I was going to just post this on Facebook...but, then I realized I wrote something about Lydia yesterday on Facebook and it occurred to me that I may have begun to sound like those mothers who have nothing else to talk about other than what their child did that day...so, in order to save some shred of dignity, I am going to post it here where only about 2 people will notice that I have nothing else to talk about!
Lydia is coming INTO HER OWN!!! WOW!! A few little funnies about the Little Miss...
At present, she is in her crib, NOT SLEEPING, and shouting "MINE" at her dollies and her Bunny. Evidently they are taking things from her, they have something she wants, they are making faces at her or talking back - all of which are reasons for yelling "MINE" in Isaac's direction!
She already has the very appropriate nickname "Lydzilla" for very obvious reasons. She is a one-woman-demolition-derby. Her new, very appropriate nickname is "Typhoid Mary". Her baby sister, Susanna (who, YES, I know, I haven't said a word about yet! Give me a little grace people! All my brain cells are focused on lactating at present...it's a miracle anything is getting typed today!) and her have been trading sicknesses. Poor things. They are both pretty miserable. But, Susanna will be just on the upswing and in walks Typhoid Mary with a face full of green snotties running down her face, into her mouth, on her hands, and before you can cut her off at the pass she runs up to her poor unsuspecting baby sister and plants one right on her face. Yep...3 hours later, Susanna is stuffed up again and blowing her own teeny weeny person snooties all over the place.
So....that's all for today!
OH...one more thing...Isaac was just registered for Kindergarten today! AAAACK! When did that happen? How did that happen? How has my sweet little boy gotten so grown up!?!?! His thoughts as I was filling out paperwork..."Mom, I think I'm a little nervous about Kindergarten....it might take a long time for the kids to know that I'm cool."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Two Years Ago Today
Two years ago today...November 29, 2007...we were officially logged into China's adoption system and put on their Wait List to adopt a baby girl. 2 years ago! We actually started the process almost three years ago when you figure in the decision to go forward with adoption again (this time international), meetings, appointments, paperwork, SLLLLOOOOOWWWWW mail systems all over our country and across the world, and the time it took to actually get logged into China's system.
We are still waiting for you little one! You have had a name (that we've never shared with anyone) for almost three years and you aren't even born yet! We thought that you would be our second and probably last child and by God's infinite and extravagently breathtaking mercy He has blessed us with two miracles since we started waiting for you - Lydia and Baby Girl due in just a couple weeks.
We anticipate that we will be on the wait list for at least another 12-18 months...but, who knows...nothing is constant or predictable...so....
We are still waiting for YOU, Little One in China. When will you be born? Have you already been concieved?...probably... When will we see your beautiful face for the first time and read all about you? When will we travel to get you? What will it feel like to hold you in my arms and hear your voice and smell your skin and kiss your face all for the first time? How old will your brother and sisters be when it is time for YOU to join YOUR family?
We have been praying for your birthmother (and father) as well. We can only imagine the full circumstances that will have alligned against her to force her to give you up. As she probably knows she is pregnant she is probably thrilled to feel you move and know you are alive and growing...and grieved in a way that can never be described in words at the knowledge that she must tear herself away from you with only her hopes and prayers for your future. She is loved by us as well and will be part of our prayers for the rest of our lives.
But, in ways we cannot comprehend nor trace out...
God planned US as a family before the beginning of time! He "matched" us before the creation of the Universe. So...for now...we are still waiting for you Little One in China.
We love you. We have loved you for years. You are OURS in all the ways that are important - you are ours in our prayers, our hearts, our dreams, our plans for the future, the way we picture our completed family...YOU are OURS and WE are YOUR MAMA and DADDY!
Sweet girl.
We are still waiting for you little one! You have had a name (that we've never shared with anyone) for almost three years and you aren't even born yet! We thought that you would be our second and probably last child and by God's infinite and extravagently breathtaking mercy He has blessed us with two miracles since we started waiting for you - Lydia and Baby Girl due in just a couple weeks.
We anticipate that we will be on the wait list for at least another 12-18 months...but, who knows...nothing is constant or predictable...so....
We are still waiting for YOU, Little One in China. When will you be born? Have you already been concieved?...probably... When will we see your beautiful face for the first time and read all about you? When will we travel to get you? What will it feel like to hold you in my arms and hear your voice and smell your skin and kiss your face all for the first time? How old will your brother and sisters be when it is time for YOU to join YOUR family?
We have been praying for your birthmother (and father) as well. We can only imagine the full circumstances that will have alligned against her to force her to give you up. As she probably knows she is pregnant she is probably thrilled to feel you move and know you are alive and growing...and grieved in a way that can never be described in words at the knowledge that she must tear herself away from you with only her hopes and prayers for your future. She is loved by us as well and will be part of our prayers for the rest of our lives.
But, in ways we cannot comprehend nor trace out...
God planned US as a family before the beginning of time! He "matched" us before the creation of the Universe. So...for now...we are still waiting for you Little One in China.
We love you. We have loved you for years. You are OURS in all the ways that are important - you are ours in our prayers, our hearts, our dreams, our plans for the future, the way we picture our completed family...YOU are OURS and WE are YOUR MAMA and DADDY!
Sweet girl.
Friday, November 6, 2009
I Don't Even Know Where to Begin!
Seriously....I am so bad at this blog stuff! I write in these waves of several updates at a time and then don't update for 6 months at a time! I'm at the point now where I don't even know where to start with some sort of an update on my life....
I suppose the quick and dirty version is an update on my kids -
Isaac will turn 5...YES 5 in just a few weeks. So not possible. I can't handle it. I'm at the same point of denial that I was right before he turned one....there is NO WAY my baby is this old!
Lydia is almost 19 months old and her newest nickname is Lydzilla! She is a handful! She is sweet and cuddly and snuggly and kissy AND she likes to stomp like Godzilla through Isaac's structures and throw her food at the dog and smack Isaac's head if she's above him in someone's arms....and her world is about to be ROCKED.
Yes...Miracle #3 is on her way! (Seriously, if this doesn't prove that I SUCK at keeping a blog up-to-date...well, then nothing else possibly could!) We are expecting our third miracle baby in just 6 short weeks! She is due December 18....or probably Christmas Day with the way my babies evidently like to take their sweet time entering the world. We know her name - but, we don't share....so sorry. I was actually shopping at a fabric store a few weeks ago (having my first 24 hours ALL TO MYSELF in over 5 years!) and the girl behind the check-out counter was just so upset that I wouldn't tell her the baby's name! She said, "PLEASE, can't you just tell me! We are total strangers! You'll never see me again - I'll never see you again. I need to know. It's going to stress me out for the rest of the day." I said, "Nope. We don't tell. This will give you something to think about for the rest of the day and make your work day go faster." She begged me to at least tell her the first letter...which I refused....so she told me I was mean. Yep.
Here is my funny kid saying for the week. We were driving around doing errands the other day. Steve was with which makes this story so much funnier! Isaac was sitting in the back talking on a play cell phone. All of a sudden we hear, "Ah, yes Sir, I would wike a vaniwa watte and some cookies for the kids, please." (translation - for those of you that don't read "almost 5 year old speech that still lacks L's for the most part" - I would like a vanilla latte"). OK, Steve just looked at me and groaned and rolled his eyes - he thinks I buy myself a coffee EVERY DAY. In reality, I almost never do - so, I don't know where he gets that from. The thing that made me howl was that THAT ISN'T EVEN MY DRINK!!! My actual coffee drink, if I go to Starbucks is a Decaf latte with 2 pumps sugar-free vanilla 2 pumps sugar-free caramal - NOT with 1%, I want at least 2% or whole milk if it's available. SO.....my little man in the backseat is either familiar enough with the lingo to break it down to what is intelligible to him...OR, he's been out ordering his own special drink without me knowing! Either way...it's a hoot!
OK...so, I can't promise this will be updated again anytime soon. Hopefully though before the new baby turns 1!
I suppose the quick and dirty version is an update on my kids -
Isaac will turn 5...YES 5 in just a few weeks. So not possible. I can't handle it. I'm at the same point of denial that I was right before he turned one....there is NO WAY my baby is this old!
Lydia is almost 19 months old and her newest nickname is Lydzilla! She is a handful! She is sweet and cuddly and snuggly and kissy AND she likes to stomp like Godzilla through Isaac's structures and throw her food at the dog and smack Isaac's head if she's above him in someone's arms....and her world is about to be ROCKED.
Yes...Miracle #3 is on her way! (Seriously, if this doesn't prove that I SUCK at keeping a blog up-to-date...well, then nothing else possibly could!) We are expecting our third miracle baby in just 6 short weeks! She is due December 18....or probably Christmas Day with the way my babies evidently like to take their sweet time entering the world. We know her name - but, we don't share....so sorry. I was actually shopping at a fabric store a few weeks ago (having my first 24 hours ALL TO MYSELF in over 5 years!) and the girl behind the check-out counter was just so upset that I wouldn't tell her the baby's name! She said, "PLEASE, can't you just tell me! We are total strangers! You'll never see me again - I'll never see you again. I need to know. It's going to stress me out for the rest of the day." I said, "Nope. We don't tell. This will give you something to think about for the rest of the day and make your work day go faster." She begged me to at least tell her the first letter...which I refused....so she told me I was mean. Yep.
Here is my funny kid saying for the week. We were driving around doing errands the other day. Steve was with which makes this story so much funnier! Isaac was sitting in the back talking on a play cell phone. All of a sudden we hear, "Ah, yes Sir, I would wike a vaniwa watte and some cookies for the kids, please." (translation - for those of you that don't read "almost 5 year old speech that still lacks L's for the most part" - I would like a vanilla latte"). OK, Steve just looked at me and groaned and rolled his eyes - he thinks I buy myself a coffee EVERY DAY. In reality, I almost never do - so, I don't know where he gets that from. The thing that made me howl was that THAT ISN'T EVEN MY DRINK!!! My actual coffee drink, if I go to Starbucks is a Decaf latte with 2 pumps sugar-free vanilla 2 pumps sugar-free caramal - NOT with 1%, I want at least 2% or whole milk if it's available. SO.....my little man in the backseat is either familiar enough with the lingo to break it down to what is intelligible to him...OR, he's been out ordering his own special drink without me knowing! Either way...it's a hoot!
OK...so, I can't promise this will be updated again anytime soon. Hopefully though before the new baby turns 1!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Where the heck have I been?
Wow.....I dropped off the face of the earth for 3 months!
Not really....I'm still here doing all the same things I usually do, I have just evidently had nothing interesting to write about or report about my life. This, of course, isn't true and was the whole point of my blog in the first place. Seriously.
So....since I can't think of anything too hilarious or shocking I'll report a few of Isaac's newest prayers!
Isaac likes to be the "pray-er" at all meals lately. Some of his prayers are quite interesting.
If that one isn't a true picture into human nature I don't know what is!
I have been updating my reading list! I have read some GREAT books in the past several months - I highly recommend anything on my reading list!
I'm Back!
Not really....I'm still here doing all the same things I usually do, I have just evidently had nothing interesting to write about or report about my life. This, of course, isn't true and was the whole point of my blog in the first place. Seriously.
So....since I can't think of anything too hilarious or shocking I'll report a few of Isaac's newest prayers!
Isaac likes to be the "pray-er" at all meals lately. Some of his prayers are quite interesting.
"Come Lord Jesus,
be our guest,
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands.
One nation, under God, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.
And bless our food.
Amen."
and another..."Jesus.
Keep us safe while we eat.
Bless us.
Give me what I want.
Amen."
If that one isn't a true picture into human nature I don't know what is!
I have been updating my reading list! I have read some GREAT books in the past several months - I highly recommend anything on my reading list!
I'm Back!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Yucky Hair
My hair sucks.
I have had basically the exact same hairstyle my whole life.
I did go through quite a perm phase for a while...but, basically I have had the same boring, shoulder-length-ish, no bangs, "natural" hair my whole life.
It sucks.
It's not thick, it's not thin. It's not curly, but it's not straight either.
I had it shorter for a while this summer - and I did actually like how it looked (gasp)...but, it was a total pain because I couldn't put it up or back or anything and let's face it...I have a 4 year old son and a baby...my hair needs to be out of my face.
Of course....it's not like you, the reader, can do anything about this. I don't even have one single picture of me posted in order for you to give me some constructive ideas about a positive change for my hair.
So....I'll just continue whining and you can be relieved to be at the end of this post.
I have had basically the exact same hairstyle my whole life.
I did go through quite a perm phase for a while...but, basically I have had the same boring, shoulder-length-ish, no bangs, "natural" hair my whole life.
It sucks.
It's not thick, it's not thin. It's not curly, but it's not straight either.
I had it shorter for a while this summer - and I did actually like how it looked (gasp)...but, it was a total pain because I couldn't put it up or back or anything and let's face it...I have a 4 year old son and a baby...my hair needs to be out of my face.
Of course....it's not like you, the reader, can do anything about this. I don't even have one single picture of me posted in order for you to give me some constructive ideas about a positive change for my hair.
So....I'll just continue whining and you can be relieved to be at the end of this post.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
My Baby
The vast majority...probably all of the posts that I've written have had some comment about or from Isaac. For good reason, of course, he talks! But, I have been blessed with another little beauty and this post is about her.
Lydia Hope is my long awaited second child. Lydia means "Beautiful Light" and Hope means "Confident Expectation". She IS a beautiful light in our family and the fruition of our confident expectation. She just turned 10 months old today. How is that possible? As I write the words "10 months old" I am honestly sort of stunned. I just stood here for a second unable to type anything else...how could my little baby be so BIG already? Where have the last 10 months gone? Of course, she's not THAT big yet...but, 10 months....she will turn one year old on Easter Sunday. (Isaac turned one on Thanksgiving - isn't that sweet - both of their firsts are on momentous holidays with great meaning).
This is going to be disjointed - I can tell already - because I am honestly standing here typing in kind of a daze. My sweet little miracle is already 10 months old! I say MIRACLE with complete conviction and without the "lightness" with which most people throw around that word. Lydia was my sixth pregnancy. I will go into the story of ALL my children in another post, but, Lydia was long waited for...after Isaac was born we had almost two years of trying before first being told that I would never get pregnant again because I had a sperm allergy. We went before the Elder's of our church and asked that they would anoint us with oil and pray for healing because I believed that EVERYTHING is possible with God. I got pregnant the very next month! We lost that little one at 10 weeks - she probably died just hours before our first ultrasound. I truly believe that her purpose was to point me to God's strength and remind me that NO ONE can tell me what God can't do...God CAN do EVERYTHING and I believe that that was our little Caitlin's purpose...(I hope that anyone reading this will understand that this conviction did not come immediately, but, MUCH MUCH later and after TREMENDOUS wrestling with God)....in the meantime I started seeing a Naturopath (a person who uses "natural" healing methods - this person is a Christian - I would not have gone to see her if she hadn't been). On our first meeting I told her the brief history of the world (as it related to me, of course), and after mentioning the sperm antibody thing and that the major clinic near us had told me I would never get pregnant again and that sperm antibody issues were incurable she said "that's just an allergy, we work with allergies all the time, that won't be a problem"...!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it.....OK, to speed up the story....at the same time I was going through a Bible Study called "Believing God" by Beth Moore - TOTALLY life changing and faith building and amazing...I can't say enough good things....so, the combination of a much healthier body, being CURED of the sperm antibody issue, and finally being willing to BELIEVE GOD NO MATTER WHAT - Believing that HIS best for me was better than what I believed to be best for myself - Believing that HE LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT - BELIEVING and trusting in His timing, His way, His plan........and obviously a WHOLE LOT of God saying..."OK, now is the time for this one!"....and Lydia was conceived!
We had a few scares early in the pregnancy, but, all in all it was a fun, happy, healthy, exciting, awesome pregnancy. I was able to deliver vaginally which was very exciting for me after Isaac's C-Section. My milk came in right away (again, exciting and relieving after so much drama trying to get my milk in after Isaac was born). Lydia was healthy and beautiful and perfect in every way.
She is my joy. She makes the whole family light up. She is the apple of her Daddy's eye and getting her to laugh or smile is the goal of ALL her brother's activities. She makes my heart hurt I love her so much.
She is also coming into her own and she is also a bit of a sassafras! :) She has a mind of her own and she isn't afraid to share. She often reminds me of how much God loves us - her newest thing when she is upset is to arch her back and throw her arms up and back when you pick her up (so that she sort of slides out of your arms)...I think God must smile and shake His head at us when we do the same thing to His rescuing us or removing us from something harmful - we clearly don't understand His motives and so we buck at Him....Lydia brings this to my mind often lately!
She was also just weaned as of today. I am very sad....and also sort of relieved...it's so hard to explain. Both of my babies weaned themselves much earlier than I would have liked them to. I would have nursed a LONG time if they had allowed me, but, they both just QUIT right around 10 months. Lydia has had teeth since she was 6 months old....hence, my relief at being done. But, today, I am sad. I miss the time when she was 3, 4, 5 months old and happy and content and loved to nurse and the pain from the beginning was over. She would just look up at me and pat my chest with her free hand. I miss all that. But, as is everything with mothering, I love this stage she's in right now, too. I am learning about LYDIA. Lydia the bigger baby, her personality, her opinions, her likes and dislikes. I am curious what she will be like when she is Isaac's age. I am curious about what kind of a big sister she will be someday in God's timing (because I am BELIEVING again for another baby). She is my sweet little light and I am sad today that we are done with our special connection.
At this very moment she is sleeping. My Lydia Hope. Praise God for you.
Lydia Hope is my long awaited second child. Lydia means "Beautiful Light" and Hope means "Confident Expectation". She IS a beautiful light in our family and the fruition of our confident expectation. She just turned 10 months old today. How is that possible? As I write the words "10 months old" I am honestly sort of stunned. I just stood here for a second unable to type anything else...how could my little baby be so BIG already? Where have the last 10 months gone? Of course, she's not THAT big yet...but, 10 months....she will turn one year old on Easter Sunday. (Isaac turned one on Thanksgiving - isn't that sweet - both of their firsts are on momentous holidays with great meaning).
This is going to be disjointed - I can tell already - because I am honestly standing here typing in kind of a daze. My sweet little miracle is already 10 months old! I say MIRACLE with complete conviction and without the "lightness" with which most people throw around that word. Lydia was my sixth pregnancy. I will go into the story of ALL my children in another post, but, Lydia was long waited for...after Isaac was born we had almost two years of trying before first being told that I would never get pregnant again because I had a sperm allergy. We went before the Elder's of our church and asked that they would anoint us with oil and pray for healing because I believed that EVERYTHING is possible with God. I got pregnant the very next month! We lost that little one at 10 weeks - she probably died just hours before our first ultrasound. I truly believe that her purpose was to point me to God's strength and remind me that NO ONE can tell me what God can't do...God CAN do EVERYTHING and I believe that that was our little Caitlin's purpose...(I hope that anyone reading this will understand that this conviction did not come immediately, but, MUCH MUCH later and after TREMENDOUS wrestling with God)....in the meantime I started seeing a Naturopath (a person who uses "natural" healing methods - this person is a Christian - I would not have gone to see her if she hadn't been). On our first meeting I told her the brief history of the world (as it related to me, of course), and after mentioning the sperm antibody thing and that the major clinic near us had told me I would never get pregnant again and that sperm antibody issues were incurable she said "that's just an allergy, we work with allergies all the time, that won't be a problem"...!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it.....OK, to speed up the story....at the same time I was going through a Bible Study called "Believing God" by Beth Moore - TOTALLY life changing and faith building and amazing...I can't say enough good things....so, the combination of a much healthier body, being CURED of the sperm antibody issue, and finally being willing to BELIEVE GOD NO MATTER WHAT - Believing that HIS best for me was better than what I believed to be best for myself - Believing that HE LOVED ME NO MATTER WHAT - BELIEVING and trusting in His timing, His way, His plan........and obviously a WHOLE LOT of God saying..."OK, now is the time for this one!"....and Lydia was conceived!
We had a few scares early in the pregnancy, but, all in all it was a fun, happy, healthy, exciting, awesome pregnancy. I was able to deliver vaginally which was very exciting for me after Isaac's C-Section. My milk came in right away (again, exciting and relieving after so much drama trying to get my milk in after Isaac was born). Lydia was healthy and beautiful and perfect in every way.
She is my joy. She makes the whole family light up. She is the apple of her Daddy's eye and getting her to laugh or smile is the goal of ALL her brother's activities. She makes my heart hurt I love her so much.
She is also coming into her own and she is also a bit of a sassafras! :) She has a mind of her own and she isn't afraid to share. She often reminds me of how much God loves us - her newest thing when she is upset is to arch her back and throw her arms up and back when you pick her up (so that she sort of slides out of your arms)...I think God must smile and shake His head at us when we do the same thing to His rescuing us or removing us from something harmful - we clearly don't understand His motives and so we buck at Him....Lydia brings this to my mind often lately!
She was also just weaned as of today. I am very sad....and also sort of relieved...it's so hard to explain. Both of my babies weaned themselves much earlier than I would have liked them to. I would have nursed a LONG time if they had allowed me, but, they both just QUIT right around 10 months. Lydia has had teeth since she was 6 months old....hence, my relief at being done. But, today, I am sad. I miss the time when she was 3, 4, 5 months old and happy and content and loved to nurse and the pain from the beginning was over. She would just look up at me and pat my chest with her free hand. I miss all that. But, as is everything with mothering, I love this stage she's in right now, too. I am learning about LYDIA. Lydia the bigger baby, her personality, her opinions, her likes and dislikes. I am curious what she will be like when she is Isaac's age. I am curious about what kind of a big sister she will be someday in God's timing (because I am BELIEVING again for another baby). She is my sweet little light and I am sad today that we are done with our special connection.
At this very moment she is sleeping. My Lydia Hope. Praise God for you.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Nibbles...
I flat out cannot believe I am going to post this...post. I must enjoy humiliating myself.
My son Isaac was following me down the stairs the other day and he said, "When I grow up and I'm a Daddy I'm going to feed my baby myself."....I said that that sounded like a very good idea.
He continued, "But, I'm going to feed the baby with a bottle, not the way you do......My nibbles aren't as big as your nibbles."
There's really nothing I can add to that story.
My son Isaac was following me down the stairs the other day and he said, "When I grow up and I'm a Daddy I'm going to feed my baby myself."....I said that that sounded like a very good idea.
He continued, "But, I'm going to feed the baby with a bottle, not the way you do......My nibbles aren't as big as your nibbles."
There's really nothing I can add to that story.
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