
I still need to get things together for Asher and put together an activity backpack for when he's at the hospital. I know that he won't be there very long at a time but even just an hour and he will need something to keep him busy. A few snacks as well as a drawing book and his Leapster to keep him occupied.

Truth be told I am pretty anxious...
You would think after having gone through this once already, my fears would subside. In a way I know what to expect but the memories are so blurry that I can only sort of remember how it went.  That leaves room for imagination.... not good.

I remember watching episodes of a baby story (why didn't someone warn me not to?) when I was home before my c-section and shaking and crying in fear. My poor friend, Becky called to see how I was and I totally spilled it all out to her. She had gone through 2 of them herself, as well as, being a nurse and said that it was all normal and it will all be ok.
It's like I have to have my freak out time and then I'm able to put on my big girl panties and do it.
I was actually pretty calm at the hospital and until right before they took me in I was barely nervous! I hope I can tune into that again!!

Let's hope that I can go this weekend and 2 days of next week without freaking out!
I have planned to clean major house tomorrow and bake up a few things to freeze for the week.
Of course, Sunday is a wash... other than just spending good time at home.
Monday is for checking of last minute things and double quadruple check everything, and family movie night.
Tuesday is Moompah Day! We are letting Asher pick whatever he wants to do and that's what we will do. ( I'm thinking that Bass Pro and Toys R us will be somewhere in there...)
Wednesday is the big day!

Hopefully keeping up with Asher and crossing off things on my to do list will keep my mind focused.

Probably won't blog until the O man arrives, so pray for me and the family and we'll see you soon with pics of the newest Langston!!

The day is named...

So after, what seems like the shortest pregnancy and the longest 9th month, (as all pregnancies go) Owen's birthday has been named. At least as a possibility....
Trust me, I am NOT ever going to object to him coming sooner, but I just have a feeling he really likes it in there.
March 14th.. sometime around 1pm we will see his face.  I'm not sure how much he will weigh, how long he will be, but I know he will be just prefect.
I am so anxious to see what he looks like... if we will really throw people and have another blonde -haired, blue-eyed boy or if he will be dark complected like us.
We are just so excited and scared we can't stand it!!


We had a very funny thing happen this past week....
It was evening time and Rich had just come home from work. We were talking, like we usually do in the kitchen and Asher was off playing in his room. Rich mentions to me how dusty the floor was, and I agreed, actually only moments before noticing some dust bunnies while Asher and I were rolling cars to each other on it.  He starts to walk back to the hall and I follow only to stop at the beginning to smell an abundance of baby powder. Rich walks back to Owen's room to find Asher covered in white. Along with the rest of the room.
We were flabbergasted.  It surpassed the response of anger to "I don't even know how to react" that just made us send Asher to his room, laugh a little and get busy cleaning the dust storm of powder.
Now some may say that Asher was showing some jealousy and that he did it on purpose, but I would disagree.  I think he just thought it would be fun!  I have used it on his bottom a couple times when I notice his bottom chaffing a little and he has always thought it was the coolest thing because it looked like smoke.
I was just the dumb mom who put it somewhere he can reach :/
I'm guessing he saw it and puffed it and kept on until the bottle was empty.
He honestly didn't know he was in trouble until we told him he was.

That night we had a lot of talks about consequences and how they are in response to things that we do or don't do. His consequence for the baby powder was no tv or play time after dinner. It was straight to bath and bed.  Of course, he thought it was the worst punishment ever and that he would never play again, but that is the mind of a 3 year old.. everything is the end of it all!
I almost always lay down beside him and talk for a few minutes before he goes to sleep and so we got to talk about God and how he gives consequences to us as well and how thankful I was for Jesus because of the forgiveness he gives for our sins. 
I honestly thought that it would take him a while to go to sleep because it was a little earlier bedtime for him than usual, without the play and books and such we usually do before bed, but he was OUT in a matter of moments.
I lay there and kissed his sweet cheeks and cried.
Cried for the time when he is my only baby...
I really can't believe that he is almost 4, and we are soon to have another baby in the house.
The only baby I have loved has been him, so the thought that anything can compare is just ridiculous sometimes.
I know that it's gonna be wonderful and we are giving him his best friend for life, but it is all so surreal.
I fear the transition of responsibilities... I fear the lack of sleep... I fear the pain from the recovery....  I fear that Asher will suffer... -- and I know that some of these I can help and prepare for and some I can't. I have to rely on the strength of my Lord.
I am hoping to be a little more relaxed, but consistent, with Owen. I really enjoy the time Rich and I spend together at night and I don't want to make the same mistake we made with Asher.
I think we were both scared beyond the universe and got into some bad sleeping habits early on.  It's funny how having a child can really bring out your control freak disposition and knock it all out of whack!! Learning to let go the hard way may be the only way sometimes.
Most of my days are filled with changing emotions from readiness to completely scared.  I imagine that will continue until he's here and all will be right with the world.
I do promise a few things to my boys:

They will always know that their Mama and Daddy love them more than words can describe
They will always know that Jesus loves them even more than that
They will always get a kiss and hug no matter if they want it or not
I will always encourage them to be true to the man that God has made them to be
I will always try to listen with an open mind when they have problems or need someone to talk to
I will mess up, I will always say I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness when I do

I did have some hope....
Our dear and most precious friends trusted us with their DARLING little girl Palmer last night while they took a much needed date night.  Earlier we picked out toys for her to play with and made a pallet on the floor for her to play on.
Asher has a tendency to be a little overzealous when it comes to things he loves... "Palmer Puddin" being one of those things! But he did exceptional! He eats up her smiles like they are crack and does anything and everything to get more!!!
He read a few baby books to her and wanted nothing more than for her to spend the night and sleep in his bed with him. He was so sweet with her.
So, I got a little look into what life with 2 could be, and it's actually pretty sweet!

Meal Planning for a short week and Valentines

This week was a little different than most... Rich and I took a little "babymoon" trip to Big Cedar for a couple days. We had nothing planned other than eating and relaxing! We, for the most part, accomplished this as I forgot how a new bed can be challenging for sleep. Especially for a pregnant lady who doesn't even get comfy in her own bed easily!  We liked being only responsible for us and being lazy!
So I had 2 less days to plan for this week.  We got back home on Valentine's Day and so I wanted to make an extra special meal for my boys complete with a yummy dessert.

Fettuchini Alfredo with bacon
Because we were out of town that morning I wanted something easy and yet still somewhat fancy that I know Rich and Asher would like. This is a very easy recipe, but the sauce was not enough for me... I wanted a little more creamy and garlicky flavor than it had. Also I forgot to add oil to my pasta water and some of my noodles stuck together and didn't cook evenly. I also added some chopped grape tomatoes and a little more Parmesan cheese at the end.  Also I almost always replace real bacon with turkey bacon and I'm not sure if I would have this time... the grease that the real bacon would have given would maybe have helped the sauce a little.  But, it's a good go to meal and fairly easy! Will make again with modifications!

Fudge cupcakes
This picture and link are deceiving.... I didn't make these incredibly sinful looking brownie batter cupcakes. I needed convenience and this simply looked to be too many steps for the time I had to devote to dessert. BUT... I did want to try this frosting. I mean look at it... it just almost make you want to lick the screen!! I used a box of chocolate cake mix for the cupcakes and then topped with this frosting.  Forewarning: this is the most fattening frosting I can think of... as it calls for 5 STICKS OF BUTTER. Ok, Paula Dean... no thanks!  Nor did I need enough for 36 cupcakes. So, I just used half the recipe and it was more than enough.  It was however very yummy and fudgy! I had to refrigerate mine as the frosting was finished before my cakes were and it was fine. In fact, I felt like it was easier to spread that way.  And it was approved by all! Make Again but not very often!!

BBQ Chicken stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This was the hit of the week!! It was WAY more time consuming than I had imagined and almost made us late for church, but  SO worth it! It also it a pretty healthy dish that really has awesome flavor! It is very self explanatory... only thing I didn't add was the fresh cilantro on top. Also another recipe I might try with real bacon instead of turkey, but either way it was Goo-ood.  Asher ate the heck out of this!!! Yes! One entree I don't have to beg for him to eat! I did have to watch not to over pepper his though. I also added a little cinnamon to the mash mix, just for kicks! Definitely Make again!!!

This next week we are gonna have some asian inspired things as well as a couple old favorites!
Happy Meal Planning!

Meal Planning... week 4

I am sold out for this meal planning!
I actually really enjoy it a lot and it scratches the organizing/creating itch that I have.
Here are a few new recipes that we have had lately. Most of them were " Make it Agains".

Apple Chops w/ Mashed Potatoes
This was a HIT! Very simple to prepare and very economical. We typically don't eat a lot of pork.. even usually get turkey bacon instead of real, but we will make this more often.  It was very moist and had great flavor paired with the garlic mashed potatoes was yumms. I did mess up and used my mixer to fluff the potatoes while still in their teflon pot.. so what I thought was ranch spices was actually little pieces of teflon that scratched out of the pot.  Hopefully we didn't get too much. Asher, luckily, only ate a couple bites.  That pot was my last non-stick one so we won't have to worry about that again.  I'm still not expert people! Definitely make again!!

Taco Pasta
This was a tricky one. I was not sure how Rich or Asher would like this. It sounded good to me and would be fairly cheap to make, so I jumped in.  ( Before I started this, I told them both they had to be food adventurers on some things and we would learn together what worked and what didn't)  Rich and I both liked it, but Rich has issues with ground meat paired with any kind of pasta, so there was still that initial resistance, but he ate it. Not really sure how I can conform it to make it more palatable for him... maybe shredded chicken? Asher is heading in the stage of life where things that look all mixed together are yucky. I went through that too... I tore all the toppings off my pizza for a while.  So, he just has to try it and there are usually plenty of other healthy things on his plate to satisfy me and him. Funny how this boy will woof down all the fruits and vegetables first and usually need a little coaxing to eat the main dish!  Make again, with modifications!

Chicken Ranch Fajitas
We LOVE fajitas at our house! It's so simple to make and never disappoints. This one was pretty much exactly what I serve with chicken fajitas, but only added ranch dressing mix in addition to some taco seasoning. This is a good meal for kiddos too because you can either make them a fajita or just put everything on their plate separate and let them decide. Very fresh and good leftovers. This link also has some other really good recipes as well from BHG. Definitely Make Again!

Smoky BBQ Chicken Salad
This was a funny one too. I planned it thinking it would be a Entree, but in reality it seems more of a side dish. Rich is not a mayo fan... this calls for mayo. I added a little and then added some cream cheese with it. I think I added too much BBQ sauce to mask the mayo flavor and so that really made it too much.  Again... it's a mixture of stuff so Asher picked out all the chicken and tomatoes.  Rich ate it, but I don't think that he was much a fan.  This would be great as a cold salad to take to a BBQ and make it as it says. I love all the fresh ingredients and it was very easy to make.  Probably not make again... at least as a main dish!

How Bout some Sweets!!!!!????

Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have to laugh. I have never really been a good cookie baker.. I have had 3 ovens in my lifetime and they have all cooked things differently. As well as, until recently, I have not had a really good, even baking, cookie sheet.  This recipe sounded so good and I needed to use up the rest of the bag of pretzels from Christmas dipping. I had everything I needed. I mixed them up using a technique from here. I didn't think about the added salt and surface area the pretzels would take up, so they didn't flatten out very much and were super crunchy. Another cookie fail. Will make this again! Game face on!!!

I have big plans for some yumminess next week as well as a Valentine dessert using this frosting... possibly strawberry cake on bottom.
Off to pin some more cookies....

34 Weeks

I'm so sorry that I have not been around here lately... I have been doing a lot of reading, just not in the mood to blog.
I have said this before and I will say it again... this pregnancy has flown by!
It has definitely not been as enjoyable of a pregnancy as the first... I think due, in part, that I still need the energy to take care of another child and the lack of pep and limitations physically are really in the way!
Although I am just, if not more, excited for this little dude to join us!! Since I somewhat know what to expect, I'm just ready to get it done! The fears are not NEAR what they were and more happiness and readiness have taken it's place.
I have been getting comments for about 2 months now about how much I look like I'm about to give birth. Especially now that he has dropped a bit and my stomach sticks straight out now.
Sometimes I just want to tell people how much I know how big I look and I definitely FEEL how big I am, and by the way, thanks for commenting on it! Har har....
I vow to NEVER step foot in Braums in Nixa again until after this child is born . The cashier there  always bugs her eyes out at my belly and makes a huge deal over how much it pops out.  Even though I know she means well... it's still really embarrassing and makes me completely self conscious when there are people standing behind me.
Overall, I feel tired. Sleep is a chore and my body is weary come the end of the day.
He's heavy. It feels as there is a rope tied around my waist and someone is constantly pulling it to the floor. 
A few contractions here and there from a UTI and dehydration. Things are starting to change into labor mode. And as all mama's would contest, this is the time when you are done!

The nursery is mostly put together.. just has empty walls. I'll get to it... he is a 2nd child after all. :)
I have been pretty good with my time management... we went through all the baby clothes and washed and put them away as we moved in to the new house. I thought I should take advantage of the energy I had as well as having all the clothes out of the attic.  Owen's bag is all ready for the hospital, mine... well, it will be soon.

To add to my excitement... I have a new nephew! His name is Kenson James Gaisford and he is such a sweetie! He really resembles Asher in both the way he looks and his character. Loves to be snuggled, loves to eat, and is pretty alert.
He has wonderful parents who have settled right in to this parenting thing and are doing awesome taking things slow and allowing time to get to know each other.
So... we are plugging right along. 
About 4 more weeks now..... give or take. :)

Meal Planning...

So, in order for us to keep from eating out a lot (which we really didn't do that much) as well as take away confusion over what to make for dinner, I have started putting together a weekly meal planning schedule. 
I love Pinterest and I think that my favorite part is the recipes I find on there. I have found some awesomely sinful and healthy things to cook.
A few things that I have tried and what worked / didn't work are:

 Coconut Chicken : Just made this last night... Rich loved it, Asher was ok with it, and I thought it was very good. I would have liked to have more of a coconut flavor and it may have been the oil I used. They said to use veggie and I used canola. It also stunk up my whole house. We paired it with mixed Asian veggies and steamed jasmine rice. Definitely will make again.

Creamy Chicken Lasagna :  This one I actually made for the first time when we had company over... Luckily, it was pretty good. I thought it to be a little too dry, since you don't have the usual red/ cheese sauce seeping from it, you should probably make more of the cream cheese sauce than they call for. Really load it down! Also, I used the no bake noodles and should not have. That was probably another reason that it was dry. Get the plain old lasagna noodles and cook them first.  Rich is a little picky when it comes to much of anything, but especially Italian food, so while I will make this again... it will not be too often.

Zucchini Fries
This one was tricksy.... I know Asher will pretty much eat anything except eggs, oatmeal and mashed potatoes... but I was really unsure if Rich would even try these. He doesn't often venture into the unusual vegetables, even though Asher and I love them. But I figured since they are breaded and baked he might. Here's where it went a little wrong. I thought I had purchased plain panko bread crumbs, when in fact I bought lemon-pepper flavored. I used them anyways, and while they weren't bad, per say, they were a bit too tangy and lemony.  Even for me. The ranch that I served them with did take the lemon down a notch, but next time we'll go for the original recipe served with the onion dip.  Definitely make this again!

Spinach, Gnocchi, and Sausage soup  

This one was a huge hit!! I made this right when Asher was down with the bug, so he actually fell asleep on the couch while I was setting the dinner table. About 2 hours later he woke up to eat a banana and milk and then went back to bed... so I can't judge on the kid front, but he does love gnocchi and sausage. Rich loves this soup and said it was even better the 2nd day. It says a lot about a meal for him to want to have it as leftovers. It was a super easy meal to make. I improvised with the veggies and had a leftover zucchini, and onion.  I also added some diced tomatoes. I chopped all the veggies and sauteed them together followed by the turkey sausage, which I bought at the store and just cut into pieces. Then I poured the chicken stock and cream in

and let it simmer for just a few minutes before adding the gnocchi. I also added a little parmesan  cheese. I did something you probably don't want to do though.... leave your lid off when you are cooking the gnocchi.. while it does make it cook a little faster, it boils the cream and cheese so your left with little cheese/cream curdles floating around. While it still tasted awesome, the texture was not ideal. Definitely will make this again!

Meal Planning has always been a part of my shopping, but I was always not in the mood to make what I had to come up with that night, and this just takes the guess work out of all that.
I do weekly meals because I price match at the stores and that helps me figure out what I can use things for.
I have been using THIS weekly meal planning sheet and just fill in the dates.
I usually have big meals to cook twice a week so that way we can have leftovers at least twice.
I keep working days light and fairly quick, so I'm not stressing about time and ,afterall, I am pregnant so pretty tired come evening.
I also plan in my breakfast, lunch, fruits and vegetables. Just cause I'm a little control freak like that.
Now... just because this is really working and hanging on our fridge doesn't mean that I
have stuck by it to a "T". Like I mentioned earlier.. we have had a sick household for about 2 weeks now. First Asher, and then me.  While we still ate what was on the sheet, eventually... I moved around a few meals for convenience. It's hard to make a big meal when your baby can't eat it and feels crummy.  We always have some frozen pizzas in the freezer for those nights too.
I actually enjoy it a lot and feel that even though I don't monetarily contribute a lot to the home, I can certainly save us some money and time on meals.
I'm hooked.

30 weeks...

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by! I remember feeling pregnant forever when I was with Asher. Maybe it's because I have a few more distractions this time around.
Other than sleeping, I am feeling pretty great. It's a task to find a comfortable position... even with pillows surrounding every corner of this body. When I do fall asleep, I'm usually up within a couple hours to go use the bathroom anyway. I know... my body is prepping me for lack of sleep again.
That is one thing about new motherhood that just about kills me. I need sleep. I turn into this emotional, zombiefied, crankmonster that can hardly function. So, I have been praying that little Owen needs his sleep too, more so than his older brother.
I am very excited to see his little personality and what he will look like. Asher does not resemble Rich or I, so this will be interesting to see if Owen will. I imagine him to have dark hair, for some reason. Will he love cars as much as Asher, or will he be more of the artistic one who likes to draw? Only God knows, but whatever his likes or interests I know they have been placed in him to do something great for God's glory.
I do ask for a prayer request... Rich's cousin had their 4th little boy last night and he is in the NICU for possible brain damage. His umbilical cord somehow was compressed, slowing blow flow and after being born he has had a few seizures. They are cooling his brain and after 72 hours of this they will do some more tests and reassess.
It makes you realize how precious life is and who is truly in control.

A Funny Date night

I realize that the majority of my posts are child related, and while it is a huge part of my life... it's not all of my life. So I want to share about a special date night that Rich and I had that will go down in the books!
First of all, let me preface this by saying that we have 2 Grandmas that make it possible to for us to be able to have some time to ourselves... we are not very good at maintaining a good connection with the normal routine of life.
Since we have been busy, pregnant, and moving.. we have really lacked in the relationship field. Don't get me wrong, we love each other despite everything, but some days felt like we wanted to be as far from each other as humanly possible.
We needed a date night that didn't involve shopping for Christmas Presents or working instead as all of ours did the month of December.

Here is what we do normally on dates.... eat somewhere, shop a little around here or there, see a movie ( lately there has not been anything we have wanted to spend 20+ bucks to see... we have become movie snobs).

We wanted to try someplace new that we had made mental notes of, but couldn't remember any of them that we have mentioned before.
I occasionally read 417 magazine and always love to read their reviews of restaurants so I thought of one that I had seen a lot in there.
Rich was craving wraps, soups, sandwiches and so I recommended The Gallery Bistro downtown. I love to go downtown to eat; for the experience as well as they have such good food options there.
So we started on our way and I read a few reviews on the internet. Everyone said that it was great casual dining and the only thing that I could find wrong was that the drinks were overpriced. Since we don't drink I didn't think much about it.
We get there and while walking from where we parked we saw that Millie's was just down the way. We had only eaten there once and loved it so we contemplated going there instead, but decided to stick with The Gallery.
This was all on a Thursday night so most places were actually pretty empty... we were seated right away and given the menus. We order our drinks which was water for both of us, and open our menus.
"Shock and Awe" was what you could describe the looks on our faces! Apparently it was not just the drinks that were overpriced! Other than appetizers, not a single thing was under 15 dollars!
We have a running budget for our dates that mostly revolves around $40 with dinner and tip. We knew right away that this was not in our budget and we needed to find another place.
So, Rich pulls out his cell phone like someone calls and then tells me that we have to go. We walk over to the host and let him know that something just came up and we had to leave, but we'd be back to try it another time.
So, there you go.... we totally bailed!
We walked around the corner and ate at Millie's... which turned out to be the best thing ever! Rich found a sweet potato soup that he is in LOVE with. AND... we had enough money left over to pass by the Cup and get me a cupcake for dessert later. :)

A date that we will never forget!