Tutu Cute!

My mom made Moriah this tutu and it is so adorable! Moriah loves shaking her bootie in it, and she also likes it on her head.

Diet Coke Surprise!

We went shopping at Target this morning to look for a stocking for Levi for next year. My mom got a diet coke and set it on the cart by Moriah. Boy was Mo surprised when she took a sip! We placed it next to her again so I could take pictures of my little cute coke stealer. She has never had it before and didn't even like it. She spit it all out down her dress. I think mom and I about peed ourselves we were laughing so hard. Maybe next time she will leave our drinks alone (mom carried her drink the rest of the time).

(Sorry the pictures are sideways, I am on my parents computer and couldn't get them turned the right way.)

So This is Christmas...

Luke 2

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I pray your are enjoying this day and celebrating the Savior's birth. What a wonderful day!!!

Praying for Uncle Mike

My Uncle Mike got suddenly ill on Christmas Eve and is currently in the hospital.  They suspect that he has a viral infection that is damaging his heart.  Please keep him and his family in your prayers as they try and get through Christmas with this horrible news.  The doctors have air lifted him to a hospital in SC where they can better evaluate him and preform a heart transplant if needed.  They are trying medicine to see if they can fight off the infection and have his heart heal on it's own.  He has a rare blood type and could be hard to find a donor match.  His condition has come as a shock to our whole family and my heart just breaks for his wife and kids.  Thank you for joining me in prayer.      

28 Weeks and He Has a Name!

Well, I am 28 weeks today! Woo Hoo! My belly sure is getting huge but that is ok with me.  I had my first visit to the Birthing Center yesterday and everything is right on track. I am measuring right where I should be, his heart beat is strong and boy is he an active little one! The midwife was laughing at his antics when she was trying to get his heart rate. He just didn't want to be still. I think I might have my hands full with this little guy. I can't wait to meet him!! He is still in the breech position but he has some time to turn himself, so we are praying that he does.  I was VERY impressed with the midwife and I look forward to meeting the other three at my next appointments. She was very informative and answered all my questions as well as educating me on things I didn't even know about yet. I am even more excited about giving birth there now.

My mom has booked her flight for Levi's arrival. Hard to believe he should be coming in less than three months. I am really glad my mom will be here to help with Moriah while I am in labor and afterwards while we get settled into being a family of four. It is such a blessing to have her! She was a huge help when Moriah came. Zack just found out at work that he will get 10 days off when Levi comes. We are thrilled! He didn't get that much time with Moriah (5 days, I think). It will really help us to bond and get into a family rhythm before I am at home alone with two little ones.

Incase you haven't caught on yet, we are naming our little guy Levi Dickenson. We don't have a middle name yet but we are sure he is a Levi. I love that it means united, joined or attached. I am so thrilled that I get to have the privledge to be Levi's mom. I know God has great things instore for him and I get a front row seat! Only 12 weeks to go before we get to see his sweet face.

Associations

Moriah has recently been impressing me with her ability to associate.  I just wanted to share with you some of the funny things she said today.  We were in the kitchen and I threw away a can.  She pointed to the garbage and said, "Yucky."  SO CUTE and true!  We were then reading a story where there is a picture of shoes and she said, "Bye, bye" when I pointed at them (we don't wear shoes in our house so she knows she only gets them when we are leaving).  When I was changing her she got her hands on her nasal aspirator and held it to her face (trying to get it in her nose) and said, "Nose."  When she sees a phone she says, "Hi, Nana!" because she talks to her Nana at least once a day.  When she sees a soft blanket she tells us, "Night night."  Tonight she was in the tub and I asked Zack if she was ready to get out.  She replied "Out."  So Zack asked her if she wanted out and she said, "Out, please."  She has never even said out before!  Those are just a few of the things she did today, I am sure if I dwelled on it I could think of more.  It is just blowing me away what she knows.  I am so glad I get to be around her all day to pick up on all her changes.  I love my little associator!  

'Tis the Season to be Busy

We are so busy the next couple weeks and then we are off to TN and FL for a Christmas road trip so I just wanted to take a moment to update.  

Moriah is successfully off the leaking sippy cup!  She now is attached to another kind and prefers not to drink from any other (especially milk) but at least it doesn't leak so she can have her new special cups.

She has been sleeping very well the last couple nights.  No more vomiting and very little coughing, yay!  Thank you Jesus!

We have picked a name for our son...well a first name at least.  I will post on it after Christmas but I am SO excited about our choice.  I have my glucose test and my first appointment at the birthing center next week.  I will try and blog about it before we leave for our trip but no promises.  He is a very active little boy and enjoys moving around in the night.  I am praying this isn't a sign that he will have his nights and days confused.  We are doing MAJOR rearranging in our home to make room for him.  After we get back from the holidays we will be doing the final preparations for his arrival and transitioning Moriah into a toddler bed.  YIKES!  Hard to believe he will grace us with his presence in just 3 months.  

Well, that sums it up for now.  We have a busy weekend full of holiday parties.  3 that we are going to (5 that were scheduled!).  We have had to gracefully decline some parties just for the fact that we are bogged down with things right now.  I don't want this holiday season being any more stressful than it has to be.  We are, after all, celebrating the birth of our Saviour, not trying to see how many white elephant games we can play at how many different parties, right?  We are trying as a family to keep perspective of what this time of year is REALLY about.  Jesus.  I will try and blog next week about my favorite holiday traditions, both old ones from childhood and new ones we started with Moriah.  I love Christmas!!!

I'm off to do some more cooking for our small group bible study party tonight.  Hope all of you have a great weekend!  

Lessons Learned in the Night

Well, I hate to admit it, but the last couple days I have been a mess.  I have been very stressed and frazzled.  My to do list before we head out on our Christmas road trip is just overwhelming.  To top everything off I have had a very defiant, cranky toddler.  Moriah is getting four molars at once and seems to have entered the "testing twos" early.  On Monday she was literally laughing at me when I would tell her no.  Zack said it seems like someone switched on the naughty switch.  Don't get me wrong I am still madly in love with her and she is still SO sweet and adorable but wow, she has been pushing my buttons.  

Needless to say that all my stress and frustration culminated yesterday when my baby girl woke up from her nap after just 30 minutes and vomited from coughing.  I literally cried.  I felt bad for her for getting sick (I was seeing flashbacks to three weeks ago when she was so sick and miserable), then I felt bad for myself for having to smell it and clean it up, and I was so sad that she wouldn't go back to sleep after the whole ordeal.  So instead of having her nap time to finally tackle somethings on my list, I had a baby who was into everything but didn't want me out of her sight or she would cry.  By the time Zack got home I just need help and we worked on the list till about 9 PM.  I am SO THANKFUL for such a great hubby who encourages me and supports me.  I couldn't have done it yesterday without him.  

So, this brings me to my lessons learned in the night.  Last night Moriah continued to cough and choke and vomit.  I think she woke up every two hours and then she took a good 30 minutes to be comforted back into dreamland.  I did manage to get 5 hours of sleep in.  During all that time awake God reminded me of things I should have already been doing.  I was so stressed and frazzled not because my list was long, or my daughter was driving me nuts and then got sick.  Rather I was stressed and frazzled because I was not leaning on Him, I was not seeking what He would desire me to do, I only saw my list.  He showed me in the night while I held my baby girl, all congested but so sweet snuggled up against me that:

He will sustain me and my sick girl.  

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help, He is the one who sustains me.

He will heal her.  She will not be sick forever.

Matthew 12:16 ...Many followed Him, and He healed all their sick.

 

He will give me the strength I need to face the challenges of motherhood and this season.

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.

I just have to ask and let Him.  What a gracious loving God we serve!!  I am praying Moriah sleeps better tonight but if not maybe I will learn something new, or be reminded of what I should already know, again.

I hope your day is going well, mine is sure going better than the past couple days.    

Sippy Cup Trouble

I’m in trouble. My little girl has become attached to her special sippy cups. She is refusing to drink from any of her other cups. This normally would be fine except that these cups tend to leak. They are GREAT transitional cups from bottle to sippy but now that Moriah has the hang of drinking from them, she needs to move on to the more traditional cups. She likes to spike these cups too and the lid has been known to come completely off, sending the cups contents everywhere. Ahh, I have created another parenting challenge for myself...I think it is going to be a rough couple days getting her off these cups.

My New Nephews

It was so great to get down to FL for Thanksgiving and be with family.  I got to meet my two new nephews.  My brother and sister-in-law are in the process of adopting a 9 year old and a 13 year old.  I am so excited for them and what this means for their family.  Unfortunately the process has been a rocky one and they could use some prayer for the system to actually process the adoption and all the paperwork so they can have the boys start living with them.  Right now they can just have them for weekend visits (which is such a blessing, considering two weeks ago they were told no).  The boys were SO SWEET and the older one really loved on Moriah.  She adored him too.  They both seem to really look out for Hannah and treat her as a little sister already.  You can click here for more pictures of our Thanksgiving trip.